Cheers! Drinkers visit their 13,000th pub

Nov 1 2006 By Dale Williams, Birmingham Mail

FOUR dedicated Midland drinkers have set a new record after ticking off the 13,000th pub in their bid to sup in every hostelry in Britain.

The Newt pub, in Stephenson Street, Birmingham city centre, hosted the landmark on a pub crawl which has taken more than two decades to achieve.

Pete Hill, from West Bromwich, and his fellow 'Tairsters' have spent 22 years getting so far.

His fellow ale worshippers are his dad Joe Hill, along with pals John Drew, Karl Bradley and Kelvin Price.

Initially, Pete and his friends decided to visit every Banks's outlet in the West Midlands, and became known as the 'Tairsters', sporting waistcoats made of beer mats.

The charity challenge was soon completed and their search for new pubs has so far taken them through every county in England, Wales and Scotland, securing them a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. They are currently concentrating on Oxfordshire.

Pete said: "We began our pub tour with a pint of Banks's and so we always return to the West Midlands when we reach a landmark and celebrate in a Banks's place.

"It's hard to believe we've reached 13,000 pubs. We must have seen more of the UK than most people."

Banks's director of customer service and brewing, Richard Westwood, added: "Reaching 13,000 pubs is an amazing achievement, and we're very proud to be able to support these Black Country heroes at this important landmark." ..SUPL: