Camra warns of last orders for the local

Traditional Black Country pubs could be pushed to the brink of extinction in the New Year, the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has warned today ahead of a new report.

Camra is drawing up its list of closures across the UK for the last 12 months and almost 100 boozers have been lost every month. The final list will be released at the end of January. CAMRA regional director for the West Midlands Nik Antona today told the Express & Star the situation looked even bleaker for 2009 with many more set to call last orders.

He said: "I would think we are certainly going to be seeing more pubs closing in 2009. We are seeing the effect of the smoking ban but coupled with that we now have the credit crunch as well which is making things even more difficult."

Mr Antona said traditional Black Country pubs could find it hardest to survive.

He said: "I think it will be particularly difficult for those pubs in industrial parts of places like Walsall and Wolverhampton. January will be a telling time because a lot of pubs used to rely on December as their busiest time when they made most of their money for the year. But that probably won't be the case this year.

"During the last recession people all turned to pubs so it was a good time for the industry, but this time people are staying at home with a DVD and case of cheap booze from the supermarket."

Mr Antona said he saw pubs becoming more of a speciality than the norm in the future.

He said: "I think it will become more of a speciality thing similar to how some people go to farm shops for their vegetables. I think a certain amount of people will still go to pubs for local ale but nothing like it was."

Camra has not given up the fight though. The organisation sees its Locale campaign gathering pace in 2009 with more and more pubs turning to local breweries. And a new Local Pubs Week initiative launching in the New Year across the UK.

Meanwhile companies such as Black Country Traditional Inns Ltd are still working behind the scenes to rescue the pubs they can. It bought The Green Dragon in Walsall town centre earlier this year and has now relaunched it as The Black Country Arms with local ale on tap.