There has been on average 4 pubs a day closing since last year, I know I work for a company that delivers beer ! The smoking ban has hit and the none smokers that were supposed to return to the pubs haven't, and there is also the fact that younger drinkers are "pre-loading" i.e. meeting up and drinking cheap booze from the supermarket before going to the pub, they then spend less in the pub. 2009 is destined to be the first year that supermarket sales match pub sales and the trend is due to continue

The rot all started with a goverment change called the "beer orders" in the late 80s and the demise of the industry was set on it's way... speaking as someone who then worked for Bass the biggest brewer and pub company in the UK at the time.

Anyway all these pubs have paid for my Crossfire so far, lets hope there are enough pubs to keep me employed and able to afford the fuel to put in it

Can I ask that everyone goes to the pub this weekend and has a good drink, I need to buy some tyres soon !

cheers,

Paul