Matt Eley: Time gentlemen please...

I can't deny that it is with a heavy heart that I pen the final leader column to appear in The Publican as a standalone title.

From next week this magazine will be merged with the Morning Advertiser to create one weekly newspaper for the trade.

The Publican's Morning Advertiser will continue to defend the rights of licensees and provide a coherent and unified voice for the trade.

And this is a good place to start for the things I would wish for in a sector that is very close to my heart.

The pub industry is full of great people at all levels. From witty barstaff up to the chief executives who are happy to sit down with a pint and shoot the breeze.

However, despite there being a host of good-natured, intelligent and passionate people in the trade it still collectively struggles to promote itself effectively.

This is a huge frustration when it is so palpably obvious that pubs drive tourism, raise thousands for charity and provide a sanctuary from the day-to-day nonsense that we all have to contend with.

So let's start with a coherent message and work together. And while we're at it let's keep it positive and fun.

The reason why I, and thousands of other consumers, choose pubs is because when they are at their best they provide a relaxed environment where friends can enjoy great food, drink and conversation.

So why is it that the sector often appears to be dogged by in-fighting and negativity? This is not to say there are not important debates to be had and problems that need to be fixed. But the stubbornness of some and the refusal to listen to the opinions of others is massively unhelpful.

Training too needs to be improved. There is good work being done in this area, but to attract and retain great staff those taking jobs behind bars or in kitchens need to see this as a serious career option.

As a customer, no matter how good the range of drinks and food, or how impressive the design of the bar is, it means very little if you are kept waiting to be served or the staff don't appear to know what they are doing. This means paying above minimum wage and investing in training and career plans.

There is no doubt that the pub sector is evolving before our very eyes as consumer tastes change and competition becomes even more fierce. To keep up, pubs must adapt and constantly review what they are doing.

The Publican team has been in the privileged position of visiting some of the very best pubs across the country. There are some fantastic operators out there and pubs will always have a special place in the national psyche.

So while this might well be time at the bar for The Publican in this form at least we can leave with confidence that this trade will flourish and there will always be fantastic people and pubs serving the nation.