Flor - did you misread my post -pubs and bars closed as a direct result of the smoking ban and new ones DID NOT take their place. It is simple economics, if you have no customers you will go bankrupt and what I was trying to point out is that i believe if they continue not to serve alcohol these businesses will go bust.

And flor, you give one small expample which does not make a trend. I am talking about a trend, it has happened all over the UK, not just in one village