Reading my Twitter feed and news and seeing restaurant chains, and much-loved neighbourhood venues closing in the face of financial pressures want me to remind myself, if no one else, that businesses are very much a "lose it or use it" affair.
The social enterprise I run (which is, surprisingly, nothing to do with beer - much more with teaching kids to code...which is why I need the beer) is faced with the self-same problem.
You start a new thing and people love it.
People come in and they tell their friends how awesome it is.
Their friends come in to see what all the fuss is about.
Their friends love it and they tell their friends who come in to see what all the fuss it about...and so on.
They give it great reviews on Twitter, on Facebook and any other platforms you happen to be active in.
But, in the face of financial pressure, or maybe the novelty wears off or maybe a similar thing is available cheaper or nearer, or whatever...they don't come in regularly. They just assume you'll always be there for them since, in the heady days of discovery, it was always really busy and getting was hard because it was so busy.
And so there are fewer people "discovering" it because there are fewer people who haven't discovered it yet. So the buzz goes. Then the customers dry up.
When the customers dry up, the business becomes unsustainable and so it stops. Then everyone bemoans the lack of that facility.
That facility can be a restaurant, a pub, a bookshop, a camera shop, an after-school club organisation, or anything that has a physical presence, really.
We all do it. We all "mean to go back" but never get around to it.
We probably didn't want the perceived hassle of going into this place we perceive as really busy, or we're busy trying the next new thing, or maybe life has just moved on and it doesn't suit our needs any more.
We went to the Barleymow yesterday (Sunday) evening for a couple of pints and learned that it had been so busy the day before and for Sunday lunchtime that they'd run out of several beers and hadn't had time to change them over. Also, that they were going to close at 8pm because pretty much no one goes into the pub at that time on a Sunday.
We know we're guilty of grumbling when a pub we love is really busy at a particular time we happen to choose to go in. We try and check ourselves, but we don't always manage it.
But we've started to make a real effort to frequent places when they'll be open, but less busy. We also try, when a restaurant we like apologises for not having any available tables, to tell them that we're delighted they're busy and we'll be back when it's quieter.
So - don't forget that thing you love (be it shop, pub, restaurant or other service) and assume it'll always be there for you - you need to be there for it too!
Monday, 10 June 2019
Saturday, 1 June 2019
So Many Beers, So Little Time
Been a while since I posted here - the rest of the world (and concentrating on drinking beer) has taken precendence.
The highlight of recent times was probably the Burning Sky tap-takeover at Bottle Grove. I'd seen it on social media and although we don't visit as much as other pubs in town, we do enjoy being there - not just for the beer, but for the enthusiasm of the owner - Greg.
Burning Sky brews fabulous pale, hoppy, drinkable beers which are great on cask and keg - we knew this already. The surprise was the sour/other beers on offer. I'm not a fan, I have to say, but I can appreciate a good beer without wanting to drink pints of it. So it was with the three on offer. Best Beer Buddy who loves a good geuze absolutely loved them - a saison, a geuze style and a raspberry sour.
Made us love this brewery all the more.
Other than that?
A visit to Left-handed Giant's current tap room, a brief foray in the East Bristol Brewery Trail, and a couple of orders of fridge beer by post have all had their place.
A trip between Bristol and Eastbourne where we took the opportunity of stopping in the Victoria area to watch some football on the telly and then grab a couple of pints at the Cask and Kitchen was a pleasant distraction (albeit the beer in the TV pub was a bit rubbish).
Surprise of the last few weeks, though, was a Gun Brewery 4.4% bitter. I've said it a number of times: that I'm not all that keen on bitter as a beer style, these days. But this was the weekend guest beer on at The Crown so it would have been rude not to try it. It was lovely. I don't particularly want to have it on a regular basis - but a couple of pints of it in tip-top condition was an absolute treat.
