Just got back from my monthly gig at a local pub, playing country rock stuff. Good crowd in, some having eaten there earlier, plenty of requests and a full dance floor. All in all a good night.
However, the landlord had a word with us earlier on, saying he was leaving before Christmas due to not being able to make anywhere a decent living from the pub. Apparently the breweries encourage incoming tenants with discounted rents for maybe a year, after which the charges soar and landlords get scared and quit. This results in a constant changing of people running the establishment, with lack of continuity and building of a long term identity and reputation. In these challenging times, it’s no wonder pubs are closing . We’re just hoping if a new person is found to take on the pub that they will continue to feature live music as part of their business plan. I’m not holding my breath....