Back street dive pubs

a reply to: 14377

If you buy a couple rounds for everybody they treat you like a king

Sorry, in most of the pubs I've drank in regularly and in the pubs I've owned, ran or worked you would be immediately treat with suspicion and accusations of being Squad, a nonce from another town or simply a flash wanker and be more or less ran out of the pub.

Its one thing getting a round in for your mates and locals when you've had a touch....but strangers don't do such things and are usually after something.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

I refuse to drink in pubs that don't have lock ins - or stoppy backs as they are called up here.
I always have somewhere to go for a late drink and could more or less drink 24 hours a day seven days a week well before the licensing hours were relaxed.
Never had any problems with the police either - as long as they aren't called there for trouble they'll stay away.

In one pub I ran in the town centre the police were actually pleased I had stoppy backs; they knew where all the local characters were and knew there'd be no trouble - everyone was happy.

Amazingly for a Wednesday I'm not in the pub - or any night for that matter.
For some strange reason I agreed to babysit my Grandson for a few hours - gagging for a pint, will have to wait until tomorrow night.

a reply to: 14377

You are either not reading or not understanding my post.
I respect your opinion but am struggling to put the point across.

a reply to: Freeborn

Well said and from experience.
We're in our Pub of choice so will raise a pint of the local brew to you in your absence.
Good luck with the babysitting.

a reply to: Cymru

My bad I was a bit distracted earlier .

a reply to: Cymru

Enjoy, I'll raise a glass to you tomorrow.

Never been to Cardiff - had a few meets with them back in the day - but been to Newport a few times, Port Talbot once and Llandudno on a Scooter Rally.

a reply to: 14377

Not a problem at all. Just well meant advice.
Freeborn's post will fill in some blanks.
Squad = Police

a reply to: Freeborn

If you get this way drop me a line.
ATS Pint meetup.
A mate from Port Talbot here says hello lol.

a reply to: Cymru

Defo mate, same goes if you're ever up here.

a reply to: Freeborn

Let me know where you are via u2u

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Yeah I like real pubs not these shiny no 'atmosphere' places.

But sadly they're all too expensive for me now. Went out the other night. $7.20aud for a basic shot of Vodka and coke and all I could think all night was that I could of bought a bottle and been drinking at home with the mates and still had a full wallet the next day for what 4 of these will cost me. 700ml Vodka, $30-$35aud. couple of 2 litre cokes, $5-$6
and I'm buying the wife's drinks too.

$20 each for the wife and I for a night of drinking vs. $28 for only 4 shots with coke in a couple of hours.
(Hell I barely got tipsy. But it cost a lot lol)

Having private drinks at home is just as much fun, but much much cheaper and safer. Don't have to go outside to smoke either. No annoying bouncers.
Music is perfect, company is perfect, price is perfect, the rules are perfect.
And none of my mates ever want to glass me in the face.

I do like the night life, I miss it, even the pubs like in OP. The atmosphere. They used to be fun.
But honestly these days, a night at home is just the better option overall.

But each to their own.

a reply to: Freeborn

Went down to Marsden Grotto with some mates a couple of weeks ago. Can't comment on the beer as I was the driver, but the coffee was excellent and the paranormal experiences second to none.

Crazy history. Smuggling, torture, dancing, dragon worship. Even the Romans coming back for their coins after almost two thousand years.

A pub was built within the cave and a concerted search initiated to find buried Roman treasure hidden in a complex network of underground caves and tunnels. Before long, a desperate battle took place between Peter Allan -South Shields' real-life Indiana Jones -and a coterie of politicians who were determined to find the treasure hoard before he did. Their goal? To bring about a revolution in Italy.

www.amazon.co.uk...

a reply to: Kester
Wow!!! How have never heard of Marsden Grotto before???
Gotta go there some day, nice one mate

a reply to: AtomicKangaroo
I know what you mean about supermarkets killing pubs, it has happened increasingly over the last 20 years, we've lost loads in my parts, and nightclubs, house parties have killed many.
The smoking ban was a savage blow as well, but the most fun places to speak to people are now the smoking outside areas lol

Just found a new backstreet pub, dodgy as #, deals going on with allsorts and I felt like I was being watched being the new face. Lucky a woman who knew me was there so I gained the trust of the dodgy blokes based on her.
Best thing about the pub is everything is £2.50! Every drink, every meal, just £2.50. I had a full English breakfast 2 sausages, 2 bacon, 2 fried eggs, a hash brown and baked beans with toasted bread for £2.50!!!
I'm never cooking again with those prices, they do a full roast dinner, chili con carne, gammon, fries, egg, and peas, plus loads of other stuff, and with a pint, just a fiver!

I asked how he turns a profit and it turns out he owns another pub in a posher part of town which charges £25 for meals so the rich folks pub is subsidising the poor folks pub haha!
Dive bars, gotta love them, you can buy half price smuggled tobacco as well (tax free) from some dodgy bloke with a backpack full of stuff.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Looked and felt dirty. Really could do with a spring clean. Although there's a sign saying dogs not allowed there was a big dog on the sofa. The door was open to the kitchen which looked a tip.

Best pub review I've read.

a reply to: Kester
Haha yes!!!
Backstreet pubs are my fave!

Pubs closing at rate of 18 a week as people stay at home
www.bbc.co.uk...

Pubs are continuing to struggle with 18 closing a week in Britain, according to the latest industry figures.
The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) said there were 476 closures in the first six months of the year, 13 more than in the last six months of 2017.

Camra's chairman Jackie Parker said the high cost of drinking out meant more people were choosing to drink at home.

This is such a pity, I love my local pub, pop in for one pint after work, read the newspaper, laugh with pub banter going on, maybe a game of pool and a chat with a stranger.
The pub is a community place where society meets, not like house parties where everyone is friends with each other...I can't imagine losing my local, the landlady starts pouring my pint before I've sat down on a bar stool and ordered lol.

...I asked her how it was doing though and she said all good, won't be closing any time soon. She's even opening up for Christmas day 3pm until 10, I'm definitely going after my family Christmas dinner lol, be a right laugh.

I'm an ex British army MP who spent more than enough time dealing with crap iin pubs, however give me a rough boozer anytime!

People tend to be more genuine, proper salt of the earth types, yeah you might meet a few wayward characters but if you treat a place and it's punters with respect, you'll get it back.

Walk in with an attitude, and you'll get that back too.

CX.

a reply to: CX
Haha yes!
Long live the British local boozer pubs