Concern for Pubs after Disastrous Summer Sales

Concern for Pubs after Disastrous Summer Sales

Fears are growing that the disastrous summer pub sales slump is causing a sharp increase in the number of licensees giving notice to quit.

Many pubs are suffering as a direct result of the poor summer weather and floods which have come in the wake of the smoking ban.

Add to that the rises in interest rates which not only push up their own borrowing costs but also reduce customers’ cash for leisure then it is easy to see why it’s been a tough few months for publicans.

Let’s all hope a sunny September can give a shot in the arm to our ailing pub community. To read more click on Concern for Pubs after Disastrous Summer Sales.

With the end of September also seeing the close of voting for The Nation’s Favourite Pub Walk, why not use the month to not only help our pubs but also to try some more pub walks and cast your votes?

Today's pub walk: The Hole in the Wall near Cambridge.

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Pubs Show Community Spirits to Floods Victims

Pubs Show Community Spirits to Floods Victims

We've all seen the devastation and personal misery of the thousands of people caught up in what is being widely described as the worst floods for 60 years. Pubs themselves have suffered severely too with not only their homes but also their livelihoods under water.

But when a disaster like this occurs, it is always accompanied by a strong sense of community with people from all backgrounds pulling together and helping each other for the common good.

Pubs at the heart of the flooding are helping their communities too, like the publicans I know at The New Inn at Cropthorne, near Worcester. They gave food and overnight shelter to 200 souls who became stranded when a nearby road collapsed. Hopefully when life returns to normality, many of those people who were helped will return to support the New Inn as it works to recover its own business.

Read more at Pubs Show Community Spirits to Floods Victims.

Today's pub walk: The County Arms in Cambridge.

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RSPB hopes for corn bunting

RSPB hopes for corn bunting

For me, bird song is an integral pleasure of any walk, not only out in the countryside but in towns too when away it can be a welcome distraction from the traffic noise. So I am always pleased to hear when hopes are rising that another songbird's numbers could be on the recovery in an area.

Now there is excitement at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) over the sighting of a small group of corn buntings in the Scottish Borders. It is significant because the bird had been thought to have died out in the area after the last sighting a few years ago had been of a single calling male.

If you think you see any corn buntings in the Borders, the RSPB would like to hear from you. You can find out more at RSPB hopes for corn bunting.

Today's pub walk: The Red Lion in Cherry Hinton, Cambridgeshire.

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South Downs Wind Turbine a Monstrous 230 ft High

There simply has to be a better way of generating alternative energy than by destroying the views over one of our few remaining wilderness areas in England. With the South Downs already designated the UK's 15th National Park, who can possibly justify building a monstrous 230 feet high wind turbine in its midst?

Apparently a company called Glyndebourne Productions Ltd can. However, they have a battle ahead of them as some of the strongest countryside campaigners have lined up to take them on: the Ramblers' Association, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the Council for National Parks and the South Downs Society.

Although wind turbines are sited on National Parks elsewhere, it is the shear scale of this one that is causing immense concern. Expected to be visible over an area of hundreds of square miles, it's 230 foot height dwarfs the 40-50 foot ones previously used.

So let's support renewable energy sources but not at any price. We need to protect our natural environment as well as the planet for enjoyment today as well as in the future.
See update...

Today's pub walk: The Green Dragon in Cambridge.

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TV Turnoff Week: 23-29 April 2007

There is a national "week" for just about everything these days and many of them are of little interest to most of us and go by virtually unnoticed. However I think TV Turnoff Week warrants a mention in my blog - and not just because we now have headline-grabbing proposals for the government to intervene and limit the amount of time young children spend glued to the box.

For me the best counter-attack to television addiction is to create family time out of the house. We all know walking is great exercise and it can easily be made into an enjoyable activity for the family to share, maybe by turning it into a nature trail for example. And when you consider that so many pubs these days see families as their target clientele, well, the choice of a suitable place to eat afterwards is growing all the time.

So, time to turn off that TV!

Today's pub walk: The Castle Inn in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.

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BBC Countryfile - photographic competition

One of the enduring pleasures of walking is undoubtedly the range of wildlife that we come across, often totally unexpectedly. Although walking and talking with friends is a real pleasure, periods of silence often lead to their own reward by the sudden sighting of creatures before they have time to take flight or scuttle away.

I see that Countryfile has launched its 2007 photographic competition entitled "All creatures great and small" with a natural world or countryside theme. So, with my new camera in hand, this is my cue to try and capture a few of those rare moments as we enjoy our pub walks.

You can find more information on how to enter their competition on Countryfile's website.

Today's pub walk: The Six Bells in Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire.

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Entries for "The Nation's Favourite Pub Walk" start to arrive

Well the entries have started to come in and we are seeing pub walks being submitted across the nation with clusters already appearing in Hampshire, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. We know of at least another 100 pub walks on the way too so keep watching for some near you, register as a voter, give them a try and tell us all what you think.

One I fancy trying is The Hole in the Wall walk on Little Wilbraham Fen. Not only does it feature a pub with a good local reputation but the walk takes in the truest remnant of the fens, as they were in Cambridge, and a traditional windmill. Click on Hole in the Wall for more details.

Why not enter one of your own favourite pub walks too, especially if you have one in an area not yet represented? For more details visit myfavouritepubwalks.com/competition.

Today's pub walk: The Hole in the Wall near Cambridge

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