Scotland officially now has more pubs than before the smoking ban.

The Scottish Government yesterday reported the number of current public house licences had risen by nine in 2007, the first full year after the 2006 crackdown.

There are now 5186 pubs in the country, roughly one for every 1000 people.

Publicans, however, drew little or no comfort from the official figures yesterday and insisted they are still facing some of their toughest challenges in a generation, and not just from the ban.

The number of pubs in Scotland has more or less held steady for years. There were 5122 in 2003 and 4472 in 1980. But this conceals the fact traditional locals, especially in rural areas, are closing and their places taken by urban bars.

"Pubs have become far more diversified," said Patrick Browne, of the Scottish Beer and Pub Association.

"Fifteen to 20 years ago they relied entirely on selling alcohol. Now they are serving food, providing entertainment, diversifying."

One example of the new breed of publican is Ryan Barrie, 33, who converted part of the old Glasgow Sheriff Court building in the city's Merchant City, which had lain derelict for more than 10 years, to open Citation.

Mr Barrie said: "It's the type of place where you can come in, get a bottle of wine, grab a sofa and let the night disappear."

Big chains, however, are also moving in, finding it easier to see out the tough days and the smoking ban than smaller rivals in rural areas. Industry research, cited by Mr Browne, shows 450 pubs have closed since the smoking ban, although there are no statistics on how many have opened up in the same period.

Official figures may not reflect this change for years. Many of the pubs included in yesterday's statistics could even be phantoms because publicans, even when they shut up shop, keep their licences - which are only renewed every three years.

Paul Waterstone of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, which tends to represent independents, is not convinced by the official figures. "There are whole villages where there are no pubs," said Mr Waterstone.

"These were the heart of their community. Now we have whole areas of the country with no banks, no post offices and no pubs."

The real threat to the licensed trade, however, comes not from the smoking ban, industry experts believe, but from off-licences and supermarkets.

There are 6232 premises licensed to carry out off-sales - up from 4899 in 1980. Supermarkets are now believed to account for nearly half of all alcohol sales.

Drink is much cheaper in the supermarket. In an economic slow down, more people appear to prefer a cheap drink at home to a dear drink out.

Bar beer sales, meanwhile, continue to decline and are at their lowest level since the Depression of the 1930s.

In many areas, drinkers have no choice but to stay at home. "We heard of villages in Moray where people had to be driven 12 miles to get a drink," said Mr Browne.