The house that is a pub
I remember in the deep dark distant past when I dwelt upon the estate there was one bungalow along Hartburn Walk that we greatly admired, known to us as'the house that is a pub'
Whoever was the tenant/owner had turned the big front room into a lovely pub, with a proper bar complete with stools, optics, jukebox etc. Every night when returning from the Peacock Pub, which was our favourite at the time, we would always ritually peep enviously through the gaps in the fence to see the house that is a pub full of blokes drinking and having a great time, circumnavigating the horrible drinking laws of the time which forbid drinking after 10:30. Then we would return home and turn on the telly, the only choice being to watch some horrible simpering priest give a 10 minute sermon followed by the equally horrible sycophantic national anthem. Then on would come an image of a scary clown playing noughts and crosses with a little kid with a horrible WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!! endless howling sound to wake up any slumbering drunking vecks(like me) forcing them to rouse from the couch and give the telly the off(no remote control in them days) unt itty off to bed in preparation for horrible rabbiting(grafting) the next day. But I digress:the bar looked a bit like this one here. Wonder if it is still the same?...
My dad had a Bar in our split level, he bought it from Binns I believe, G Plan and all that.
ReplyDeleteThere was a lady from the flats at right angles to the bungalows (that looked out onto the KBPS playground) who used to buy a Pint of Sherry every day, Goldfinch Wines used to sell it draft. I don't recall if she had the sweet or the dry though.
My Dad had a bar too for a while. Cocktail makers, toothpicks, cans of Party Seven...great stuff. It was a small affair with white padded front - real retro stuff.
ReplyDeleteShades, I do believe that lady was called 'Madge'...was she quite posh-Not a half tongued geordie? Think she lived up on the top floor...she may have even used a cigarette holder when she smoked...
ReplyDeleteMensforth, yes the Lady that bought the Sherry was rather well spoken, at least she was at lunchtimes when she came in the shop. She probably slurred her words later in the day!
ReplyDeleteI remember her - real cut glass accent and always full make up, fur coat - the business. A real old Duchess I am sure....
ReplyDeleteI don't actually remember her as stuck-up, although she did dress smartly.
ReplyDeleteWhen i say she was 'posh' I doid not at all mean to suggest 'stuck up' in that I mean for us on kenton bar estate her voice was very different from the half tongued geordie...'stuck up' suggests an attitude problem based on class...this was not so, and I did not mean to suggest this :)
ReplyDeleteI liked her, me liking those who liked to drink!
That would be Mabs! A character never to be forgotten! I once made the huge mistake of having her to babysit for me but paying her before we went out. I came home to find that said babysitting fee had already been spent on the draught sherry from the offy and Mabs had polished the lot off and lay snoozing on the sofa.Thankfully my son was safely asleep and the mistake was never repeated. But she was certainly a character and i loved her dearly. She eventually did a flit and went to live with her daughter in Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteHey Yvonne, did you live with Yolane in the bungalows on Studdon?...if so I remember you very well!I thought you and Yolane were lush...grrrr..
ReplyDeleteDid you had a dog called Bob?...
thank you for the brilliant golden piece of jigsaw re the original name of Studdon Walk!
best wishes mensforth
Mensforth, yes the Lady that bought the Sherry was rather well spoken, at least she was at lunchtimes when she came in the shop. She probably slurred her words later in the day!
ReplyDelete