It's down to the pub

COUNTRY people are rooted in their local communities.

- AGROMENES

It is why we are passionate defenders of the village pub, even if we don't drink, and the village church, even if we never worship. This sense of place is what defines us and is our defence when the wider world becomes increasingly menacing. It keeps us sane when the old order seems fundamentally challenged. Centuries ago, when we didn't know too much about that wider world, the local community was our stay and support. These days, when we are exposed to the whole globe through 24-hour news, it plays a necessary part in retaining our sanity and our equilibrium.