Last orders for five pubs a day

[The Smoking Man]

And for you Chinese members ... neither of these two individuals talking in this article will face arrest and neither will the reporter be taken aside and beaten.

Last orders for five pubs a day
Press Assoc. - 1 hour 5 minutes ago

British pubs have closed at the rate of five a day during the first half of this year, according to new figures.

Closures have accelerated to 36 a week, up 33% from the 27 closures a week during 2007, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said.

Pubs are now closing nine times faster than in 2006 and 18 times faster than in 2005, the figures, compiled by market researcher CGA Strategy, show. A total of 1,409 pubs closed during 2007.

BBPA chief executive Rob Hayward said: "These numbers are a stark illustration of the pressures on the pub sector. Economic stresses and strains are being felt by every household across the country and acutely by Britain's public houses.

"Sliding consumer confidence and spiralling inflation are hitting pubs in two ways. Not only are the costs of running a pub increasing, but fewer people through the door means less cash in the tills.

"Despite this, the Government seems intent on increasing the burden on pubs. Its current proposals to target pubs with a raft of new red tape such as statutory codes of conduct and ratchet up taxes with its beer duty escalator will only make matters worse.

"Such policies will only drive up costs for pubs and prices for punters. Government needs to wake up to what's happening in the real world of the pub."

In July the BBPA reported that total beer sales were down 4.5% compared with the same quarter last year, while beer sales in pubs were down 10.6%. The slump had left sales of beer at their lowest levels since the great depression of the 1930s, the association said.

Mr Hayward added: "Thousands of much-loved community pubs are under threat. They are at the heart of every community and a major tourist draw for Britain. Without a change of heart from the Government, many more are facing closure. With so many pubs in peril, the Government's threat of further stealth taxes on beer cannot go unanswered. And with food and fuel prices rocketing, this is a terrible time to be hitting pub-goers with more taxes."

Mike Benner, chief executive of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: "It is clear that the Government must take urgent action to save pubs from closure. Pubs are essential local services and the Government has a moral duty to protect them. It should start by announcing immediately that it will reverse its decision to increase beer duty in the next four Budgets and that a review of alcohol taxes will be undertaken without delay."

[shan]

less harmful than this .

most stock buyers' loss is over 60% now

[The Smoking Man]

Mmmm ... Purdy piktures.

What are they of/ what do they mean?

Stocks in what?

[shan]

that's the K line of shanghai benchmark index

the above is today's, the below is this year's

The benchmark index ended below the psychological barrier of 2,200 points today

i would say it's safe to buy in shares now if you have money .

[The Smoking Man]

Ummm ... The original post is about PINTS and PUBS... Not Points.

Public Houses ... Bars.

Drinking.

England is losing her Pubs at a rate of 5 per day.

[shan]

the China stock market is like a gambling place , but if you master the tricks .

you can make big money .

usually you need to wait  several yrs for the right time to come

now I tell you it's coming , Wait the index dropped under 2000 and largely buy in .

[shan]

This pub is lovely , very cozy , hope it will  not be extincted before i visit it

[Art]

There are several factors hitting the British pubs other than those mentioned in the article above. The ban on smoking has had a huge impact especially on those pubs which do not have outside facilities to accommodate the smokers. Then there is the extended licensing hours which means the bigger so called super pubs are taking business from the small traditional family owned premises. Finally there is the increased drive to catch people drink driving which has badly hit the rural pubs.