What's coming up? A trip to Bristol soon and I'm hoping we'll take the opportunity to make the most of the extra openings and event that Bristol Breweries tend to have in the spring and summer.
The highlight of recent times was probably the Burning Sky tap-takeover at Bottle Grove. I'd seen it on social media and although we don't visit as much as other pubs in town, we do enjoy being there - not just for the beer, but for the enthusiasm of the owner - Greg.
Burning Sky brews fabulous pale, hoppy, drinkable beers which are great on cask and keg - we knew this already. The surprise was the sour/other beers on offer. I'm not a fan, I have to say, but I can appreciate a good beer without wanting to drink pints of it. So it was with the three on offer. Best Beer Buddy who loves a good geuze absolutely loved them - a saison, a geuze style and a raspberry sour.
Made us love this brewery all the more.
Other than that?
A visit to Left-handed Giant's current tap room, a brief foray in the East Bristol Brewery Trail, and a couple of orders of fridge beer by post have all had their place.
A trip between Bristol and Eastbourne where we took the opportunity of stopping in the Victoria area to watch some football on the telly and then grab a couple of pints at the Cask and Kitchen was a pleasant distraction (albeit the beer in the TV pub was a bit rubbish).
Surprise of the last few weeks, though, was a Gun Brewery 4.4% bitter. I've said it a number of times: that I'm not all that keen on bitter as a beer style, these days. But this was the weekend guest beer on at The Crown so it would have been rude not to try it. It was lovely. I don't particularly want to have it on a regular basis - but a couple of pints of it in tip-top condition was an absolute treat.
What's coming up? A trip to Bristol soon and I'm hoping we'll take the opportunity to make the most of the extra openings and event that Bristol Breweries tend to have in the spring and summer.
Thursday, 4 April 2019
Jus' Checkin'
On arrival in Bristol we almost always drop into the Barley Mow. It's like slipping on a comfy pair of slippers.
The journey up wasn't as relaxed as usual simply because we accidentally left home 5 minutes later than we'd planned and from then on things got out of kilter: we missed the Eastbourne to London train by about 2 minutes. It was cold so instead of sitting on the platform for 30 mins we decided to get a train to Brighton and go that way instead.
That worked well, but as we arrived at Victoria we learned that they'd changed the way you get to the Victoria line and it takes about 5 minutes longer to get to the platform.
We narrowly missed a Bakerloo train at Oxford Circus and so we were convinced we'd miss the next train from Paddington.
As it happened, we tore up the stairs and got on the train with about 15 seconds to spare -panting and knackered, but quite smug we'd done it.
That's all by way of explaining why, by the time we arrived, we just wanted to settle down with a pint with low stress.
We had a parcel to collect from near the pub so we did that and ambled around. I have to admit to a bit of minor irritation when we looked at a group of 4 people taking up three tables but as there was an alternative we kept our grumbles between ourselves and sat elsewhere. Fortunately, the group left fairly swiftly suddenly making the pub feel so much emptier.
We decamped to our "usual" corner and shared a joke about it with Harry, the manager.
From then on in we totally relaxed. Beer was good (both cask and keg) and, as it so often the case, it felt like we'd never been away. We chatted about the upcoming opening of the Left Handed Giant taproom which will be about the same distance from the flat as the BM is.
But as himself put it - "I can't see it changing the number of times we come here..." - and of course he's right. Pubs remain the best way to enjoy beer for us (I've said this a number of times, I know).
Last night we decided we'd venture just a little further afield - first to the Naval Volunteer (or the Vollie) which was pleasant with good beer and nearly empty. Last time we were up we said we probably ought to check out the Zero degrees bar. So we decided to try it out then and there.
It's probably in excess of 10 years since either of us have been to one (me, the Bristol one, him the Blackheath one).
The pizzas were nice enough (good dough, good sauce) although the toppings were nothing to write home about and the beer was fine. Much, in fact, as I think it probably was the last time we went into one. Service was pleasant and despite there being a big party in, we never felt neglected - although the warehouse space encourages noise to become quite oppressive.
