Have you noticed any consumer slowdown in your business?

Nigel Williams

The Spread Eagle

Sawley Lancashire

"No, business has been up every month this year and April was particularly good for us, so we have not been affected by the high-street slowdown. Most of our extra turnover has come from new business, through the various midweek food offers, and old business has been fairly static. You just have to keep working on new ideas to keep the business moving forward these days."

Adrian Clay

The Litten Tree Blackpool

"We've just completed our accounts for the past 12 months and we have had a good year, with sales significantly up. In Blackpool as a whole, trade has held up well in the pubs, despite what is going on in other retail sectors. I think many pubs are often very resilient when it comes to fighting off outside economic pressures."

Neill Smith

The Hare & Hounds Foulridge Lancashire

"We were a bit quiet earlier this year, but things have picked up well over the past couple of months. I don't think the high-street retail slowdown has transferred into the trade, at least not here. Sales are up in all the three strands of our business, food, drink and letting accommodation."

Alan Murdock

The Farmhouse Tavern Lancaster

"Business tends to fluctuate in the four different pubs that we run, but trade generally appears to be holding up. Our biggest problem is setting our prices to try and compete with the gap between the on-trade and the giant supermarkets. When I started we only had the small corner shop outlets to worry about, but now we are competing with retail giants and it's not easy."