IT'S a stark truth by which publican Phil Robinson and his wife, Susan live: pubs are not economic machines.

"If they are there purely to make money they'll die," says Mr Robinson, who owns the 18th century freehouse, the White Bear Inn in the village of Stillington.

"They only thrive when they're genuinely part of the warp and weft of the community they serve," he added.

While around 28 pubs close weekly in England, the White Bear, festooned with pottery images of polar bears, is doing well generating around £400,000 turnover per year.

And with the couple poised to expand into self-catering chalets next door they are now pitching to win the Tourism and Hospitality Business of the Year category.

Mr Robinson, who's career included working at some of Britain's top hotels and managing pubs all over Yorkshire, is also being nominated for the Business Personality of the year award.

Mr Robinson said: "When we first came here19 years ago it was a real drinking village, but I wanted them to eat too, so I approached the parish church to help me start the Stillington Luncheon Club to make everyone aware that we took food just as seriously as the beer."

Another example of community interaction is the pub's sponsorship of the village's cricket and squash clubs, its support of local charities and its hosting of men's and women's darts teams as well as a dominoes league.

So far Mr Robinson has invested £90,000 of his £300,000 project to build self-catering chalets, which is due for completion next year. The shell of the first of two one-bedroomed apartments is complete, with a barn set to be demolished to make way for a two-bedroomed chalet.

Mr Robinson says he is "very proud" of the fact the White Bear is one of the few pubs in Yorkshire to have twice won the CAMRA Country Pub of the Season.