Poll: Are you celebrating St George's Day?

It's a day when towns and villages across the county should be festooned with the simple red cross of the flag of our patron saint, St George.

But if speaking to people on the streets of one county town is anything to go by, you would be fairly hard pressed to find anyone who will be celebrating today – or even why April 23 is a significant date.

There are, of course, those who go out of their way to raise a toast to St George, in the same way as the Welsh celebrate St David, the Scots celebrate St Andrew and the Irish celebrate St Patrick.

But the overriding opinion, at least for those visiting Bridgnorth High Street, was that we should be doing a lot more to recognise our history and heritage.

Rob Evans, 47, from Bridgnorth, did not know that today is St George's Day and doubted his children would either.

"Having young kids you tend to learn with them, so I knew when it was St Andrew's Day, St Patrick's Day and I even knew when Ramadan was, but nothing was done on St George at school," he said.

"There doesn't seem to be any real commercial value in it and no money is really invested but there should be more of a push."

Maggie Wainwright, who has run English Heritage antiques centre in Whitburn Street, Bridgnorth, with her husband Phil, since 1998, said she had stopped decorating her shop as much to mark April 23.

"I know today is St George's Day but I think a lot of people in this country take their heritage for granted," she said.

"There is quite a lot of complacency when it comes to England and it should be celebrated.

"We used to put up St George's flags all around the shop but no-one ever noticed them or said anything, which is why we've got British flags rather than England flags at the moment.

"It seemed we were just doing it for my benefit but we've made sure something goes up to celebrate this year."

Robert Smith, 52, who was visiting Bridgnorth from Stafford, thought April 23 was significant for being the start of the First World War.

Then he realised it is St George's Day.

"There's not enough to promote the day really and without tradition what have you got?" he said.

"We should support the day more and learn more about him.

"If more towns supported the day more people would remember when it was and what it was all about.

"I cannot think of any town that really gets behind it although I know there are few special events laid on.

"But if there was more support from councils it would be celebrated more. It should be tradition and it's something we perhaps take for granted.

"People would soon notice if it completely disappeared.

"I would neither agree nor disagree about it being a Bank Holiday because we have enough as it is, but I do feel St George's Day should be given more attention," he added.

Grandmother, mother and daughter, Wendy Williams, 75, Sandra Jackson, 51, and Alice Jackson, 18, who were all visiting Bridgnorth from Halesowen, knew the significance of April 23 but felt more should be done to celebrate the day.

Sandra said: "There is such a big deal made over St Patrick's Day and not much is done for St George's, but my brother goes out to celebrate every year to celebrate.

"None of the windows around here have got any flags or banners in so it's a bit of a shame."

Alice, who studies at Aberystwyth University, said there were huge celebrations for both St Patrick's and St David's Day across the border. Pubs open specially for the day and we also held special events at the university," she said. "It was nice to be involved in something like that."

Grandmother Wendy said she had noticed a gradual decline in celebrations for many English events.

"It should be celebrated a lot more but it has definitely gone down over the years," she said. "We used to have street parties and special events at school. There was quite a party.

"When we sang the national anthem would be stand up straight and make sure we all knew the words but that doesn't seem to happen now. It's important we keep celebrating such things."

Nigel Ratcliffe, 67, from Hay-On-Wye, in Wales, near the Shropshire border, who works as a care worker in Bridgnorth, said: "I had no idea today was St George's Day but I suppose being Welsh there's no reason why I should.

"There seems to be more passion behind St David's Day celebrations and I think people in England should do more to celebrate.

"I'm not sure many people would know when St George's Day was but it should be recognised as part of the English tradition.

"It could possibly be a Bank Holiday but then again we don't get one in Wales for St David's Day."

Jamie McDonald, manager at the White Lion pub, said: "Last year we put on a special play, showing St George slaying the dragon, but this year we're encouraging to sample some English real ales. I think more should be done to celebrate it but we don't tend to see more people coming in on St George's Day."

And it wasn't just Bridgnorth where the celebrations were said to be lacking.

Councillor Chris Schofield, mayor of Oswestry, said: "I think St George should be celebrated on the same scale as St David is over the border in Wales. I can't see any reason why we shouldn't celebrate.

"There's no problem with being patriotic or proud of your national identity.

"I'm actually going to a St George's Day celebration at the Wynnstay Hotel in Oswestry.

"There's a St George's Day committee and they hold a celebration every year. This year they're having Lady Sarah Biffen, widow of the former Shropshire MP Sir John Biffen, as their guest speaker. It should be a very good event."

Retired restaurateur, Charles Roberts, from Knockin, said he had been brought up to be patriotic.

"We celebrated St George's Day when I was a pupil at Altringham Grammar School and then I went on to be involved in St George's Day parades in my time in the RAF," he said.

"I spend some time in the Cheshire Constabulary and again it was a uniformed service which took great pride in parades.

"I would never want to make anyone celebrate St George's Day if they didn't want to. However, I do think it is good to feel proud to be English. In my restaurants I always ensured there were special Shropshire dishes on the menu."

• Star comment: Reluctant to wave our flags