Chris Maclean: The gloom merchants have had their day

I realise I am flying in the face of popular opinion, particularly amongst the writers of opinion that grace the forum pages, but I am utterly of the belief that the role of the pub is as valid now as it has ever been and that now is an ideal opportunity to exploit this.

Since the Licensing Act (it seems for me) many pundits; licensees, observers and critics, had started to predict the dire consequences of any of the modern developments. As other changes occur more writers enthusiastically joined the miserable throng of doom merchants.

The DDA, the tie, the rates, utility costs and so forth. Things accelerated drastically with the smoking ban. It is a brave person who puts their head above the parapet to speak in favour of the ban - there are still far too many rabid, spittle-flecked champions of this now defunct issue. Sure, there has been healthy debate about aspects of it. Rarely are discussions concluded. Mostly people venture opinion as fact when it isn't. But still that relentless outpouring of gloom continues from all quarters.

Two important aspects to this attitude concern me. The first is that there are some good licensees out there who have become infected by this poisonous gloom.

One consequence of all this negativity is that because the trading climate is so dreadful and customers cannot be bothered to venture out to visit the pubs, the licensee's response is then that they cannot be bothered to open. I can identify several pubs around here whose response in a shrinking market is to reduce their provision for customers.That is lunacy. In order to respond to a shrinking market, and a shrinking market share, they reduce their availability? Incredible.

Another is that this infection seems to permeate every aspect of how they trade. The pub becomes a testimony to that negativity. Posters spring up warning of the consequences of drinking too much. The landlord has stopped doing promotions or activities - it isn't worth it. Areas of the pub are now closed or kept in darkness. Stock is kept to a minimum. Cleaning is cut-back. Heating is turned down. They don't light the fire any more. There is a poster announcing that a major part of the pint you bought has gone to the chancellor's pot.

The landlord openly confides in you how bad the trading figures are, how difficult it is to trade, how his future is looking desolate. Does this sound like a pub you'd want to spend your leisure time in? How do you, as a customer seeking to escape the rigours of a difficult day, enjoy visiting such pubs? There is no escape from the gloom out there if the place you seek offers the same gloom.

The second part of this attitude is the realisation that, by acting as sheep all bleating at the same time, we're missing some fabulous opportunities which can help us now and into the future.

I've been looking at some of the pubs becoming available now. Tenancies, thought by many critics to be contracts with the devil, are now offered with dramatically improved conditions. The figures are adding up. The breweries and pubcos are prepared to negotiate. Deals can be struck. Freehouse prices are as low as one could hope and finance, if you can get it, seems very attractive.

The market out there is as fertile as ever I have known it. Where many licensees have contracted in their response to the market, those who are prepared to do something, indeed anything at all, are being rewarded handsomely. All you need is some imagination.

The gloom merchants have had their day.

For those of you with a sense of opportunity I genuinely believe that right now there isn't a better time to enter the trade. I wish I could be starting again.

You've certainly got more chance of succeeding than the smoking ban being overturned.