Well-known pubs shut their doors

Two well-known Dundee pubs have been forced to shut, with the loss of about 25 jobs.

The Nine Maidens in Laird Street and Doc Stewart's - officially called The Downfield Hotel - in Strathmartine Road have closed their doors.

Liquidators Morris & Young said they were further casualties of the economic downturn hitting the UK.

Sheena Thomson, president of the Dundee Licensed Trade Association, predicted more bar closures to come.

'Doom and gloom'

Ms Thomson said: "I'm quite surprised [by the closure] because they are well-known pubs and pretty well-run places.

"But it's not altogether unexpected - there are going to be places that just can't compete and can't cope any longer with increasing prices and burdens that are being put on the licensed trade.

"People are losing jobs daily and it's having an impact on pubs because people are having to tighten their belts and socialising is going by the wayside, especially when the price of alcohol in the supermarkets and things is so low at the moment.

"I don't want to sound all doom and gloom, but I do predict a lot more places will close or find it very, very difficult to survive. It'll be survival of the fittest over the coming year."

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Morris & Young
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites