Long Live The Local Pub

I think I’ve mentioned before that every now and then, I do tend to engage in quite a few conversations, on a variety of topics, while on my local pubs travels. Nature of the beast I’m afraid. I like engaging with people. Always have done, always will do. And, in earlier posts, I have mentioned that many of these chats occur in The Cottage in Brook Street. Which in keeping with the title of this post, it is a local pub. Or, a good old local boozer as they say. And, as the title says, “Long Live The Local Pub.” We would be lost without them. Well, I and many others think so. What do you reckon?

But, to be fair, I don’t think I’m a one-dimensional, “talk the hind legs off a donkey but only in The Cottage” type of fella. No siree, I can offer my linguistic skills anywhere at any time. Now, I don’t know why, but I just imagined some of you rolling your eyes and muttering something like, “not half!!”. Oy, now stop that. I resemble that remark!!!

Nope, I’m not a one pub conversationalist. Anyway, enough about me and my chatting habits. Let’s get back on track on the matter in hand. Long live the local pub.

Long Live The Local Pub

So, picture the scene. There I was, of all places, sat at the bar in The Cottage. Tch……wow, who’d have thought it. And a fella I recognised, but not really knew that well, came in and stood by me while ordering his pint. All normal so far. But, as I hadn’t seen him for some time (and we all know why don’t we), and I normally used to see him with another fella I hadn’t seen for some time, I asked how he was. You know the sort of greeting, “long time no see – everything OK?” Gladly the reply was that he was OK.

“And how’s your mate, so-and-so?” (that’s not his mate’s name by the way). Might I add at this point, we went on to engage in quite a meaningful chat about the topic in hand – “Long Live The Local Pub” – even though we both knew of each other’s conflicting football interests. Not worth talking about a topic no one is going to really get the better of.

Gone are the days I get embroiled in things like, “no, you’re talking s**t.”

“No, I’m not – you’re talking s**t……..my team’s better than yours…..ner, ner, ner, ner, ner”

I like to think I’m not bitter (no pun intended) when it comes to footie chat. Mind you, now that I’ve mentioned bitter, what about the bitter in The Cottage!!! How good is it. Really, top, top drawer. And always expertly poured by Jackie, Alice et al.

As we enter winter, another great feature of The Cottage (well it is for someone of advancing months), is the real log fire. A quick, sneaky couple, a warm fire and a bowl of……..?

Long Live The Local Pub – A Bowl Of Chilli Or No Bowl Of Chilli?

One topic we had on one of our Sunday afternoon, mega de-briefings, was the very important subject of a winter bowl of chilli, or no bowl of winter chilli as the case may be? No fancy menu needed. Just a warming bowl of chilli with crusty bread as an option. Nothing served “on a bed of” or a mega long, three line narrative on a wide blackboard describing something that turns out to be simply, fish, chips and peas. Yes, people like these pubs so not knocking them, it would just be good for a local boozer to serve just a warm, welcoming bowl of chilli. What time is it? I’m getting hungry.

A good old, warm, simple nosh on a Sunday afternoon. I must say though, there was about 7 or 8 of us involved in this vital debate and the verdict was pretty much 50/50. The Cottage doesn’t provide any food, but other local, ‘normal boozers’ pubs do. Take The Albion for instance. Another, traditional local boozer, with a healthy, hearty, pub grub option. As do others we discussed below.

What Pubs Were Mentioned?

Back to the main plot. There we were standing at the bar as I said and in answer to the question of “how’s so-and-so, I haven’t seen him for ages?” the answer was that he was OK and that he normally drinks in the Bridgewater. Is it in Crewe Street? I know it’s about a 5 minute walk from the railway station.

When I heard this, my reaction was, “Oh yea, the Bridgewater, I’d forgotten about that pub. I’ve only ever been in there once in my life.” This then opened up the debate into mentioning other local boozers and how important it is for the local community that these pubs keep going. Apologies if we missed any but the pubs we discussed with a fair smattering of, “ah, yes happy memories of that one” are below. In some mentions there were pubs I’d only ever been in once, or not at all.

Aside from The Cottage, what about The Spital; The Albion (as already mentioned above); The Little Oak in Boughton; The Royal Oak in Hoole; The Mount, Sandy Lane; The Golden Eagle, Castle Street; The Bridgewater; Dublin Packet; The Shropshire; Cross Keys, Bridge Street; Egerton Arms, Brook Street; The Oddfellows, Frodsham Street; Union Vaults; Red Lion, Handbridge (is Clubbies still going in Handbridge?); the Bears Paw in Upton, the Greyhound, Saughall (there you go Darren and Sean, a quick mention of your gaffe) and the Custom House, Watergate Street. As I say, I may have missed some, but they were the ones we discussed.

And the overall conclusion was that it would be such a huge shame if any of these went. In the current climate we are all aware of how certain businesses are in such a precarious position. Maybe, none more so than your local boozer.

And Got The T-Shirt

Hey, I’ve just had a thought. Maybe some of us should get together and have ourselves the odd, “Long Live The Local Pub” mini tour. Three or four of the pubs from above and rotate the next month. or every couple of weeks. Look, I’ve even gone the extra mile. Seen it, done it…….and got the t-shirt!!! (NB: that’s not me by the way in the photo……just in case you were thinking of popping into The Cottage to have a cheeky one with me and went looking for the man in the photo!!! Oh, and it’s only a t-shirt mock-up by the way).

So, me and my brief drinking buddy, were very much of the same mind. Long live the local pub. If you haven’t been to any of the establishments referred to above, then why not give one a whirl. Or, really push the boat out – try two or three. And while you’re contemplating that, also contemplate this – a bowl of chilli in the winter, or no bowl of chilli?

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