We were really glad to have checked and it meant we got to stretch our legs on the walk there and back...but we both agreed, we don't need to go back on our own account.
Another place I'm glad exists, and glad it seems to be doing well but it's not really our thing.
The journey up wasn't as relaxed as usual simply because we accidentally left home 5 minutes later than we'd planned and from then on things got out of kilter: we missed the Eastbourne to London train by about 2 minutes. It was cold so instead of sitting on the platform for 30 mins we decided to get a train to Brighton and go that way instead.
That worked well, but as we arrived at Victoria we learned that they'd changed the way you get to the Victoria line and it takes about 5 minutes longer to get to the platform.
We narrowly missed a Bakerloo train at Oxford Circus and so we were convinced we'd miss the next train from Paddington.
As it happened, we tore up the stairs and got on the train with about 15 seconds to spare -panting and knackered, but quite smug we'd done it.
That's all by way of explaining why, by the time we arrived, we just wanted to settle down with a pint with low stress.
We had a parcel to collect from near the pub so we did that and ambled around. I have to admit to a bit of minor irritation when we looked at a group of 4 people taking up three tables but as there was an alternative we kept our grumbles between ourselves and sat elsewhere. Fortunately, the group left fairly swiftly suddenly making the pub feel so much emptier.
We decamped to our "usual" corner and shared a joke about it with Harry, the manager.
From then on in we totally relaxed. Beer was good (both cask and keg) and, as it so often the case, it felt like we'd never been away. We chatted about the upcoming opening of the Left Handed Giant taproom which will be about the same distance from the flat as the BM is.
But as himself put it - "I can't see it changing the number of times we come here..." - and of course he's right. Pubs remain the best way to enjoy beer for us (I've said this a number of times, I know).
Last night we decided we'd venture just a little further afield - first to the Naval Volunteer (or the Vollie) which was pleasant with good beer and nearly empty. Last time we were up we said we probably ought to check out the Zero degrees bar. So we decided to try it out then and there.
It's probably in excess of 10 years since either of us have been to one (me, the Bristol one, him the Blackheath one).
The pizzas were nice enough (good dough, good sauce) although the toppings were nothing to write home about and the beer was fine. Much, in fact, as I think it probably was the last time we went into one. Service was pleasant and despite there being a big party in, we never felt neglected - although the warehouse space encourages noise to become quite oppressive.
We were really glad to have checked and it meant we got to stretch our legs on the walk there and back...but we both agreed, we don't need to go back on our own account.
Another place I'm glad exists, and glad it seems to be doing well but it's not really our thing.
Monday, 1 April 2019
More Good Stuff
Not really much to report on the beer front, to be honest.
That's probably because we haven't made any special excursions but we've been happily supplied by local pubs, our lovely bottle shop and an online supplier or two.
But we're heading up to Bristol for a few days soon and I already find myself looking forward to the variety of places there will be for us to visit.
I'm mentally writing a list but I have a feeling that circumstances will probably dictate our agenda.
Still, best laid plans an' all that.
That's probably because we haven't made any special excursions but we've been happily supplied by local pubs, our lovely bottle shop and an online supplier or two.
But we're heading up to Bristol for a few days soon and I already find myself looking forward to the variety of places there will be for us to visit.
I'm mentally writing a list but I have a feeling that circumstances will probably dictate our agenda.
Still, best laid plans an' all that.
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Drinking in Non-Pubs
I love pubs and I love drinking in pubs (provided beer is great, obvs).
More and more, however, I'm learning to love non-pubs for drinking in.
Our first experience of this was probably the Moor Brewery Tap near our flat in Bristol. It's absolutely not a pub but it is definitely a favourite place to drink.
We tried micropubs in their early days and, to be honest, the first ones we tried weren't really up to much but we've been to a few more and we've found a some to love (Drapers Arms in Bristol. Wight Bear Alehouse in Bournemouth, 1200 Postcards in Hastings).
