tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172766774137902766.post3195400963255711760..comments2023-12-23T09:28:20.869+00:00Comments on The View from Cullingworth: Why are Cambridge's pubs closing?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9172766774137902766.post-85950559940114487502012-02-16T16:41:21.143+00:002012-02-16T16:41:21.143+00:00Social change - pub-going has been declining stead...<i>Social change - pub-going has been declining steadily for thirty years as people opt instead to stay in their nice warm living rooms watching TV</i><br /><br />If my local is anything to go by the reason it isn't as warm and cosy as my living room is because the landlord can't afford the logs to keep that nice fire going, especially lunchtimes!<br /><br /><i>Smoking bans - the smoking ban accelerated this change by making pubs less attractive for the 60% or more of regular drinkers who are also smokers</i><br /><br />This has been responsible for the most pub closures since the introduction of drunk driving laws and unlike these have been no positive benefit to man nor beast. As a non-smoker I will admit that the air in my local smells better, but the atmosphere has deteriorated to an extent that it has become quite a lonely place to visit.<br /><br /><i>Beer Taxes - the ever-increasing duty on beer makes it more of a luxury meaning that people go to the pub less often and drink less beer when they get there</i><br /><br />As I understand it the duty on a pint of beer in the pub is exactly the same as that on a pint of beer bought in the supermarket. To my mind the problem is that the drink makers sell to supermarkets at a small percentage of the price they sell to pubs.<br /><br /><i>Moderation - yes folks, we're drinking less, quite a lot less</i><br /><br />You speak for yourself Simon!Sean O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09927008607403571290noreply@blogger.com