This was the title of a book produced by Camra in the seventies.

I think we are in a more serious situation than we were then over pubs hitting troubled times, as Camra's argument then was mainly over the quality of beer. When I drive from Leicester town centre to where I live in Groby, there are six or seven formerly busy pubs now boarded up, and none open.

What the recession is failing to do the government and breweries seem to be determined to. The excellent landlord and landlady of our village pub have turned it into a thriving establishment which also serves as a village youth club. They have been forced to call it a day because every time their profits go up, the brewery puts up their rent, and they feel they are just working like blue a***d flies to line someone else's pockets.

Last night we went to a pub in Shepshed where the upstairs room was packed for a folk night. Apparently the landlord has got into an argument about the brewery over a similar issue, and will be leaving.

Are we all to sit at home drinking cans and watching reality TV?

I thought I might put this on the "Non-Music", but it does affect our music directly.