AS noble as Cllr Philip Eades’ commitment to support pubs is (Support for our pubs Dorset Echo January 15), I fear it is all a little too late.

Governments of all persuasions have sat back and watched the wholesale slaughter of our drinking houses, while supporting supermarkets selling cheap booze, who then converted those same empty pubs into mini-markets.

Ironic then that some of these establishments are now shutting up shop due to increased competition. While community pubs are better than nothing, it will be difficult in these times of austerity to persuade the public to stump up the money to fund them.

BOB WOODLAND Cavan Crescent, Poole