The Spread Eagle used to be the heart of Epsom where I work. It WAS a substantial inn of a kind found on many crossroads in the area - there's one in Esher which is quite similar in building style although it has managed to remain a pub despite the odds! I think the one in Esher may be called the Bear for some reason though I can't articulate why.

The Spread Eagle was obviously a high quality coaching inn as it spread out behind the original building around a flagstoned and covered mini-crossroads which I imagine was where they housed the horses and servants in days gone by.

It fell on hard times 15 years or so ago, closed and became the new home for a small high-class tailors and school uniform shop around ten years ago, that's also been in the town for years.

Now I love pubs (well an ex-barmaid would say that wouldn't she - Chris Brooker - the Swan in Ruislip High Street and The Headstone in North Harrow - know them?) and I think this would have been one of the best - there's still lots of really nice, original woodwork in the building and its architecture is lovely.It's also in the very heart of the town, everyone who visits passes by it. I hate that it's been lost to pubgoers forever.

On the other hand, Epsom is full of dire pubs that, in the evening, become heaving, rowdy, bad-tempered places where violence abounds and bad behaviour is the norm. The local Electricity Showroom became one - it routinely has its doors smashed in. The local bank became one....imaginatively called the Bank and again proudly boasting of its DJs and cut-price alcopops. There has been a mushrooming of places designed to cater for the 18-25s in their chuck down as much sweet but incredibly alcoholic confection as you can manage before kicking out time.

How did this happen to this lovely quiet market town? It strikes me as a circular issue - pubs pop up catering for thugs, the thugs drive away decent, honest people who would love a good night out but don't want to go to the town centre because of the atmosphere of violence and laddishness (and that's just the young women) so more pubs open catering for them and fewer ordinary people go out again.

Epsom isn't alone in this - Camberley, the nearest town to my home is exactly the same - virtually a no-go area at night. Scary. Perhaps I just sound old again but I really can't abide having to feel threatened if I go out for a drink.

Me? I'd love to see town full of good, atmospheric pubs and bars, serving high-quality wine and real beer. I'd love to see someone open a restaurant that you can have a conversation in and doesn't require a megaphone to order your food. I'd go there.....wouldn't you?

Oh BTW - this pic is in black and white despite my assertions that I wouldn't go down that route - only because there was so little colour - black eagle, white background, just an annoying line of green paint along the bottom. I see things in colour!