Tory MP works shift pulling pints at Doncaster area Wetherspoons pub

Alexander Stafford, MP for Rother Valley, worked the late shift at The Queens Hotel in Maltby on Saturday night.

Revellers at the popular Wetherspoons were treated to a pint and table service put on by their local MP between 7.30pm on Saturday and 1am on Sunday morning.

Learning on the job during the busiest shift of the week was quite the baptism of fire, but Alexander, who is keen to walk in the shoes of his constituents and get a feel for their working life, described having a great time.

The shift came following a meeting the previous week with the pub’s landlady to discuss anti-social behaviour in Maltby.

The Queens has reported a staggering 17 burglaries to South Yorkshire Police, costing the business huge amounts to replenish stolen stock, repair damaged windows and to limit antisocial behaviour.

As a Wetherspoons, they have the financial backing of a large company to support the pub, but this isn’t an endless pot of money, and more needs to be done by South Yorkshire Police to save businesses being driven away, Mr Stafford said.

He added: “ I had a fantastic time on Saturday learning the ropes behind the bar at The Queens and speaking to constituents.

“Jobs like these are the bread and butter of our local economy here in Rother Valley, and I want to really understand the lives of my constituents, many of whom keep it ticking over.

“Pubs have had a hard time during the pandemic and they’re not the only industry to have suffered. I would love to make this one of many job shadowing opportunities and would welcome invitations to work a shift anywhere in Rother Valley. The Queen's is a great asset to the village and we must ensure we treat it and the staff with respect.

“Many thanks to Beth and her whole team for looking after me and showing me the ropes. If you have a business in Rother Valley and would like me to work a shift, unpaid of course, so that I can see first-hand your business do get in contact!”