I was travelling home from work on the bus, pondering whether I should pop into the Commercial Inn for a quick pint. The pub lies just behind the bus station and I've been enjoying their wonderful selection of real ales for the past 20 years. I then remembered I'd said I would attend Nicole's evening yoga class and would therefore have to shoot straight home to Cairneyhill. No problem, there was always tomorrow.
A shock was to unfold. While scrolling through my Facebook feed, I saw a story posted by the local press saying my favourite pub had closed due to unforeseen circumstances - a note with this message having been attached to the door. Most worrying of all, the article suggested the state of affairs was permanent. I couldn't believe it. The Commercial was a long-standing purveyor of cask ale and a regular entry in the Good Beer Guide. It had also won the Fife Pub of the Year award on no fewer than five occasions. The place was well known and respected in real-ale circles. I tended to visit whenever I was changing buses in Dunfermline, on my way home. I classed myself as a punter who dropped in for a couple of pints on a semi-regular basis. Yes, the pub was usually quiet during the week but that's entirely normal. If I happened to find myself there on weekends, it was always significantly busier. I certainly never had the impression it was struggling - if that's indeed what forced the shutdown. No information has been forthcoming to date.
I ran round for a look when I arrived in Dunfermline and - worryingly - a steel shutter had been bolted across the entrance. I will certainly miss the place if this does indeed turn out to be the end. Yes there's a Wetherspoons less than a minute away and - credit where it's due - it does serve a changing selection of well-kept ales at bargain prices, but I liked the traditional atmosphere of the Commercial.
It's no secret that pubs up and down the land face challenging times and the closure rate is frightening. However, traditional alehouses in Scotland (and there's not that many of them outside of Edinburgh) had proved remarkably resolute. Discerning drinkers will always seek out quality beer. In my opinion, a major issue for the licensed trade is the growing belief that a visit to the pub is unaffordable. Lifestyles change, as do people's priorities. Many believe a smartphone contract is essential to modern life and happily allocate £50 of their monthly income to this connectivity, yet baulk at the prospect of a few drinks in their local.
Small businesses provide a vital sense of community. As a regular customer, your face will become known and you'll receive a more personal service. It's not all about a race to the bottom to see who can provide the cheapest deals. It can be a case of use it or lose it. I make a conscious effort to patronise the petrol station at the end of my street. I visit the two convenience stores in my village. Fair enough, I haven't bothered with the pubs but that's because I'm a real-ale aficionado and gravitated instead to the Commercial. If just half the local population made some effort to support the traders on their doorstep then all would be well and good. I raise my glass to all those who ever drank in the Commercial Inn.
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