National pub companies have been blamed for contributing to the demise of rural pubs by hiking up rents.
Accusations that the pub giants are making the problem worse have been fired by consumer group the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) amid heightening concerns that rural pubs are still closing at the rate of six a week.
Rents that are rising much faster than inflation are being blamed for putting many licensees out of business.
"There's no doubt that some pub chains are getting it wrong on pub rents, charging struggling lessees too much rent in the hunt for short-term profit," a spokesman for CAMRA said.
"It is essential for the long-term future of British pubs that pub companies set rents at a level which will allow the individual pub to grow and thrive, even if this means lower returns in the short-term," he added.
John Etherington, licensee of the Lamb Inn in Yapton, West Sussex, is one in a long line of licensees who is leaving the trade this month because he says he can't afford to meet a huge rent hike imposed on him by pub company Punch. He is being asked to pay £36,000 a year in rent, double his current rate of £18,000.
To make matters much worse, licensees also fear that pub companies are being tempted to sell properties on to developers because residential properties are worth more than pubs.
Residents in the village of Ditchling near Brighton, East Sussex, are campaigning to keep local pub the Sandrock open after previous owners Punch sold it onto developers who are now planning to convert it into residential property.
In the meantime, rural pubs are being thrown a lifeline by the government in a bid to stop them going under.
A cash injection of £25m has been earmarked for rural businesses, including pubs, which wish to take on extra responsibilities by offering post office facilities.
The funds form part of the government's £150m a year that has been set aside to protect rural post offices.
Related articles:
CAMRA fears the decline of the rural pub (2 January 2003)