Whether I'm looking for a good chat with some old Mends or a quiet place to meet a colleague, the pub will be the place I always choose. I could, of course, go to a bar. But a pub, I always find, is far more comfortable and has a more relaxed atmosphere. Many people in the UK also have a favorite pub at the end of the road where they live or nearby to where they work. I can almost always guarantee that I'll bump into someone I know at my "local", as we British call our nearest pub. In fact, many people from the UK say that the pub is a cornerstone   of British life. Coming together over a drink, usually of beer, is generally considered the best way to catch up with friends. For those who are a little reserved  , as the British sometimes are, it's the best way to open up and get chatting. However, this habit is slowly changing among some British people. According to a survey completed in August by UK trade magazine The Publican, eating, rather than drinking, has become the main source of income for our 52,000 pubs. The gastropub  , with its greater emphasis on food, is primarily responsible. All over the country, this more expensive type of pub has been springing up, providing a place for more formal meetings with business partners. Wine is often drunk instead of the traditional beer. But not everyone's happy. Many people hate the fact that some local pubs are closing because new gastropubs are proving more profitable. "Beer sales are sinking and many pubs are struggling to survive," Rob Haward, of the British Beer and Pub Association, told UK newspaper The Daily Mail. For my part, I'm going to do all I can to keep the local British pub alive. It will be the first place I visit when I go back home. .  The article is mainly about  _  .
the British pub losing popularity the author's love of pubs how the British socialize the local British pub