The Old Days
Who else can remember the BC (before children ) pubs, you know, the ones that DIDN'T allow kiddies in, or those that did, insisted they leave at 9pm ?
The one place where a geezer could, if he was lucky (or single) escape the screaming kids and even louder screaming missus, if only for a couple of hours on a Sunday lunchtime (called DINNER time where I was dragged up !)
Roast taters, cheese cubes, peanuts and pickled onions on the bar, till the EU stopped all that on 'hygiene' grounds ! The raffle that was always accompanied by many shouts of 'FIX' when the winner was announced and a 'proper' dartboard...you know, the type with NO trebles ! the fishing club that organised away matches from time to time and even a savings club for the more spendthrift. The annual trip to 't seaside (strangely enough ALWAYS Cleethorpes) complete with crate of brown on 't back seat o 't sharrer ! And remember the days when the place opened at 12 and closed at 2pm on a Sunday and a 'late lock in' was a once in a blue moon occurrence which was quite often attended by the local "bobby", and, most importantly, loud foul and offensive language was just not allowed, and if after one warning it continued, then out it was !!
There is a pub local to where I live and I have been in there just the once..never again ! I'm afraid that screaming brats hurtling round indoors on bicycles..riding into customers' legs..screaming at a frequency that even a deaf bat could hear..attempting to drag the beer towels off the bar c/w customers' drinks..and in one extreme case, begging money from the customers for the sweety machines. I have to say now that these juvenile terrorists are the landlord's kids, and he let's them treat the pub as a playground, citing the ability to 'keep an eye on 'em' as an excuse. The only problem is that the customers are forced to keep both eyes and ears on 'em.
Sadly, we'll NEVER see the likes of the old fashioned pub again and working mens' clubs are closing with ever increasing frequency, only, as in the town where I am at present, to be turned into a Mosque or Islamic 'school' ( always thought that Muslims hated all contact with alcohol with a vengeance ?) That and the unnecessary use of loud offensive and foul language that is apparently mandatory on both sides of the bar.
Come back Vic Smeed...Dave Platt...Jack Morton and Co. ALL is forgiven.