Pubs and hotels are no longer the boozy, bustling places they used to be

At 7pm, although all the outside tables were full of early diners, we were the only booked table inside. The place was deserted, writes Jenny Eclair

It’s not just hotels that seem to be in a strange state of flux at the moment (EPA)

I’ve been touring for years – I was touring when hotels didn’t have en-suite bathrooms, and inevitably you’d be sharing a bathroom “down the corridor” with a lorry driver who had been constipated since he left Inverness 10 days ago, but thanks to a late-night curry has finally managed to get things moving, minutes before your morning wee.

I was touring when people did nothing but smoke in hotels rooms; when everything was covered in cigarette burns and the landlady dropped fag ash on your fried eggs.

I’ve toured when my career has been hitting the highs – think spas and indoor pools, tempting bottles of good wine casually left in your room, complete with a handy bottle opener and cupboards full of fancy snacks. And I’ve toured when bums on seats have been thin on the ground and I couldn’t really afford breakfast if it wasn’t included.