A cool post and a very common sight these days. I have a bad feeling that you're right that with the coming economic downturn in the UK a lot of our pubs shutting their doors and giving you a lot more new places to explore gain entry to.
Its going to majorly effect the free hold and smaller lease hold premises but in the papers last week Wetherspoons have drawn down on their line of credit, so even the big players are on a knives edge. Thinking about it though some of the larger Spoons or M&B pubs would make a great night out exploring.