But there again, I suppose enjoyable if you wish to be packed into an area where ear-bursting music cannot be escaped.

There are five main reasons why so many family pubs cease to be and number one must be the smoking ban, which is said to have caused the loss of 80 per cent of customers to pubs and clubs.

Number two: – soaring costs of ingredients to go towards the brewing of both ale and lager and fuel rises which adds to the cost of transporting the beverage.

Number three: – a six per cent above inflation tax imposed by Alistair Darling in the last budget certainly was no help to the failing industry and raised £1.6b for the beleaguered treasury.

Number four: – cheap supermarket plonk which undercuts the price in pubs, encouraging many drinkers to buy a six, 12 or 24 pack and stay at home watching the television, now a cheaper event than going to the pub for a pint.

Number five: – the local pub has been caught up in the recoil of 24-hour binge drinking, which the government has quickly picked up on.

Sponsored by the puritanical so-called experts and by the loss of these outlets, we have lost a focal point in our communities.

Binge drinking is actually not new in Britain.

In the First World War, public houses of the day were made to close at 10pm because those who were not at the front fighting were employed in the munition factories.

That came about because employment gave many money which they never had before the war.

They engaged in getting blotto at weekends, consequently never turning up for work, especially on a Monday.

Rather than hit the working man with the taxes, perhaps we should take a leaf out of the past and close all pubs and wine bars at 10 o'clock every evening, thus reducing pressure on the police, hospital, emergency and ambulance services.

Just a thought, have a sober day?

Fred Gibbon,
Masefield Road,
Hartlepool.