The not-so-local.

Have you noticed how many pubs are shutting down? I reckon round where I live there are only half as many pubs now as there were 10-15 years ago, and every month seems to bring the end of yet another one. Of course the writing has really been on the wall ever since the drink-drive laws came in in the 60's and it's been a slow downhill journey since then. To be fair, there have been other factors at work as well - not least the demise of so many small independent breweries, and for many the recent anti-smoking legislation has been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. It's a real shame for those of us who remember the joys of going out for a drive and finishing with a pint at a country pub, but it's a different world these days, isn't it?