Is there an economist in the house?

Economics was never my strong point. In fact as far as I'm concerned the sooner that money is abolished the better.

But even I've noticed some strange things going on in the beer trade.

According to just about everyone pubs are closing at an incredible rate yet at the same time SIBA and CAMRA keep insisting that microbreweries are showing continuous growth.

Then I saw that pub closing statistics don't mention that many pubs that close are reopened, and programmes appear on the telly about microbreweries on the edge of bankruptcy.

I'm sure this is a hard time for pubs, I've seen some round my way shut. I'd also heard a few bits of gossip about the problems Itchen Valley brewery were having before the programme went out. It looks to me like pub closures and microbrewery growth are both being talked up.

Answers on an e-post card please if anyone knows what's really going on.