ROMSEY'S MP is standing up for local businesses including pubs.

Sandra Gidley pulled a pint at Sherfield English's Hatchet Inn and urged regulars to join the fight to preserve the traditional British pub.

"Local pubs, like the Hatchet Inn, are at the heart of local life and are often used by clubs and groups up and down the Test Valley, further enriching community spirit. It is a worrying, though, that so many of these community hubs are facing really hard times, with increased prices and people feeling the pinch."

Mrs Gidley said the Government should lower tax on beer sold in pubs and raise it on alcohol sold in supermarkets.

"This would help get people back into their local pubs and encourage responsible drinking in a managed environment," she claimed.

Mrs Gidley has also signed up to the Federation of Small Businesses "keep trade local" manifesto calling on the Government to halt the decline in independent retailers.

"The dominance of the out-of-town shopping centres, with free parking, makes it so much more difficult for local businesses to survive," she said. "Over half of the turnover of our independent retailers goes back into the local community, compared with just five per cent from supermarkets. The average person in Hampshire travels 839 miles a year to shop for food. This does nothing for the environment, or people's wallets."