Time for a Pint – A Pictorial Pub Crawl

The 21st Century Pub

The pub, with origins going back several hundred years, is under threat as never before. Several reasons have been identified, most notably the availability of cheap (but often inferior) booze in supermarkets, tenancy restrictions and high rents imposed on landlords by the pub owners, and the smoking ban. Sadly, until the government recognizes that these little buildings scattered throughout the country are not only an irreplaceable community focus but also a major tourist magnet, unique to the British Isles and Ireland and contributing significantly to our national wealth, we are in danger of losing them forever.

Can I Do Anything?

Yes, turn your computer off now and go straight to the pub.

Wednesday 8 November 2017

York

Seconds of Pleasure

There is a little-known record album inner sleeve showing 4 blokes standing outside a pub waiting, in great anticipation, for opening time. The band was Rockpile and the album ‘Seconds of Pleasure’. This image and the caption records one of the many near-forgotten attractions of British pub culture. Waiting for the pub to open. In these times of all-day opening, the ritual of standing outside the pub waiting for the landlord to unbolt the door is far less common, but is still a fleeting pleasure that can be enjoyed on occasion.

In July I took the train to York to meet up with a few friends for a quiet pint. York is full of delights and they start even before you leave the railway station. Turn left on Platform 1 and you will find yourself in the York Tap. I did and on this occasion was met by Barfly who had already bought me a pint in anticipation of my arrival. What a gentleman! We then proceeded to The Maltings where we met Yozza, Jones the Beer, Degga and Bean, who had made the arduous trip from Kent just so he could enjoy a few jars of northern ale.

The next stop was The Ackhorne Inn. Apparently it was once known simply as The Acorn, but some marketing bod probably thought that Ackhorne sounded more rustic and might attract more customers. Nevertheless this is a splendid pub.