No Mobile Phones Allowed
Last Saturday I partook in a swift couple of sherbets with a friend of mine for the first time in ages. As we hadn’t been in town for months, we decided to meet in The Boot on Eastgate Street Row. We did use to frequent it more regularly but this particular Saturday was our first visit since Christmas Eve apparently. Had it changed much? Anything new to report? On the latter point, yes there has been a new development. No mobile phones allowed.
Well, not just mobile phones. Any and all electronic devices actually. So, mobile phones, Ipods, Ipads etc are not allowed. Is this a good or a bad thing?
No Mobile Phones Allowed
I can’t fully remember the announcement pinned above the bar. If allowed I would have taken a photo of it and uploaded it in this post, but of course I couldn’t as no mobile phones are allowed.
The general gist of the statement was basically saying that patrons should socialise without the need to use any electronic devices. In other words, it was encouraging customers to interact by that old method called talking to each other. In some respects I am all in favour of that as I do like to socialise myself and I do enjoy a good old chinwag.
But, again from memory, you couldn’t use your mobile phones for any purpose. Texting, surfing the internet, taking photos etc. You name it – no mobile phones allowed.
No Mobile Phones Allowed-Any Exceptions?
Are there any exceptions to the no mobile phones allowed rule? As far as I know, there aren’t any. While we were in there I can’t remember seeing a payphone anywhere. There may be one but I didn’t see it. So, what if you wanted to phone for a taxi?
Or, what if someone called you with some important message you may have been expecting? Do you just ignore your phone? I think in that instance of course you wouldn’t and if you get lobbed out then so be it. There are many more pubs available in town.
As it happened it was very quiet in there. It was dead in fact. But if it was full and there was a rush for the need for taxis then I would imagine there would be a huge queue at the payphone (if there is one). Maybe it was dead because of this rule. Who knows? I do know from previous visits it was always a lot busier than on this particular Saturday. Might have just caught it at a quiet moment I suppose.
Or, a mass exodus of people heading to the Town Hall taxi rank or to Kingkabs in Bridge Street. But what if it’s lashing down with rain? Tough I suppose.
Put That Away Or…….
As far as I could see there was only the one A4 sheet pinned above the bar announcing the rule. Again, there may have been more but I didn’t see any. Certainly the young fella sitting at the table by us didn’t see any warning. Just as he lifted his phone from his pocket to do whatever, the barmaid walking past told him…..”sorry, you’ll have to put that away or, if not, I’ll have to ask you to leave”
The young fella immediately put his phone away with a somewhat puzzled look on his face. The shrug of our shoulders only added to his confusion I think.
Management Or A Brewery Decision?
The question was asked whether or not the “no mobile phones allowed” rule is a brewery, or a pub management decision? It is a nationwide Sam Smith decision apparently as this link confirms:
“Samuel Smith pub chain becomes first in UK to ban mobile phones in attempt to encourage face to face interaction
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/29/pub-chain-becomes-first-uk-ban-mobile-phones-a…“
It would be interesting to see if it catches on with other pub chains. To those of us of a certain age, it’s no big deal really as we well remember the days before mobile phones became such a prominent feature in people’s way of life.
No Mobile Phones Allowed – Is It A Good Or A Bad Thing?
Over to you the punters really. No mobile phones allowed – is it a good or bad thing? I suppose now you know – in case you didn’t know already – then it’s a good thing if you want an atmosphere that we all enjoyed all those years ago before the advent of mobile phones.
In some respects it is similar to pubs with or without Sky Sports. If anyone wants to avoid Sky Sports then they will obviously visit a non-Sky Sports pub. Again, coincidentally, The Boot is a non-Sky Sports pub. There are quite a few in town in fact. The Vic is another. The Coach House, Oddfellows (Frodsham Street), The Falcon, The Cottage, Egerton to name just a few off the top of my head are others.
My own view on it is that it may be a good option to have. I think as long as there is a way of communicating in an emergency (payphone), then why not. Any thriving town or city centre depends and needs a variety of social outlets to satisfy the masses.
We have cocktail bars, wine bars, pubs that specialise in cask beers, gastro food pubs, sports bars, so why not a non-electronic device bar? It all adds to the diversity available. As long as it works for them and the punters like it then all’s good.
Anyway, another pub report from your friendly, cask beer loving, local roving reporter coming soon. It’s a sh*t job but someone has to do it!!!!
Places To Visit In Chester
Chester is full of good and popular pubs and bars like The Boot. But Chester has more to offer than pubs alone. There is so much to do and see. For some ideas have a look HERE.
Chester Lifestyle
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