With one of the island’s oldest pubs, The Central in Ramsey, re-opening as a free house recently, we asked the public whether they still go to their local, what they look for in a good boozer and what their favourite one on the island is.

The Trafalgar in Ramsey has recently won CAMRA Regional Pub of the Year and is in the top 16 of the UK National Pub of the Year competition, proving the island’s pub scene can compete with most, but just how many people still go out for a pint?

Peter Howland, from Cronk-y-Voddy, said he used to go to the pub a lot more often.

He said: ‘I used to be a regular when I was a youth, we used to go to the Hawthorn.

‘Socially friends become scarce and it’s such a risk drinking and driving so you can sit at home in front of the telly in comfort.

‘The price too, if you go out in the evening it costs you £100 a night easy, whereas you can go to Shoprite for cheap beer.

‘One of the main reasons to go to pubs now is food, usually the Marine in Peel, it’s excellent.’

Diane Wood, from Ballaugh, said she does enjoy the pub, especially her local.

She said: ‘We go to the Raven and sometime eat there, food is important to me because I’m not a big drinker, so I like to go have a meal and possibly a drink.

‘A good pub needs something about it, whether it’s the age, it needs character.

‘If you go to the Raven you know that it’s the Raven.’

Imogen Davis and Charlie Bennett are university pupils, both studying masters in Bristol.

Imogen said: ‘We love the pub.

‘I hope the industry isn’t dying, and we haven’t noticed it because we are students.’

Charlie added: ‘I’ve always loved pubs, I think I’ve always found it’s more of a social thing and if we’re going out I’d like to go for a couple pints in the pub.

‘I like pubs that are homely, with a sofa and a roaring fire, nice lighting too.’

‘It is getting really expensive though, pints are like city prices everywhere, roughly six pound, and you can buy a pack of beer for that.

‘I think on the whole we still prefer to go out to the local pub than stay in at home and drink.’

Hayley King and Simon Griffiths, from Andover in Hampshire, say they don’t use their local pubs all the time but still want them there as an option.

Hayley said: ‘We go and watch the football, get a quick drink and a small bite to eat.

‘A lot of our local pubs offer a special on food, so if you get a few drinks you get 20 percent off the food and that makes us go more.

‘A good pub should absolutely have food, we like a mixed menu but pub grub is good.’

Simon added: ‘I like football and although it’s different for every person that’s what makes a good pub for me, live football with big screens.

‘I like Birra Moretti and Madri, all the popular ones.

‘The industry in general is definitely dying, from where we come from there’s loads of pubs shut down [in Andover].’

‘The pub we like the most in the island is The Creek in Peel.’