Then there are the "craft ale" outlets. Some of them are pubs...others definitely aren't. We've loved some and we've loathed others. We still go to the Beer Emporium and Small Bar in Bristol and enjoy it when we do. We've discovered the Craft Beer chain of bars and mostly enjoyed them (as long as we remember they're not pubs in the normal sense).
We still adore the Euston Tap and try and find time to go to it when we have to get a train from that neck of the woods.
And now there are the bottle shops...
We're lucky enough to have one of these in Eastbourne (Bottle Grove) but we also had a brilliant time the other day in Hove (Bison Beer) and it makes me want to try more.
These bottle shops mostly have shelves and fridges of cans and bottles but also a few lines for drinking in or for filling growlers for takeout. So they're not quite off-license, not quite bar.
We went to Bottle Grove yesterday evening after finding the Eagle too crowded and the Dew Drop with only one beer we wanted to drink. We also knew that we didn't have much decent beer in the fridge and didn't want to got to the pub on Sunday (Paddy's Day of twats in hats drinking Guinness loudly and annoyingly) so we thought we'd pick up a few cans for the fridge...but it would have been rude not to stop for one (or three).
The venue is friendly and fun (if a little bit chilly) but it's not the sort of place you can hole up in a corner with a book or a game so it's definitely not a pub. But we love it for the enthusiasm of the owner and the cracking beers he serves (6 on tap at the moment).
I really hope more different styles of good beer establishment open up and we shan't be afraid to try them (probably).
More and more, however, I'm learning to love non-pubs for drinking in.
Our first experience of this was probably the Moor Brewery Tap near our flat in Bristol. It's absolutely not a pub but it is definitely a favourite place to drink.
We tried micropubs in their early days and, to be honest, the first ones we tried weren't really up to much but we've been to a few more and we've found a some to love (Drapers Arms in Bristol. Wight Bear Alehouse in Bournemouth, 1200 Postcards in Hastings).
Then there are the "craft ale" outlets. Some of them are pubs...others definitely aren't. We've loved some and we've loathed others. We still go to the Beer Emporium and Small Bar in Bristol and enjoy it when we do. We've discovered the Craft Beer chain of bars and mostly enjoyed them (as long as we remember they're not pubs in the normal sense).
We still adore the Euston Tap and try and find time to go to it when we have to get a train from that neck of the woods.
And now there are the bottle shops...
We're lucky enough to have one of these in Eastbourne (Bottle Grove) but we also had a brilliant time the other day in Hove (Bison Beer) and it makes me want to try more.
These bottle shops mostly have shelves and fridges of cans and bottles but also a few lines for drinking in or for filling growlers for takeout. So they're not quite off-license, not quite bar.
We went to Bottle Grove yesterday evening after finding the Eagle too crowded and the Dew Drop with only one beer we wanted to drink. We also knew that we didn't have much decent beer in the fridge and didn't want to got to the pub on Sunday (Paddy's Day of twats in hats drinking Guinness loudly and annoyingly) so we thought we'd pick up a few cans for the fridge...but it would have been rude not to stop for one (or three).
The venue is friendly and fun (if a little bit chilly) but it's not the sort of place you can hole up in a corner with a book or a game so it's definitely not a pub. But we love it for the enthusiasm of the owner and the cracking beers he serves (6 on tap at the moment).
I really hope more different styles of good beer establishment open up and we shan't be afraid to try them (probably).
Wednesday, 6 February 2019
On Walks and Beer
We agonised for a while whether we should strike out for a decent walk in Leigh Woods (just on the edge of Bristol) given that the weather was looking a bit iffy.
We decided to go for it.
Catching a bus to the area so that we could maximise walking time in the woods was a good ploy and we enjoyed good quality (only slightly muddy) paths as we bimbled around for a couple of hours.
