I NOTICE a letter from the local MP, John Denham, bemoaning the fact that The Castle public house in Midanbury is closing and a convenience store will replace it.

It is indeed ironic that Mr Denham feels that this is a retrograde step, bearing in mind throughout the length and breadth of the country, thousands of public houses, social clubs and other licensed premises have closed their doors in recent years.

It is self-evident that this is mainly due to the fact that the previous Labour Government introduced a no smoking policy on all enclosed premises to which the public has access.

Whilst I have no opinion on the rights or wrongs of this policy, it doesn’t take a genius to establish that this policy is in no doubt the main cause of such closures.

As with many of the previous Government’s policies, yet another of their so-called ‘we know best’ has resulted in actions of unintended consequences.

LES CULLEN, Hedge End.