How do you feel about the big chains? Went out for a drink with Soupy last night, only to discover that Sizzling are encroaching on my area from the west with three pubs falling into their hands.

I am not overly keen on Sizzling, but one pub that looks about to fall to them was actually quite nice.

I am also not keen on most Wetherspoons, but, on the whole am quite attached to Ember.

Do you think that chains are destroying the quirky local, replacing them with soulless clone pubs, or are they the saviour of real ales by bringing them to the mass market?

I am undecided...