PUBS in the Okehampton area are calling for the Government to do more to support them as they enter the important Christmas period.

The year 2013 has proven to be a difficult year for pubs up and down the country. Earlier this year, the Campaign for Real Ale announced that nationally, 26 pubs are shutting each week.

In August, the editors of the Good Pub Guide 2014 forecast that between 2,500 and 4,000 of the 49,500 pubs in the UK would be forced to shut within 12 months.

That figure is even higher than those predicted by CAMRA, which amounts to 1,300 each year.

With Christmas parties and festivities now in full swing, December can be a crucial period for pubs across the country.

Wendy Williams, landlady at the Crossways Inn in Folly Gate, is in the process of selling the business for personal reasons after nine and a half years at the pub.

She said that the community of Inwardleigh parish had been very supportive to the pub in her time at the pub, but felt the Government was not doing enough to support pubs after a difficult few years of trading.

'Those two previous years, we had two bad winters, and a lot of bad weather, and it hit us hard,' said Wendy.

'It took us a while to bounce back, and this year has been the start of that.

'A good Christmas trade is very important to pubs like us. The people of Folly Gate and Inwardleigh have been really brilliant, but country pubs need visitors from further away to keep coming.

'I don't think the Government is doing enough to support rural pubs. Things like fuel duty, we need help with that, because people have to travel to come to us.

'Another big thing has been the smoking ban.

'I know we serve food, but if we could be allowed to have a smoking room, and then a non-smoking area for people eating food, giving us that leeway could make a big difference to us.

'Since the smoking ban, we have seen our darts and skittles teams diminish, and it makes a difference.'

Nick Hamlyn, landlord at the Red Lion, is celebrating five years at the pub this December.

He said: 'The decision by the Government to scrap the beer duty escalator earlier this year was really good news, and has helped things.

'But the main thing for us, and many of our customers have said it too, is the supermarkets. They have a big impact.

'Twenty years ago, the only places you could get alcohol were pubs, and off licences.

'An off licence would not sell alcohol cheaply, as it was their main source of income.

'Supermarkets can now sell alcohol at discounted prices to draw people in and then they spend money on other products too.

'It puts them at an advantage we don't have. The Government could help level the playing field.

'We were expecting a tough year this year, but it has picked up.

'I think people are willing to spend money if they feel they are getting value for money.

'As a business you have to make sure you provide that value, so people don't feel like they are being ripped off.'

Central Devon MP Mel Stride has been a keen advocate of the pub trade, having welcomed the scrapping of the alcohol duty escalator on beer, which adds inflation plus 2% to the price of alcohol.

The escalator remains in place for wine and spirits.

Mr Stride said: 'Pubs are right at the heart of our communities.

'I regularly use them for my surgeries and personally campaigned very hard to support them arguing for a reduction in beer duty — something the Government has delivered.

'This included raising over 1,600 signatures across the constituency that I handed into Number 10.

'Recently the Government has doubled small business rate relief from £6,000 to £12,000 with a £1,000 rebate for many premises.

'This is alongside a two per cent cap on business rate growth, which would have otherwise risen by 3.2 per cent.

'I will continue to do all I can to support pubs in Central Devon.'