Last orders: Singing postman Dom Collins pens lament

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Last orders: Singing postman Dom Collins pens lament to regions lost pubs

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A singing postman has penned a song about the death of the local pub – and hopes campaigners will use it to highlight the problem. (LISTEN AT LINK)

Dom Collins, who sings at pubs and clubs throughout the Greater Manchester and the north-west, was inspired to write Last Orders after seeing many of them shut down.

The song blames the recession, supermarkets selling 'cut-price booze' and breweries 'driving landlords to the ground' for the current state of the pub trade.

Dom, a 56-year-old granddad of two from Droylsden, has sent his tune to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), who are calling on government to bring in tax breaks to help hard-up publicans.

He said: "The pub is a great British institution. I've been playing gigs for about five years and have seen lots of these places closing. Artists need pubs or they will have nowhere else to play."

Dom, who has been a postie for 37 years, was among musicians who played a benefit concert to help the struggling Royal British Legion in New Moston, which is threatened with closure, last week.

CAMRA figures suggest that 12 pubs closing per week. Organisers behind the campaign say, in total, 4,500 pubs have closed since 2008 with the loss of around 78,000 jobs.

But Dom said, despite the worrying statistics, his round delivering letters to Tib Street on the Northern Quarter makes him believe there are opportunities for pubs to survive in Manchester.

He said: "There are some pubs that are doing well. There is no one single factor causing pubs to suffer, as I say in the song. The Northern Quarter is doing well, where pubs are opening, but in Droylsden there are three that have closed recently."

Last Orders is the latest in a long line of topical and amusing songs by the singer and guitarist - who has sung about everything from Manchester City's quest for silverware to the transformation of Ancoats, where he grew up.

Leading architect and Urban Splash founder Tom Bloxham - who was awarded an MBE for services to urban regeneration – is thought to have 'It's Still Ancoats To Me' on his iPod.

Dom plays the Railwway Inn, Droylsden, on Saturday, August 11.