Is their any way back for the British pub?

[who can tell]

Yesterday I was reading the Guardian newspaper it had a article about the falling number of pubs in the UK.  In Chesterfield we have witnesseds the closure of the Abacus bar , Pacific, Royal Oak ( though set to reopen but has changed hands a lot in recent months) Iv been told the Red Lion down Brampton has closed. Personally I can't see the trade ever recovering to be honest people have become used to drinking at home and if they smoke can do so freely in the comfort of their own home but I believe it makes people less sociable and isolated . Bar prices need reducing and the Pubcos hold over the trade needs to be broken for a remote chance for the trade to survive but that's easier said than done with bankers who have millions of investment in the Pubcos. Just recently here in Arbrouthorne the Arbrouthorne Hotel has been reduced to rubble along with the Elm Tree both once popular haunts their demise its symbolic of the state of the trade.

[Scimitar]

It seems that a pub can't survive unless it serves decent food. Marstons brewery built the "Little Castle" at Markham Vale - been there and it's very nice. Wetherspoons revived the Sportsmans in Bolsover with the Pillar of Rock which seems to do very well.
In my village (Calow) we only have the White Hart left (Marstons) - very good food & beer & again very busy.
According to CAMRA - fewer pubs are closing currently.
The "real ale" pubs seem to do well - again serving food.
So, just maybe there is hope - but don't hold your breath!

[who can tell]

Swim Inn on West Street a J.D. Wetherspoon pub is up for sale along with 33 others . The Wetherspoon empire is far from well their shares have fallen and the pubs they own aren't taking in the money they once did .

[Old Cruser]

I think you should take on a pub WCT, serve good Ales and Food.
We can come there for our Christmas Meet Up.
Mates rates of course 

[Gerty Gumdrop]

It seems that a pub can't survive unless it serves decent food. Marstons brewery built the "Little Castle" at Markham Vale - been there and it's very nice. Wetherspoons revived the Sportsmans in Bolsover with the Pillar of Rock which seems to do very well.
In my village (Calow) we only have the White Hart left (Marstons) - very good food & beer & again very busy.
According to CAMRA - fewer pubs are closing currently.
The "real ale" pubs seem to do well - again serving food.
So, just maybe there is hope - but don't hold your breath!

Rumour has it from friends who are near neighbours of  The Rose & Crown on Whittington Moor (opposite The Prozac, sorry Proact is shortly to become a real ale pub and with a new Manager too.   Not heard anything about food though.  I'll try and keep you posted as and when I get an update. 

[who can tell]

I think you should take on a pub WCT, serve good Ales and Food.
We can come there for our Christmas Meet Up.
Mates rates of course 

No chance even if I had the money to waste !

[Old Cruser]

No chance even if I had the money to waste !

That's it then back to Wetherspoons   

[bransoj]

Not convinced a pub has to do food to survive...likes of the Tramway Tavern or the Grouse seem to do ok on Brampton without serving food unless you take the Grouse's large array of crisps or the Tramways pork pie option as serving food! Can probably throw the Vic and Peacock in there as well whilst the Britannia and Rose & Crown do a limited food service only at certain times.

In my eyes a good pub has to have a good atmosphere and good beer and then people will visit and keep going back. If we're honest there are plenty of very poor pubs that are serving food as well!

[Scimitar]

Not convinced a pub has to do food to survive...likes of the Tramway Tavern or the Grouse seem to do ok on Brampton without serving food unless you take the Grouse's large array of crisps or the Tramways pork pie option as serving food! Can probably throw the Vic and Peacock in there as well whilst the Britannia and Rose & Crown do a limited food service only at certain times.

In my eyes a good pub has to have a good atmosphere and good beer and then people will visit and keep going back. If we're honest there are plenty of very poor pubs that are serving food as well!

I guess that supermarkets selling beers at very cheap prices has not helped the pub trade. I certainly would not invest my life savings into running a pub with or without food - I'm reliably informed it's damned hard work - with potentially little reward.

Yes - the good ones will attract customers that keep going back. My question though is