Letter: Ban pub grub, it is spoiling serious drinking

Sir: With reference to your letters regarding 'pub grub' (16 and 18 August), I would like to point out that, while it may be traditional to offer food in English pubs, it is not in Scotland. Unfortunately, however, the major brewing companies seem to be determined to introduce this abomination. It is becoming impossible to walk into an Edinburgh city centre pub and sit down for a drink at lunchtime, without being confronted by table napkins, cutlery and disused bottles with flowers sticking out of them.

As if this wasn't bad enough, back gantries which, at one time, were the repositories of arrangements of fine whiskies, and so on, now seem to be increasingly filled with fruit juices. There are enough cafes and restaurants for people who want that sort of thing to leave the pubs free for serious drinkers.

Yours faithfully,

MARK McDONAGH

Edinburgh

16 August