GIVEN that only last week I was lamenting the sad demise of one of the town's finest pubs, I was shocked to see that yet another infamous Ilfracombe boozer has also called time on business.

The Bunch Of Grapes, like the Collingwood, holds many fond memories for me.

I'm not ashamed to say that my drinking days at the Bunch started early – earlier than is legal, in fact (and I bet I'm not the only one).

My drunken cohorts and I, usually fuelled on a pre-loaded cocktail of white cider and alcopops, would frequent the Bunch's back bar to watch local musical heroes such as Two Leaves Left, The Mildreds, Rug and The Honeyhooks.

I miss those days like you wouldn't believe.

It was truly mindless, unadulterated, irresponsible fun which usually included a vain attempt at impressing girls with my altogether disastrous dancing ability (not much has changed in that department if I'm honest).

Though it did have a reputation as a bit of a rough establishment, I always felt safe under the watchful gaze of the gruff-voiced landlord Steve.

Although he himself was probably no stranger to a bit of rough and tumble, you knew he wouldn't tolerate any funny business in his bar.

So what a shame it was to read last week that the Bunch had finally bitten the dust and in such a sudden manner too – I think it's fair to say none of us was expecting it.

In case you didn't know, the Bunch Of Grapes was – and still is – owned by a national company called Enterprise Inns.

The chain owns dozens of pubs across North Devon and quite a few here in our little town.

You may not realise it but some of Ilfracombe's most quaint, traditional locals such as The Prince Of Wales, The Pier Tavern and The Lamb are all owned by Enterprise Inns.

Last week, in a council meeting our mayor Rod Donovan described this company as an unscrupulous landlord. I have to say I agree.

What the company does is purchase pubs and lease them to landlords who are willing to run them.

Nothing particularly unusual there, you might think.

But as part of the pub lease landlords face a difficult choice: either buy their beer only from Enterprise Inns – at what I'm told is a hugely inflated cost – or pay Enterprise Inns for the right to source their beer elsewhere.

In my mind that makes it a lose-lose situation for the landlord and a rubbing-our-hands-with-glee scenario for Enterprise Inns.

I know several landlords of Enterprise Inn pubs who say this element of the contract makes generating profit extremely difficult,

To be honest, I'm amazed such a contractual clause is even legal.

In fact just last week, Pier Tavern landlady Dawn Williams said she simply could not compete on price because of this obligation.

Of course landlords do have the option of sourcing their own beer, but such an option comes at a price.

It's no wonder that Prince Of Wales landlord Brian Crawley – he of the unfeasibly long beard and unthinkably short shorts – described the pub business in Ilfracombe as a volatile trade.

But assuming this makes you as frustrated as it does me, how does one best protest about such a travesty?

We can't stop going to a pub just because it's an Enterprise Inn – that would just put another dedicated local publican out of business.

Equally we can't stop Enterprise Inns from buying pubs in Ilfracombe. After all it's a free market and, to be honest, any form of investment in the town is sorely needed in these hard economic times.

Even opinionated old Alfie doesn't have an answer for this pickle, it's a real head scratcher.

The only thing I can suggest is to make the most of the pub grub because that is the one thing landlords of Enterprise Inns have total control over.

So next time you go for a pint, why not order a basket of chips too.

It's not exactly Government grade health advice, but it will certainly help our local boozers stay in business for another week.

THERE'S nothing the English like more than talking about the weather.

Not my words ladies and gents, but the words of Ilfracombe Councillor Frank Pearson – and he's bang on the money.

His idea to introduce a weather station to allow potential visitors to monitor sunshine is, in my opinion, a stroke of genius.

It's low cost, high impact and a quick win. At best it will help promote our town, at worst it will give us some truly local data.

I'm not entirely convinced it will prove that Ilfracombe is the sunniest town in the UK, but it certainly won't do us any harm. Bravo that man!