So the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, has increased the price of beer by 4p in his Budget - he's no darling of mine.

The price of bitter at the bar has increased by 15p and some other drinks by as much as 25p.

This brewery greed and the smoking ban will sound the death knell for even more boozers.

Now, for the first time since the Middle Ages, many villages have no pubs.

The situation is bound to get worse, and what was a local part of the community has gone forever.

I do not condone the use of drugs as I have seen many of my school friends perish after using them. And I've seen others wandering around like zombies after drug abuse has rotted their grey matter.

I inquired about the efficacy of CCTV cameras now installed in most pubs and was told that it was to catch drug dealers.

Forgive my ignorance, but even these people are not normally daft enough to do deals across the bar when they know they are on camera. They will decamp to the toilets instead to ply their wares.

Given that no cameras are allowed to be installed in the toilets, it would appear that they are of little use.

However, the powers-that-be maintain that they can monitor via the cameras how often a certain person visits the toilets as this may point to a dealer.

So be warned - if you happen to have a bladder infection or a prostate problem and need to use the toilet more than usual, get a doctor's note and be prepared to show it, otherwise you will be classed as a drug pusher.

My local, the Wheatsheaf, was visited by the sniffer dog the other day and I am glad to report that the dog came away empty-pawed as no trace of drugs was found.

TONY ANCHORS Didcot