Hard Times For Local Pubs
Slowly but surely it seems the pub industry is doomed, particularly in the face of the latest battering they are getting with the recession. It’s such a shame, I really do enjoy having a relaxing drink down the pub and neeting up with my friends.
Apparently, pubs in Oxfordshire are closing at a rate of one every 25 days, with landlords blaming high taxes, cut-price alcohol in supermarkets and the smoking ban as reasons for the slump.
So how important are pubs in Oxford to you? A survey carried out by ComRes shows that more than eight out of 10 people believe that community spirit and values are under threat in Britain today, and that the local pub and a pint of beer are important symbols of the British way of life. I, for one, would feel a great loss should my local pub disappear.
There are also numerous campaigns against proposals to increase beer tax in the forthcoming Budget (this website here pretty much explains it all), with the usual call-to-action to lobby MPs to oppose the plans. I don’t doubt the seriousness of the issue, but I was very amused by this tax-o-meter, although less so by the figures it produced!
It will be terrible if tehre aren’t any nice pubs around any more, but I’m sure that really good pubs will be able to keep afloat if they have support from their regulars. Everyone loves a quiet drink, so why not go out and support your local pub today. It might make a real difference to its future.
Tags: Pubs in Oxford
