British pubs are closing at a rate of more than 50 a week, according to industry figures. The number of watering holes shutting up shop increased by a third in the first six months of 2009 to around 52 every week.

The British Beer and Pubs Association (BBPA) said the closure rate means a total of 2,377 pubs have closed over the last 12 months with the loss of 24,000 jobs. The BBPA blames above-average increases in alcohol duty, the cost of regulation and the recession for the worrying trend.

The smoking ban, poor weather last summer and cheap alcohol offers in supermarkets have also been blamed for driving drinkers away from the pubs.

Do you still have a traditional British pub in your area? Do you still use it? What do you think is to blame for the pub industry’s slow demise?

Christian pub landlords John and Krista Fleming have been sacked after their attempts to ban swearing and gambling on horse races drove customers away in such large numbers that takings plummeted.

Regulars at the King’s Head in Islington, north London, complained that they were excessive in their Christian zeal. “They should have had pews in there, not chairs,” said one.

The Flemings however said all they were trying to do was to stop people swearing at the top of their voices at the bar and intimidating other customers. Arsenal supporters were among the main culprits apparently (!).

What do you think? Now that smoking is banned in pubs, was it a step too far to try and push the “F” word out of the door as well?

Or was this a brave — if hopeless — stand against the bellowing yobs who seem to be a permanent feature at the bar of so many of our pubs?

This week marks the first anniversary of England’s ban on smoking in indoor public places. Hardly a puff has been blown in the nation’s pubs and restaurants since July 1 2007.

The health benefits seem clear –  a study by Cancer Research UK suggests the ban has contributed to a 5.5 percent fall in smoking rates in the first nine months after the law changed. That’s about 400,000 people.

Non smokers have had the pubs to themselves as the die-hards crush up in windswept, fag-strewn areas outside, savouring the superiority of the forsaken. They may be making all sorts of new friends in the long Summer evenings but Winter is on the way…

Publicans have seen their takings drop in general but many are fighting back by beefing up their food offerings as more and more people are tempted back into licensed premises to eat now the fug has gone.

What’s your take on the smoking ban one year on?