Chris Maclean: am I doing the right thing?

I am sitting writing this in a pub with no customers in it.

It is quarter past nine on a Sunday evening and there is no one in here.

The last customers, three postmen, left here 20 minutes ago.

I hate these lonely bits.

Two hours ago there was a reasonable crowd in here with a large, young, stupid, drunken oaf amongst them. Several times I had to ask him to stop swearing. He apologised, asked to shake my hand, then swore again. "F*** me, have you seen the size of his f***ing hands?!" I tried to explain that I didn't want any swearing in my home. I tried a different tack. Young people place a lot of emphasis on "respect". So I asked him why he showed me no respect. He quietened, then urged his mates to "come on, lets go down the road". They looked embarrassed and pointed out they still had drinks. When the oaf went to the bar they all downed their drinks and left. The idiot was surprised when he returned but immediately left, looking for them.

The problem with customers like these is they can seriously discourage others who I might want to attract. I suspect my predecessor was more tolerant of such antics but I have still got my vision and cannot allow idiots to destroy this.

But when I am the only customer in the bar I start to wonder if I am doing the right thing.