What a shame.

I know.. I remember when they used to do a Butchers Delight, it was a platter of just about every cut of meat you could find with onion rings, tomatoes, mushrooms and game chips and if you could finish it you could have it for nothing... I'm told no one ever did.

Were dogs allowed in that pub?

Ha! Like your way of thinking.

Yeh i agree with this - a few friends/friends of ours who run/ran pubs here in Rochdale have/are trying to sell their licences - as someone said earlier - the supermarkets cheap prices on booze didnt help n then the breweries trying to get every penny they can out of the landlord/ladies n them having to put prices up is what is killing off the pubs over here n not the smoking ban - maybe it didnt help but its not the nail in the coffin thats for sure - n like has been said lots more families are now going out for meals n such which i for one certainly wouldnt have done with my own children when people were smoking in pubs - so i for one think its a great thing - there is nothing worse than sitting in a pub - especially when eating - when someone on the next table or the same table for that matter sparks up a fag - disgusting

I think they were.

Just reading this, and it says about 30 pubs a week are closing, but there are a record number of outlets with a licence to sell alcohol. No mention of smoking ban, they put the blame squarely on these other outlets.
The pub industry blamed the decline on the recession, and the availability of cheap alcohol.

Because if you're too comfortable or have a table to place your drink you're not going to drink as quick or as often as someone who is stood holding their pint thinking what to do with it and continualy sipping at it.

Hahahahahaha - i like ya avi Matt - has Val seen it yet hahahahahahaha xxx

Had to pop back to the hospital this afternoon and despite there being a new law prohibiting smoking from outside the entrance to the hospitals there were 3 medical staff and the security guard all stood there smoking............nice to see the Spanish being Spanish lol.

They just don't care, do they? Mind you, the law doesn't come into effect until Jan 2nd 2011.

They are not breaking any law it doesn´t come into effect until January.

I was talking to an English publican the other day who’s got two pubs here in Spain, both with Se Vende signs in the windows, they’re both large premises and freehold. He’s an experienced guy and is not bothered by the smoking ban as he has ample free space to cater for everyone, smokers, dogs, junkies, karaoke lovers, the lot.

His takings are down by two-thirds since the recession started in 2007. Unlike most other foreign publicans here in Spain, he’s got the accounts to prove it. Like any other good business man he’s made savings wherever possible and works like a trojan himself.

But he’s given up, even with the low interest rates he has worked out that he will earn more from his money if he just leaves it in the bank. I attended his opening night ten years ago and he’s a completely different man now, to top it all his wife has left him as well. The pub trade is not conducive to a happy family life.

(He doesn’t smoke or drink).

I think if I were in his situation I would start.........

Joking aside, a bad situation to be in.

Nice one