A good few years ago we used to go down Blackburn at about 8 o clock ish.
We would start at the bottom of town and work our way up into the centre. Even at that time it was usually quite busy, I think everyone else did the same as us.
These days some of the pubs have late licences and because of, they increase their prices to pay the staff. The only trouble now is that folk don’t go down town early anymore because its to expensive they would sooner stay in their own town have a few beers then go into Blackburn or Accrington for the last couple of hours. Which I suppose is good for the small town pubs because they now get that extra bit of weekend trade by selling ale at more affordable prices. It just means that if you fancy a good night out in Accrington or Blackburn you are really wasting your time and money because there is hardly anybody out. I think most people like our selves want to be out amongst everyone else for the good atmosphere for the quite nights out we stay in our local pubs.
Surely if all the pubs where to lower their prices to what they should be then the town would get busy again its like they are robbing the few that go into town to make up for the rest that don’t. By lowering their prises they would attract people back sell more beer and still make a good profit by the amount of beer they sell during that longer night of trading.