We were going to go to Unwins so that we could try a game they have (Arboretum). Sadly, we arrived to find it closed.
Because rain threatened, we went to the BM instead. It was about 5pm when we arrived and, what appeared to be a bunch of teachers had taken up residence in the Best Corner. No matter.
A slight misjudgement by the chap on the bar led to one of our pints very nearly hitting the deck, but for the reflexes of the BBB catching it (left-handed, he wanted to make clear) as it tipped off the bar.
It spilled about a quarter of the beer on the BBB's jumper and the floor. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry" said the lad and, indeed, he did appear mortified.
I grabbed some roll wipe I could see on the bar to mop the BBB down and the lad returned with a full roll. He apologised another 12 or 13 times, and topped the beer up. We assured him that no harm was done and that it could happen to anyone, etc, etc.
We genuinely felt it too.
We enjoyed our first pints and nattered about nothing much.
The group on the adjacent table were a bit noisy and the BBBs ears are playing up at the moment but he didn't let the noise bother him.
People came and went and the pub was still pretty busy at 6pm.
A slightly awkward looking couple came in and looked a bit horrified at the busyness of the place. They looked at the other half of the table we were sitting at...and tentatively started to ask if they could sit. We waved them in.
After a while the teachers left and so the couple jumped ship to the corner. He returned to reassure us it wasn't us that they were moving from - but rather the noisier other table. We smiled, as you do.
When he went to get another drink he came over again - "is there an event or something?, it's really busy". Turns out they'd just moved in locally and were sussing out the area. I got the distinct feeling that he wasn't that comfortable and was, somehow, disappointed in the Barley Mow - it was the slightly non favourable comparison with the Old Fishmarket, I think. He said that his wife really liked ESB so the BBB urged him to try the ESB-like beer on the bar.
We felt the need to go into bat to promote all the lovely local places, but when all's said and done, these folk will find places that suit their needs and, like as not, their needs won't be the same as ours.
I mused on the fact that the day we arrived for this trip I was totally a recipient of the BM's care and, for want of a better word, support.
Today, now I'm a little bit less stressed I hope what we did was gave a little bit back.
