Keep up the fight to save pubs

I always read your articles about closed pubs and the reasons given by pub companies with great interest.

Here in Wem we have two High Street pubs, now closed. One has been closed since before the smoking ban as there are still ashtrays full of cigarette butts in the bar and the post is mounting up so it will be difficult to get the door open.

The second pub has so far closed five times this year as licensees come and rapidly go.

I cannot believe this situation is bad management by people trying to run the pubs but is down to the pub companies and their rent demands which are making both these hostelries unavailable for anyone to run.

The alternative is the companies are extremely bad at recruiting managers.

In a period of rising property prices the pub companies have done well with their policy - rely on the increase in the capital value of the pub to inflate the balance sheet and declare profits. This is OK during a period when property prices are increasing but will not work in a declining property market.

A quick look at the accounts for the pub company concerned shows that net profit rose last year by £79.6 million but its cost of borrowing rose by £127 million.

Its tax liability actually fell so this is not real profit but basic on borrowing against the value of the pubs they own.

However, one does not need to look at company accounts to know that a closed pub is not taking any cash so therefore cannot be profitable.

Please keep up your campaign to highlight what pub companies are doing to our towns. England would be well shot of them.

Michael Skinner, Wem