At their best, public houses can be part of the fabric of neighbourhoods, binding people together and providing a focal point for community activity.

It is a role they have filled admirably for generations, but now the humble local is suffering like never before.

Yesterday we carried the news that many well-known pubs, part of the Bradford landscape, are facing an uncertain future unless new owners can be found.

Today we are talking about different establishments, but the picture is broadly the same.

There are many reasons why our pubs are suffering and there is no doubt that some have failed to move with the times.

But others are more victims of circumstances beyond their control, in particular the ridiculously low prices supermarkets charge for alcohol, with which they cannot compete.

These prices are also a major factor in alcohol abuse and binge drinking, especially among young people, and for this reason alone the matter should be the focus of Government action.

The fact that it might also help our struggling licensed trade by levelling the playing field makes that option all the more attractive.

Some may question whether we should be concerned if pubs go to the wall, and few would shed a tear if the only establishments shutting up shop were seedy drinking dens or those which encourage rowdy, drunken behaviour.

But we are talking about local facilities, steeped in social history and still, we would argue, with a role to play, not least in teaching young adults how to drink sensibly, safely and responsibly.