I enjoy singing in pubs - I find the atmosphere the most conducive for folk song and music. I also enjoy a pint (or quart if I've got my tankard with me) of good real ale with it. I don't drink for dutch courage - no-one who knows me would accuse me of needing it. I do find that beer seems to lubricate my throat better than water or other liquids.

I agree with the comments about excessive smoke and try to avoid pubs where this is the norm. Essex Girl and I have noticed the way that the right publican can make such a difference to a pub. We've seen things go both ways, a good pub go right downhill on a change of of management, but also (sadly rarer) the success stories where a new imaginative incumbent has revived a pub which was almost on the point of closing. One Pub which we often sing at, was an Indian Restaurant for quite some years, but is now a lovely pub again, with wonderful (Harvey's) draught beer - all on gravity feed.

One of the problems is that many new landlords decide that the quick way to make money is to try and attract the "young" trade. This usually entails stripping out most of the fittings which make it comfortable and repainting it in a minimalist fashion. This works all right for a while, but often there are problems with under-age drinking and drugs as well as complaints from neighbours. Young drinkers tend to be fickle and soon another establishment becomes more fashionable, leaving a pub which because of it's state and reputation, no-one wants to drink in. I can think of at least half a dozen such pubs which are now McDonalds, Wine Warehouses, Restaurants, Offices or just empty eyesores.