The walk ended with us on a riverside path in South Bristol so, naturally, we headed towards North Street.
The first place we came across was the Bristol Beer Factory tap room which is maturing nicely. We had some cracking seasonal beers (both cask and keg enjoyed) and enjoyed the ambiance. All that was lacking was a wood-burner in my humble...it would have made for the perfect atmosphere.
After a couple of pints we headed down the road a few yards to the Tobacco Factory bar. Given it was 6pm on a Tuesday at the beginning of February it was amazingly full (that's to say not rammed but at least 50 people). Beer was lovely (we had Moor on cask, BBF on cask and LHG on Keg) and we stopped for food which was nice and functional rather than stunning (but there's nothing wrong with that).
All in all, these two places epitomise non-pub drinking experiences and how they should feel.
Both were family friendly without being too overwhelming, staff in both venues very efficient and friendly and, above all, a cracking selection of well kept beers.
Almost makes me wish I lived in Bedminster again.
We decided to go for it.
Catching a bus to the area so that we could maximise walking time in the woods was a good ploy and we enjoyed good quality (only slightly muddy) paths as we bimbled around for a couple of hours.
The walk ended with us on a riverside path in South Bristol so, naturally, we headed towards North Street.
The first place we came across was the Bristol Beer Factory tap room which is maturing nicely. We had some cracking seasonal beers (both cask and keg enjoyed) and enjoyed the ambiance. All that was lacking was a wood-burner in my humble...it would have made for the perfect atmosphere.
After a couple of pints we headed down the road a few yards to the Tobacco Factory bar. Given it was 6pm on a Tuesday at the beginning of February it was amazingly full (that's to say not rammed but at least 50 people). Beer was lovely (we had Moor on cask, BBF on cask and LHG on Keg) and we stopped for food which was nice and functional rather than stunning (but there's nothing wrong with that).
All in all, these two places epitomise non-pub drinking experiences and how they should feel.
Both were family friendly without being too overwhelming, staff in both venues very efficient and friendly and, above all, a cracking selection of well kept beers.
Almost makes me wish I lived in Bedminster again.
Monday, 4 February 2019
Where There's Beer, There's Hope
OK - that title's come across a bit more needy than I'd like...but I can't think of anything better to be honest.
We're in Bristol for a few days, where we take the quality and choice of pubs and their beer largely for granted.
We arrived on Friday and we assumed that our local, at 5pm, would have enough room for us to have a couple of beers and something tasty to eat. Boy were we wrong!
Whether it was the local snow conditions meaning work kicked out early, or it being the 1st February so the Dryanuaries were gagging for beer, or the fact that the pub was showing the rugby...or maybe that it was just after payday...or all of it..I just don't know.
We hadn't seen the pub that busy since pre-Christmas. There was barely anywhere to stand, let alone sit, and the beer line up was fine but not as exciting as we were hoping for. We stood with our pints and chuntered at each other before giving ourselves a good talking-to. We knew that, being here for a few days, we'd easily be able to return and then we saw the positive in the upcoming beer list.
We kicked around a couple of possibilities, before settling on the Old Market Assembly (despite having been a little disappointed in it last time). It had their house beer and an Arbor beer on cask; we could find a little table on the balcony and we had their lovely pizzas. All in all, as good as an experience as we could wish for. Again, we resolved to remember that everyone can have an off-day and we should allow for it.
Saturday we fancied watching some rugby in a pub but thought the BM would be heaving again (and we wern't quite ready to be disappointed so soon). I had to pick up a parcel (I so love Amazon Locker...) so we headed in that direction and found ourselves near the Seven Stars. It's a weird old place and I think that the beer isn't as good since the old bar manager left and set up his own place, but it has character. Actually, since there was a punk festival next door in the Fleece there were many characters. The place was rammed to the gunwhales with "original" punks....that's to say people who could have been punks when punk was first a thing. That is to say...people rather like us...but with plaid, mohicans and leather jackets. It was brilliant! Most of them in the pub were drinking Real Ale and the atmosphere was jolly. We shared a table with some other folk and bought a local punk-scene CD from them (£2, bargain). The beer was fine, rather than great, but the whole experience was fab.
