The blanding of Britain: The murder of the English pub

An excellent essay, perfectly summarized by the title.

I am acutely aware that I am witnessing a way of life that was once common but is now finished. With Mary's death, the inn will close and another tradition will pass away, too.



I sometimes wonder why this matters so much to me. Am I just being sentimental? Things change, all the time. People move on, tastes alter. Pubs open, pubs close. Big deal.



But pubs like the Luppitt Inn are part of our history - and every time one goes, another connection with our past is lost.



Communities are lost, too. A village without a focal point becomes a collection of dwellings - a location, but no longer a place.

Read the whole story at The Daily Mail, then go have a pint at your local.