Support your local business

Sometimes I truly despair. What sort of a country are we becoming? We are seemingly overrun with groups stuffed full of busybodies, running around the country, stating the bleeding obvious and whipping up hysteria, seemingly with the sole purpose of trying to shaft people who are struggling to make a living in the recession. The latest "shocking" revelation? Pepperoni pizzas at a local Mill Hill Pub are a bit salty. Well what next, maybe they'll reveal that Scotch is more alcoholic than tap water




 There is an article in the Edgware Times today highlighting the fact that the Adam & Eve pub in Mill Hill has a pizza on the menu with a high salt content -  http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/9613305.Mill_Hill_restaurant_selling_pizzas_saltier_than_sea_water/?ref=mc - following an investigation byThe Consensus Action of Salt and Health (CASH) - a health pressure group. In my opinion, stories such as this are complete nonsense. No one goes to the pub for a pizza to improve their health or because they are on a diet. Anyone who is concerned will know that processed meats have a high salt content and anyone who has salt related health issues will know that they should avoid such dishes. I love salami's and pepperoni pizzas, but due to health issues I've chosen not to eat them, but it is a choice. A healthy person will not suffer any dire consequences from eating the offending pizza even if they wash it down with six pints of Guinness.

What we are seeing here is a group of people who seem to have nothing at all better to do than go around and criticise perfectly well run establishments. These stories then get picked up by the press and local people get the impression that the establishment is in some way producing poor quality food. The Adam and Eve is my local pub. It is a pleasant establishment and the food is high quality. The kitchens are clean and the beer is good. Since it's refurbishment it has become well established as a good place for  a beer, a meal and somewhere to meet friends. I had my daughters confirmation party at the pub and we recently had a family get together there. Two of my nephews and my brother had one of the offending pepperoni pizzas. It may surprise you to find out that no one died, in fact we all rather enjoyed it.

Times are hard for anyone running a business right now. The last thing we need is groups of busybodies running around, terrorising local businesses. What next? Are they going to visit Tesco's and announce that the tubs of table salt contain more salt than seawater? The truth is that one pizza in a pub won't have any affect at all. It is the salt we add on a daily basis to food at home which is the problem. Lay off the local businesses. Am I the only person who wonders whether there is a more cynical agenda here? Like the parking charges in High Streets, such scare stories as these create an impression that the large chains, where bland tasteless food is churned out, somehow are providing a "quality" service, whilst local businesses are portrayed as slapdash? Some people like salty pizzas and there is nothing against the law with that. My guess is if you visited the Adam & Eve you'd see people adding salt to whatever was brought out, salty or not. Next thing, these busybodies will be proposing we ban salt cellars from the land.

I propose we have "support your local business day", where everyone should visit their local cafe, pub or family run restaurant, and have the dish you like most and say "stuff the health consequences" - just for one day.

And I may well make a special effort to visit the Adam & Eve tonight for a pint, just to show a bit of solidarity.