IT has become a common tale: the demise of the local pub. Today this paper reports on how two more local pubs look set to pull their last pint.

The Ship Inn in Winchester is now to be a nursery catering for up to 70 children (see Business news page 46).

The Harrier Inn at Hamble is in the midst of a campaign by local residents to prevent it from being sold for housing (see report page 8).

Whether they are vanishing to become nurseries or housing or local stores or the offspring of supermarket chains, there is no denying the day of many of our local pubs is drawing to a close.

In most cases the demise is down to simple economics. Not enough people are making use of the facility. In others, the problem is the value to the brewery or land owners and the funds that can be raised by selling off the site to developers.

Should we be concerned? In some cases, yes.

The local pub is the centre of the community and can act as the glue to give residents a sense of identity. But there is no denying in many cases the time for the local is up.

The fight will go on, but it is clear that if local communities wish to keep their pub open then they should make sure they give it their custom.