I read with interest the letters from Martin Russell and David Fogden (ViewPoints, April 24) and agree that while food is important and certainly very relevant to a restaurant visit, a feature on basic boozers such as the recently-refurbished Grapes and the Rusty Bicycle requires a different approach.

Quite a few years ago, someone whose name I have forgotten had a regular spot on pubs and beer in The Guide pages. Perhaps it is time for this to be revived?

Real ale is rapidly becoming the favoured choice among enlightened younger drinkers and our Prime Minister is also a devotee who has championed it on several occasions, notably the presentation of a bottle of Wychwood Hobgoblin to US President Barack Obama, giving bottles of London Pride to each of the Chilean miners and certainly the first serving PM ever to attend and open a beer festival, as was the case last year at Charlbury.

JOHN MACKIE, (Joint staffing officer Oxford Beer Festival), Hendred House, Cowley, Oxford