I ENTERED the licensed trade untrained and by chance, as I didn't drink and didn't even know the difference between mild and bitter.
Fortunately for me the lads in the vault did and I've never regretted it.
In those days the pub played a big part in people's lives.
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We did the weddings, christenings and the funerals, and were the one place that had a phone, a first-aid kit, a bit of spare crockery and would always lend and a sympathetic ear.
It was a place where you could meet friends, fall in love (many did), play cards, darts, act the fool, let your hair down and if you felt like it, sing with Lilly at the piano - no easy task!
We also always had a fire so you could toast your toes.
The pub was, at the time, a cornerstone.
At weekends we entertained groups of girls and boys, usually all from the same street, and among them often would be included a youngster that had a disability of some kind, who would be treated exactly like the others.
I remember one rather nice 'backward' lad who got up on a table each week and sang, all the girls would make a huge fuss of him, it was the highlight of his and our week.
It was good to see that those youngsters weren't hidden but accepted.
And the bonus for me: I was at home when the kids came home from school.
But things change and we have become a legalistic, penalty-obsessed, stealth-taxed, soul-less society.
Go to visit someone in hospital, you pay to park.
Go over 30 miles an hour and you get fined.
You can't smoke in a public area or put stuff in the wrong bin, and don't you dare comfort a child that has hurt itself.
The list goes on and on.
To cap it all, my friend in hospital has been told by the nurses that because of 'Elf an Safety' rules they cannot cut her toenails.
I mean - this is a hospital for heaven's sake!
We are definitely in the shadow of Big Brother, but what really gets to me is that we accept it.
Posted by: Joseph Yossarian, London on 2:13pm Tue 1 Apr 08
Hypocritical moo.
Absolute nonsense of the highest order.
How many times were the police and ambulances called to Mr G's, c'est la vie, never never land and so on?
Remember them? I do. Your staff served me and my mates booze well before I was old enough on pretty much every friday or saturday night.
YOU profited directly from allowing underage drinking, hooligan behaviour and gowd only knows what else in your former dens of iniquity.
Oh, plus the obvious tolerance of drug dealing that went on in the same places. The strong smell of weed from the back office.
The kids that weren't starting fights and beating up people outside the kebab shops after a heavy night of limitless stella and alcopops were completely off their boxes on 'e' bought in your clubs.
And you have the brass neck to try and moan about measures designed to improve public health?
Give me strength.
Your hypocritical attitute is almost astonishing.
Hypocritical moo.
Absolute nonsense of the highest order.
How many times were the police and ambulances called to Mr G's, c'est la vie, never never land and so on?
Remember them? I do. Your staff served me and my mates booze well before I was old enough on pretty much every friday or saturday night.
YOU profited directly from allowing underage drinking, hooligan behaviour and gowd only knows what else in your former dens of iniquity.
Oh, plus the obvious tolerance of drug dealing that went on in the same places. The strong smell of weed from the back office.
The kids that weren't starting fights and beating up people outside the kebab shops after a heavy night of limitless stella and alcopops were completely off their boxes on 'e' bought in your clubs.
And you have the brass neck to try and moan about measures designed to improve public health?
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 3:24pm Tue 1 Apr 08
Let's be Honest,The only measures this woman has ever been interested in is those that enable her to boost her private wealth which she has certainly managed to do.
Even now she hasn't got enough of it. There is no satisfying this womans **** for money.
In what way has she ever done anything for Blackburn People? Apart from exploiting the young as much as she could get away with.
If she wanted to help People with her wealth she could turn her flats into something that will benefit the dirt poor and the young and vulnerable. Not just pander to her creepy cartel of fellow profiteers and the stinking rich.
Let's be Honest,The only measures this woman has ever been interested in is those that enable her to boost her private wealth which she has certainly managed to do.
Even now she hasn't got enough of it. There is no satisfying this womans **** for money.
In what way has she ever done anything for Blackburn People? Apart from exploiting the young as much as she could get away with.
If she wanted to help People with her wealth she could turn her flats into something that will benefit the dirt poor and the young and vulnerable. Not just pander to her creepy cartel of fellow profiteers and the stinking rich.
