A FEW of us were chatting the other night about the demise of the local village pubs.

When I was a boy, there were three pubs in walking or cycling distance of our house.

Although there were times when it was a much longer stroll on the way back, we called it "anti-submarine" walking - as you went from one side of the road to the other.

Anyway, of those three locals I used to frequent, one is closed, and the other two have gone "up-market".

Now, I understand that economic matters rule.

If there are no people using the old village local, then it will close, or become an eatery where folks will turn up.

You can't run a pub at a loss.

So we set out to name some of the proper local village pubs that were left, and indeed the proper village landlords.

Struggled

And we struggled.

The old Masons Arms, at Wichenford - now there was a pub when the "legendary" Arthur "Buller" Mason was the gaffer.

Freddie "dead legs" Morris at the Red Lion, at Holt Heath.

Bill Allen kept the Fox at Monkwood, which is still a typical country pub - as indeed is the Camp House Inn at Grimley (see, Jim, I gave it the proper title).

There's the Three Kings at Hanley Castle and... after that it became a bit of a struggle.

I always remember the Masons many years ago, when the Moseley brothers kept it, and they made some rough - and I mean rough - cider.

My granddad said it would put hairs on my chest.

A mate of mine who shall remain nameless (Dave Quick) and I walked to the Masons one night for a bottle of cider for Dave's dad (yes, you guessed) which we would consume ourselves.

We didn't have a bottle so it was poured into an old gin bottle given to us by one of the brothers.

Now, I'm not sure if the bottle had been washed out, or indeed if there was still a drop of gin in the bottle.

But Dave and I began drinking lustily, and got about 300 yards before the world began to turn in a different direction.

Growing

All part of growing up, I guess.

Talking of hairs, I must say a massive thank you to everyone who contributed for the moustache to be shaved off for the Tsunami Appeal.

As I write, the total has gone over £30,000 in pledges for the appeal, and the Rotary Shelter Box appeal has been given a considerable boost.

Thanks also to Tim Collier who was very gentle with the shaving.

What an enormous chap he is.

Our programme on Sunday will come from Helston in Cornwall, where all the boxes are being packed to go out to the disaster area.

I wonder if they have any proper pubs there?