To your good health!

More than 500 pubs closed permanently in the UK last year, near the highest rate for a decade, a trend certainly exacerbated by the knock-on effects of Matt Hancock’s lockdown. The deleterious consequences on community life, especially in villages, when yet another hostelry is converted into housing are well known – but new research suggests this pandemic may be shortening life itself. A new academic study of more than 28,000 Chinese oldies found that socialising regularly prolongs life. Over a five-year period, time to death was delayed by 110 per cent for those who fraternised at least once per week. For those socialising nearly every day, death was delayed by 204 per cent. The evidence is clear – the more one mingles, the longer one lives. At your next visit to your local, you may literally be drinking to your health.