Perhaps if people (including those who are part of the legal system) had not been so keen to fill their own pockets (aka USA and its compensation claims)then Health & Safety Legislation would not be so stringent and so inhibiting. Driving at speeds in excess of 30 miles has been proved to be dangerous; smoking can damage health and why should non-smokers be subjected to it? Chiropodists are very highly trained to do a specialist job (not that nurses would be incompetent at this I know they are capable of doing it). But the greedy exploit the law and are ready to bay for blood(compensation) at any infringement of it no matter how minor; therefore the innocent have to be protected and the money grabbers have to have their greed curtailed. Yes the local pub culture was central to a community in the days before bar stools inhibited the elderly and the topless barmaids introduced sleaze into that culture; under-age drinking was not as common as today because in a local pub almost everyone knew each other and a minor would have been identified as such. It's rather silly to condemn society as a whole, that same society is made up of individuals many thousands of whom are not soul-less and try their best to lead honest decent lives (whether or not they are well-heeled or not).
Perhaps if people (including those who are part of the legal system) had not been so keen to fill their own pockets (aka USA and its compensation claims)then Health & Safety Legislation would not be so stringent and so inhibiting. Driving at speeds in excess of 30 miles has been proved to be dangerous; smoking can damage health and why should non-smokers be subjected to it? Chiropodists are very highly trained to do a specialist job (not that nurses would be incompetent at this I know they are capable of doing it). But the greedy exploit the law and are ready to bay for blood(compensation) at any infringement of it no matter how minor; therefore the innocent have to be protected and the money grabbers have to have their greed curtailed. Yes the local pub culture was central to a community in the days before bar stools inhibited the elderly and the topless barmaids introduced sleaze into that culture; under-age drinking was not as common as today because in a local pub almost everyone knew each other and a minor would have been identified as such. It's rather silly to condemn society as a whole, that same society is made up of individuals many thousands of whom are not soul-less and try their best to lead honest decent lives (whether or not they are well-heeled or not).
[bold][quote]To cap it all, my friend in hospital has been told by the nurses that because of 'Elf an Safety' rules they cannot cut her toenails.[/quote][/bold]
Nothing new there Ms Grimshaw. I hope you did the honourable thing and cut your friend's toenails.
At times like this you find out who your true friend's are.
To cap it all, my friend in hospital has been told by the nurses that because of 'Elf an Safety' rules they cannot cut her toenails.
Nothing new there Ms Grimshaw. I hope you did the honourable thing and cut your friend's toenails.
At times like this you find out who your true friend's are.
Children being entertained in the pub at the weekend? It might have happened in your pub but i do not ever recall children being welcomed in the way you describe Margo. Did you allow your own children this freedom? Did you think it was an appropriate place for boys and girls to be? Children were to be seen and not heard in my day and if they had put their foot in the pub door where i once supped they would have been sent home with a ruddy good clout or a rite good ear bashing. Many a good night was held in the local and you are right about the weddings and family gatherings due to lack of space and funds you could not afford anything better so the pub was the only option. Did you welcome children into your drinking establishments as you moved up in the pub trade? I do not know but is it right to allow this? Call me old fashioned but today children hear and see all sorts in the pub and as a parent myself i would never have allowed this and more to the point i would have questioned my parental responsibility. So do our boys and girls stem from the likes of Margo?
Children being entertained in the pub at the weekend? It might have happened in your pub but i do not ever recall children being welcomed in the way you describe Margo. Did you allow your own children this freedom? Did you think it was an appropriate place for boys and girls to be? Children were to be seen and not heard in my day and if they had put their foot in the pub door where i once supped they would have been sent home with a ruddy good clout or a rite good ear bashing. Many a good night was held in the local and you are right about the weddings and family gatherings due to lack of space and funds you could not afford anything better so the pub was the only option. Did you welcome children into your drinking establishments as you moved up in the pub trade? I do not know but is it right to allow this? Call me old fashioned but today children hear and see all sorts in the pub and as a parent myself i would never have allowed this and more to the point i would have questioned my parental responsibility. So do our boys and girls stem from the likes of Margo?
[bold][quote]So do our boys and girls stem from the likes of Margo?[/quote] [/bold]
Should read,
So do our [bold]drinking[/bold] boys and girls stem from the likes of Margo?
So do our boys and girls stem from the likes of Margo?
Should read,
So do our drinking boys and girls stem from the likes of Margo?
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 11:52am Fri 4 Apr 08
Margo spent years providing the youngest in our community with as much booze as they could afford to buy. Clubland is an institution for the young and often least responsible members of the community.
When it comes to judging others on their Parental responsibility I am not sure that a Topless barmaid is something that most Decent Parents would want their children exposed to.
Margo spent years providing the youngest in our community with as much booze as they could afford to buy. Clubland is an institution for the young and often least responsible members of the community.
When it comes to judging others on their Parental responsibility I am not sure that a Topless barmaid is something that most Decent Parents would want their children exposed to.
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