SHOCK figures show 68 pubs closed in Lancashire over the past six months.

Research commissioned by the Campaign for Real Ale revealed the county had been the hardest hit in Britain in a tough time for the pubs industry.

Experts and landlords have blamed a number of reasons for the closures, from the smoking ban, to the economy.

Northern correspondent for Publican Magazine’s Morning Advertiser, Tony Halstead, from Burnley, said the decline reflected a change in society.

He said: “The areas worst hit are those that historically had a lot of heavy industry.

“Places like Lancashire, where there were lots of cotton mills, had a pub on every corner, and men would come out of the mills and factories and into the pubs.

“Now, there are too many pubs serving too few drinkers. And, unfortunately, East Lancashire has been badly hit.

“Places like Nelson and Barnoldswick, in particular, have seen a huge decline. It is sad, but it is a sign of the times.”

A number of pubs around the Revidge area of Blackburn have closed in recent years, including The Dog Inn and Corporation Park, but The Alexandra, in Dukes Brow, has survived.

Landlady Sue Ainsworth said the past six months had been ‘terrible’. She said: “We have good days and we have bad days. I think the weather has played its part.

"People don’t want to go out at night when it’s cold, wet and rainy.

“I suppose what has kept us going is a guest ale, some music, and karaoke. We have a good loyal base of customers and on certain days you know who will be in at certain times.”

Asked whether she thinks things things will pick up, Mrs Ainsworth said: “Ask me in six months’ time.We are doing okay.

"We have a few functions which helps and a bowling green. When it is sunny we have the best beer garden around here.”

She added that brewery beer prices did not help the situation.

However not all pubs are struggling, as new owners of the Crooked Billet, Worsthorne, Alison Leigh and Paul Miller have found.

Miss Leigh said: “We have found it great over the four weeks we have had the place. We have a good selection of real ales, including some from the Worsthorne Brewery, which are very popular.

“If you give people the option of buying reasonably priced beer in a nice place it is a winner.”

Miss Leigh said being a free house was a major advantage.

She said: “It is definitely a big plus not being tied to anybody.

“I have changed one of our lager suppliers three times in a month as you can get better deals.

“And if you save £3 or £4 on a barrel, over the year it mounts up.”