That was the stark warning from the landlord and regulars of one historic city centre hostelry.

On Tuesday the Lancashire Evening Post made newspaper history by being the first to beam live TV pictures on to the internet.

The footage gave readers a unique insight into the sights and sounds of Friargate's bustling Black Horse pub.

And we asked landlord Alex Mason and his locals what they thought of the city's pub scene.

Alex told the Lancashire Evening Post: "People put the decline down to a few things such as the smoking ban and the price of alcohol.

"You can buy it so cheap in the off-licenses and supermarkets, as opposed to the prices that have to be charged in pubs with all the overheads.

"We have actually been one of the few pubs that has not been affected."

At one time the city centre boasted a pub for every day of the year.

Now they are closing at a rate of one a month.

The Lancashire Evening Post's two-hour broadcast from the Black Horse is thought to be the first time a regional newspaper has broadcast live onto the web.

Online, readers joined a heated debate as live footage was streamed.
Reader Des said: "One of the problems today is the rents charged by the breweries.

"The smaller pub has no chance of survival."

Another said: "The smoking ban and alcohol price increases have damaged the pub trade.

"People are more likely to stay at home and save their hard-earned cash."

Some asked Mr Mason if it would be possible for individual pubs to cut the price of beer or for free soft drinks to be given to designated drivers.

But he said: "I'm tied to the brewery I buy from.

"I have to work with the prices they give me and soft drinks are no different, for us, than beer."

One drinker in the Black Horse, who spent years working in the pub trade across the country, said: "The rich are getting richer and poor landlords are suffering.

"Costs for landlords are now too high."

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