The future of Scotland's historic pubs must be preserved, according to the author of a new pub guide.

Michael Slaughter, author of Scotland's True Heritage Pubs, claims that only 120 public houses have retained the same bar for the past 40 years, while many have scrapped typically Scottish features such as a central bar in the main room.

The book also lists pubs that have done away with characteristic ornate gantries as well as water taps on the bar for whisky.

Speaking to the Scotsman, Mr Slaughter said: "Glasgow in particular had pubs with lots of little rooms, like you get throughout the UK, but the licensing magistrates took an instant dislike to the fact people could be tucked away in corners."

Mr Slaughter explained that there are now only a handful of pubs in the country boasting authentic features.

"There are very few of them. The amount of historic interiors that have been ripped out over the last 30 or 40 years... we want to see that coming to a stop and the few we have got left, we want them to be preserved," he said.

A recent survey by the Scottish Licensed Trade Association showed difficult times for Scottish pubs, with a third of publicans admitting they had been forced to lay off staff since the start of the national smoking ban one year ago.