The winning team (left to right) of Therese Coffey MP, Parliamentary assistant Carys Major, Simon Hoare MP and CAMRA chief executive, Tom Stainer, with Mike Wood MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, Parliamentary assistant, Dan Horrocks, and quizmaster Mark Labbett
A team led by MPs Therese Coffey and Simon Hoare was victorious in the inaugural All Party Parliamentary Beer Group and PubAid Pub Quiz.
Team Bling lifted the winners’ trophy ahead of fierce competition in a packed room in the House of Commons, with 20 MPs taking part, as well as other Parliamentary colleagues, brewers, pub company representatives and journalists.
With Mark Labbett — aka The Beast on The Chase — as quizmaster, the 100-plus contestants worked in teams to answer questions on everything from sport and science to music and movies, as well as a beer round.
The quiz was held just a month ahead of the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz, organised by PubAid with Prostate Cancer UK. More than 1,200 pubs have already signed up to run the quiz between March 3 and 7, and PubAid hopes that the final number will at least match last year’s, when 1,500 pubs took part, raising £190,000 for hundreds of charities.
MPs who took part in the Parliamentary Pub Quiz are being encouraged to also attend a World’s Biggest Pub Quiz in a pub in their constituency.
Mike Wood, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, said: “We’re delighted with this first Parliamentary Pub Quiz, and congratulate Therese, Simon, and their team as worthy winners. Not only was the evening a lot of fun, it also served as a reminder of the vital role that pubs play in communities up and down the land, which includes raising more than £100 million for charity, every year.”
Nick Bish, representing PubAid, added: “Everyone loves a good pub quiz and tonight’s was no exception. We’re looking forward to early March when hundreds of pubs will be hosting the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz, raising money for worthy causes including Prostate Cancer, and giving their customers a great reason to come out to the pub and enjoy socialising with other quizzers.”
