In Scunthorpe over the past few years we have seen numerous pubs close down for good, others have been shut on a temporary basis whilst a new licensee can be found and there�s various other pubs that have cut back on their opening hours by either not opening during certain times or not opening at all on certain days having not being deemed viable. It�s well known that the emergence of the Pub Companies hasn�t helped the pub trade due to the �tie-ins� they place on their tenants at the point of contract forcing up the price of a pint which is the case in many eastate pubs. Add too the smoking ban in public buildings, cheap supermarket booze, government taxes and regulations plus the economic downturn which have combined to make a �perfect storm� for our pubs. The last Labour government could hardly have adopted a more damaging approach to the pub trade with the aforementioned extra taxes and regulations, including its entrapment polices of sending under 18s into licensed premises, under police supervision, to see if they could get served. The new coalition government seem determined to make things even worse, it�s keeping the high taxes and expensive regulations and seems to want to introduce a �Late Night Levy� on shops that sell alcohol after 10.30pm and pubs or clubs that stay open after midnight. This would give councils the power to impose the additional charge to help pay for policing and cleaning up their areas. Other plans announced included: �Raising the price of a four-pack of super-strength lager by �1.33 and more than double the tax on super-strength cider �Increasing the price of large bottles of "alco-pops" by �1.50 �Banning supermarkets from selling alcohol at below cost price �Doubling the maximum fines for those caught repeatedly selling alcohol to children to �20,000, and changing the law to allow to the worst offenders to have their premises permanently shut down �Extending the power of councils to restrict pub and club opening hours. Crosby Hotel, under threat of demolition Planning permission sought to erect a 70-bed care home for the elderly with associated car parking. It appears rather Draconian that an unsuspecting publican or barstaff on a busy night could accidentally serve a pint some someone under 18 and then be faced with a very large fine. The new government is also going to make it more difficult for pubs to appeal, even if they think they have been treated unfairly by the authorities. Most pubs pays about 40% of their sales in taxes of one type or another, therefore someone paying the average of �3 a pint in a British pub is paying about �1.20 in tax � a huge amount and more than the pub makes in profit. As a result of these high prices, sales at supermarkets are increasing, but, for each pint sold at the supermarket, the government gets only about half the amount in tax, since VAT and employment taxes are far less per pint in off-sales trade. The problem with off-sales trade is it results in unsupervised drinking with no control over the hours of consumption unlike pubs which are controlled by local authorities and supervised by staff. The pub also provides an environment of mixed aged groups, a social experience with many providing entertainment to entice punters in. The Queen Hotel Planning permission was granted in May 2009 for change of use to 4 flats and the erection of 4 dwellings to the rear. In summary the last number of years have been a disaster for, not just Scunthorpe�s pub trade, but nationally too. Locally we have seen the closure of; The Crosby Hotel, The Queen Hotel, Geneva Bar, The Mayfair, The Maple Leaf (now demolished) Maple Leaf, now demolished. Currently been redeveloped with 9 houses being built on the site. It's not only the pubs that have suffered, numerous local Clubs have closed down too, including; The Liberal Club, The Kingsley Labour Club, St. Philips, Ashby Workingmens Club (converted into Harry's Bar) Ashby Institute, YEB Club. (Demolished) St. Philips Club Planning permission was granted in October 2008 to demolish the club and erect a block of 4 terraced 2-bedroom houses and 6 apartments with associated parking. It's also worthy of note that the planning application which was submitted in March 2010 to build 9 town houses on the site of The Brumby Hotel has now been withdrawn, a stay of execution maybe. There are many more pubs and clubs in Scunthorpe which are struggling to survive and are on the brink of closure. Lets hope we don't see any more bite the dust although, sadly, I do think the list above will be added to.