MANY years ago, I studied at the University of Central Lancashire and lived briefly in Bromley Cross.

Recently, I passed through the village on my way to the Blackburn v Middlesbrough football match.

I am a Newcastle United fan (don’t worry, I’m getting over it) so I was keen to watch that day’s Sunderland-Newcastle derby match (don’t worry, I'm getting over that too .... slowly) and with work to do before the game in Blackburn, I called into The Flag Inn in Bromley Cross.

There, I was afforded the warmest of welcomes.

I would like to take this opportunity to not only thank and praise the staff responsible, but proffer the suggestion that their attitude was entirely characteristic of what I recall from my earlier days in Lancashire and a credit to that county.

Not only was the food and drink of the highest quality, and the service friendly, but I was permitted to plug my laptop into the establishment’s electricity supply at no expense but their own.

I know this may come across as a shameless plug, but it is anything but.

My mam ran a local business that was perpetually threatened by the growth of larger rivals, so I understand how hard times can be — more so in the current economic climate.

To that end, businesses such as The Flag Inn could almost be excused if they merely went through the motions, offering a sub-standard service. However, to my mind, it should be applauded for refusing to do so.

With old-fashioned values increasingly on the wane, what remains and endures ought always to be highlighted. And for that, I salute The Flag.

Steve Brown, Chief sports writer, Sunday Sun newspaper, Newcastle-upon-Tyne