The soaring price of beer, competition from supermarkets and the smoking ban are threatening to call time on traditional Bradford boozers.

And pubs struggling to pull in customers could be going under under at the rate of one a week.

That's the sobering message from the honorary president of the Bradford Inner City Licensees' Association David Haigh which represents landlords across the city.

He says that pub management companies have got "mine hosts" over a barrel and are charging exorbitant prices for beer to turn profit.

Landlords then have to decide between passing on the price rises to their loyal customers, and risk driving them away, or absorbing the extra costs, and facing financial difficulties.

Mr Haigh, who runs Haighy's in Lumb Lane, said: "The big holding companies buy beer for cheap and charge landlords full prices. They give no discounts and all their returns are far too high.

"You just have to look on any street in Bradford to see that they are overcharging and don't care about the landlords. They are just ripping the guts out of the business."

A spokesman for leading pub chain, Punch Taverns, refuted the allegation saying the company offers "extremely competitive rates on beer" to the landlords of its pubs.

His warning comes after Bradford Council revealed that at least six pubs had closed in the last six months.

But there wis no obligation for pubs to inform the council they had closed so the figure may be even higher.

The latest was this week when landlord Anthony Towriss called time on The Queens in Otley Road, Baildon, after just three months behind the bar.

He said he was "gutted" because he has been forced to shut because of the huge cost of buying beer wholesale from Punch Taverns.

He said there had been a drop in trade across the board because of cut-price supermarket booze, the smoking ban and soaring energy costs - which would mean many pubs struggling to stay open.

Mr Towriss, 30, said that he estimated The Queens would be running at a loss of up to £21,000 every year unless he took the tough decision to close.

"I feel gutted," he said. "The customers came in on Saturday and I had to tell them: sorry, I have got to leave.' They were gutted as well. I have tried to make a go of it but I can't stay open."

Mr Towriss, who is set to become a father next month, said he had been hit with unexpected costs since taking over The Queens in October last year.

The former soldier, who was based in Basra in Iraq, said: "I left the army and wanted to do something that involved working with people. I was getting people in and was looking forward to the satisfaction of making it a success."

However, he said that the cost of beer from Punch Taverns, added to other costs including decorating the pub, furnishing the flat upstairs, rent, insurance and the pub's licensing fee, meant he could no longer afford to keep it open.

Mr Towriss, who is now moving to Eccleshill, said: "The pub company wanted 300-odd pounds for 11 gallons of beer. To make any profit, you have to sell it at about £2.70 a pint to the customers. Other pubs are selling it at £2.10 a pint, so where do the customers go?

"A lot of other landlords have had to take on two pubs just to make it worthwhile and some take practically no money in winter.

"I was looking at my bills and I realised if I was going to keep doing this it would mean losses of £21,000 a year so I've had to close."

A spokesman for Punch Taverns said Mr Towriss was "well aware of what he was taking on" and that Punch Taverns had "clearly outlined all the costs associated in running a pub". The spokesman said that the landlord had been paying rent for the past three months at a rate of £1,500 a year.

The spokesman said: "We have been extremely supportive of the licensee and have allowed him to operate the pub on a nominal rent for the last three months. We have also supported him in developing a plan for the pub.

"We feel that with the right business plan and licensee at the helm, The Queens could be a fantastic community pub.

"We offer competitive prices on beer. Yes, people can buy cheap beer in supermarkets, but they can't enjoy the atmosphere of a great pub and the sense of community that brings with it."

Tony Payne. Chief Executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (FLVA) said: "There are a number of things that are affecting the pub trade. Supermarkets selling cheap alcohol is one issue we have raised with the government. The smoking ban has affected us and you have also got gas and electricity rises. There is talk all the time about a recession and that is putting a pinch on people's pockets.

"People are quick to complain when their local closes but we need to get people in them and using them."