The Seven Stars wasn't showing the rugby but, just around the corner, the Cornubia was. This is, again, a pub that typically does good but not particularly exciting beers. We got a couple of pints and found a seat from which to watch. We shared a few comments with the bloke next to us and, after the match, had quite a long local-based conversation with a couple of women. Once again, I remind myself that although I'm quite reserved and introverted, if I'm going to be sociable, it's much easier and more enjoyable in the pub,
Sunday was for quietly sloping somehwere with a fire (I was cold) so we arrived at the Naval Volunteer (The Vollie) and, again, this has been a place not without its irritations for us but it fit the bill perfectly. Reasonably quiet, a really good range of beer to choose from (cask a butnd keg), and altogether pleasant.
There will be more places to try whilst we're here. Some will be perfect, some may be having an off-day but I'm pretty sure most of them will be fun.
We're in Bristol for a few days, where we take the quality and choice of pubs and their beer largely for granted.
We arrived on Friday and we assumed that our local, at 5pm, would have enough room for us to have a couple of beers and something tasty to eat. Boy were we wrong!
Whether it was the local snow conditions meaning work kicked out early, or it being the 1st February so the Dryanuaries were gagging for beer, or the fact that the pub was showing the rugby...or maybe that it was just after payday...or all of it..I just don't know.
We hadn't seen the pub that busy since pre-Christmas. There was barely anywhere to stand, let alone sit, and the beer line up was fine but not as exciting as we were hoping for. We stood with our pints and chuntered at each other before giving ourselves a good talking-to. We knew that, being here for a few days, we'd easily be able to return and then we saw the positive in the upcoming beer list.
We kicked around a couple of possibilities, before settling on the Old Market Assembly (despite having been a little disappointed in it last time). It had their house beer and an Arbor beer on cask; we could find a little table on the balcony and we had their lovely pizzas. All in all, as good as an experience as we could wish for. Again, we resolved to remember that everyone can have an off-day and we should allow for it.
Saturday we fancied watching some rugby in a pub but thought the BM would be heaving again (and we wern't quite ready to be disappointed so soon). I had to pick up a parcel (I so love Amazon Locker...) so we headed in that direction and found ourselves near the Seven Stars. It's a weird old place and I think that the beer isn't as good since the old bar manager left and set up his own place, but it has character. Actually, since there was a punk festival next door in the Fleece there were many characters. The place was rammed to the gunwhales with "original" punks....that's to say people who could have been punks when punk was first a thing. That is to say...people rather like us...but with plaid, mohicans and leather jackets. It was brilliant! Most of them in the pub were drinking Real Ale and the atmosphere was jolly. We shared a table with some other folk and bought a local punk-scene CD from them (£2, bargain). The beer was fine, rather than great, but the whole experience was fab.
The Seven Stars wasn't showing the rugby but, just around the corner, the Cornubia was. This is, again, a pub that typically does good but not particularly exciting beers. We got a couple of pints and found a seat from which to watch. We shared a few comments with the bloke next to us and, after the match, had quite a long local-based conversation with a couple of women. Once again, I remind myself that although I'm quite reserved and introverted, if I'm going to be sociable, it's much easier and more enjoyable in the pub,
Sunday was for quietly sloping somehwere with a fire (I was cold) so we arrived at the Naval Volunteer (The Vollie) and, again, this has been a place not without its irritations for us but it fit the bill perfectly. Reasonably quiet, a really good range of beer to choose from (cask a butnd keg), and altogether pleasant.
There will be more places to try whilst we're here. Some will be perfect, some may be having an off-day but I'm pretty sure most of them will be fun.
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