Even when we were all blissfully unaware of the problems at the Northern Rock, and the Credit Crunch tm was still in the future, I noticed that people seem to be going out less than ever. 

It could be partly because I’m getting older and people I know, like me are having families or at least preparing themselves financially. 

But a decade ago, I’m sure that pubs were much busier than they were even before the smoking ban. 

Economically it makes sense to buy cheap supermaket booze and watch Sky Sports or X-Factor at home where you can smoke yourself silly and fall into bed when you’ve had enough, but where’s the atmosphere?  Where’s the fun?  What’s the point? 

There’s nothing like going to the pub and talking absolute crap with some complete stranger whose become your best friend for the night! 

But sadly, in the last decade or so pubs themselves have declined in atmosphere, as they are increasingly owned by chains who stamp out any kind of individuality or interest, replacing it with clean, tasteful, nice and …. dull.  The less people that go to a pub, the less atmosphere it has, and so the spiral goes on. 

Aside from pubs, I know a few people who refuse to use public transport, fearing that it is full of yobbos.  Fingers crossed I haven’t seen any incidents at first hand, and lets face it, driving your car is not without it’s dangers. 

Far from people shopping locally and getting to know their local shop keepers personally as they did in eras gone by, many of us lead such busy lives that we get our shopping delivered, where the conversation typically consists of “We’ve run out of yogurt, but we’ve substituted it for some milk a month past it’s sell by date we found at the back of the van”. 

People don’t even go to the video library to rent films anymore, between dozens of Sky Movies channels and dodgy downloads. 

Thank goodness for people like Steve Regan who runs the Bards of New Brighton poetry group, and The Scouse House in Birkenhead who run a wide range of poetry, comedy, musical and debating nights.  The create a much needed social atmosphere where you can go along and meet some real characters, and enjoy some real talent. 

Lets hope in this time of doom and gloom, that people come together and reconnect.