I like dive. As long as the ale is drinkable I prefer them to posh pubs. Although I don't go in any pubs anymore because of the smoking ban.
The breweries are mainly to blame. Unless you are a fee house you have to buy everything from them and they are a right rip off. Spirits cost more then they do in the supermarket and you're only making pennies on a pint of beer. We used to buy spirits from the Spa next door and decant them into the optic bottle. You still had to buy some from the brewery though or they would get suspicious.