We lose another pub

 Since settling in Skewen twenty-odd years ago, I reckon to have seen the closure of three public houses and the establishment of three new mini-marts. With the imminent conversion of the Miners' Arms, each of those totals will go up by one. 

The Miners' was a fine pub dating, I would guess, from the end of the nineteenth century (the Skewen Historical Society can put me right on that). Latterly, in addition to its traditional ambience it added generous home cooking to its attractions. 

Some of the reasons for British pub closures can be found in this article. I would highlight the fact that "The handful of big companies that own most of the pubs are heavily in debt and they need to sell off more of their assets." The "pubcos" sprang up in the wake of the Thatcher government's apparently laudable attempt to break the monopoly of the big breweries and their tied houses, but, because of the way the legislation was phrased, the cure was worse than the disease. It was a pubco which owned the Miners'. The fight to maintain a great British tradition goes on, though. The is the Campaign for Pubs Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/262278151696447/

But why so many new corner shops when Skewen is already well-served by two establishments on New Road? Can't the planners do something about this? Well, no. As laid out by party colleagues in Cheshire, 

There are lots of valid objections to planning applications, called “material planning considerations”. These include:

• Loss of light or overshadowing (this isn’t just a high wall – it means loss of light to the extent that you don’t get enough natural daylight to see by).
• Overlooking/loss of privacy
• Visual amenity (but not loss of private view)
• Adequacy of parking/loading/turning
• Highway safety
• Traffic generation
• Noise and disturbance resulting from use
• Hazardous materials
• Smells
• Loss of trees
• Effect on listed buildings and conservation area
• Layout and density of building
• Design, appearance and materials
• Landscaping
• Road access
• Local, strategic, regional and national planning policies
• Government circulars, orders and statutory instruments
• Disabled persons’ access
• Compensation and awards of cost against the Council at public enquiries
• Proposals in the Development Plan
• Nature conservation
• Archeology
• Solar panels
• Fear of crime (with evidence to show that the fear is based in reality)

What you cannot object to is an increase in competition, even in an already well-supplied (or even over-supplied) locality. 

As to licensed premises, at least we still have the Bloom Inn piano lounge and restaurant, and the Colliers Arms.