AN ANTHOLOGY of poems inspired by the British pub will be launched in Otley next week.

Produced by Otley Word Feast Press, Half Moon: Poems about Pubs will be unveiled at the Horse and Farrier on National Poetry Day - Thursday, October 6.

The book contains a foreword by Otley Pub Club Chairman Andy FitzGerald, who notes that: "Pubs have played a large role in social and political history and are still important in today’s world."Pubs provide gathering places for those

of like minds to meet and discuss the matters of the day, whether they concern the state of the world, sport, the weather or other more important matters such as literature.

"Pubs provide the quiet sanctuary, or 'beery womb', where prose, polemics or poetry can be both read and written.

"We have lost and continue to lose too many pubs nationwide, but fortunately Otley seems to be a place where that trend has been bucked."

He adds: "Your contributors, your bards, have managed to demonstrate a deep and wide display of affection for pubs and what they mean to them.

"There are witty poems, romantic poems and wistful poems - all of high quality, a pleasure to read and consider."

Among the dozens of writers who contributed to the anthology is Otley Town Poet Matthew Hedley Stoppard who will introduce some of his fellow contributors, who will give readings, on the launch night.

The event - where Half Moon will be available at a reduced price - starts at 7pm and will also feature performances, at 8.15pm and 9.30pm respectively, by local band Summercross and local musician Jon Palmer.

The launch evening has been included on the National Poetry Day website's map of events nationwide - for more details visit nationalpoetryday.co.uk .