Booze without supermarkets?

With the exception of our jaunt to Thornbridge for some real ale, I've not really touched much on booze. But of course, these days, supermarkets in many cases have replaced off licences as the main places where people buy their alcohol.

Thanks bruv!

My little brother (although not so little any more) now lives and works in Bahrain, and is currently back in the UK for a visit. He was round at my house for tea last night and came baring duty free goodies in the form of perfume and a huge bottle of single malt.

Now I do absolutely adore my whisky so I was delighted with the pressie.

Before starting this challenge I would say I probably bought booze from the supermarkets more than anywhere else. The prices are generally good and then of course there's that old chestnut of the convenience issues once again.

I don't tend to drink in pubs quite as much as I used to (although from Saturday's hungover blog you'll have gathered that I do still go out drinking once in a while!) - mainly because I have a busy life and not a great deal of spare cash since the credit crunch hit so having a nice whisky on the sofa is sometimes the best thing.

But I don't really have an off licence within walking distance. There are a couple of corner shop-type affairs that do sell a bit of booze, but the selection isn't brilliant and neither are the prices. I can pick up some lovely real ale at Brown and Green, in Derby, but that's not exactly local either, and Soundbites, the vegan wholefood shop, has recently stopped selling organic vegan red wine.

Publicans and off licence owners would argue that the supermarkets are pricing them out of the market.

I think I need to focus a little more on finding the quirky local offies in Chesterfield that are still open and supporting them....