A Wigan borough pub now hosts Poems and Pints event as a platform for aspiring writers

Now amateur writer Harry Unsworth has taken that idea one step further – by launching a creative writing group at his local pub.

Named Poems and Pints, the initiative highlights the versatile and vital role community pubs continue to play.

Harry, 67, a retired English teacher from Wigan, set up the group at The Mort Arms in Tyldesley with fellow English teacher Ian Leslie.

The aim, he says, is to give local creatives the chance to share their original work with a receptive audience.

Harry said: “The idea came to me after I retired and began writing poetry as a hobby.

“The Mort Arms has long been a favourite pub of mine because it’s been associated with my family for decades – my mum and dad always regarded it as their local.

“It has such a lovely atmosphere and I thought it would be the perfect place for people to come together once a month and share their work. It’s mainly poetry, but we also get singer-songwriters and the occasional comedian too.”

Ian has also published his own poetry collection called The Musings of a Meandering Mind.

Performance slots last four minutes and there is no need to pre-book for the open mic sessions – participants can simply sign up on the night.

The group meets at 7pm on the first Tuesday of every month.

According to Mark Norbury, director of pubs at Joseph Holt, the defining ethos of the 177-year-old company, which has remained in the same family for six generations, is that its pubs are more than simply places to eat and drink – they are at the heart of the communities they serve.

He said: “Harry’s wonderful Poems and Pints group is another example of how versatile a local pub can be and how they can offer so many wonderful social opportunities.

"The Mort Arms is a traditional community pub full of character. There’s no doubt it will provide inspiration for this lovely, lyrical get together to produce some wonderful work which can be enjoyed by everyone.”