Friday gone saw the start of the 2017 Sunderland International Airshow. Another event , timed to coincide, was the reopening of the Smugglers pub on Roker Beach. Now called Grannie Annie's , we called at the very start of the Airshow. Confronted by 3 Maxim Hand-pulls ( Swedish Blonde, Double Maxim and Lambtons), I opted for Double Maxim, which was served to me in a plastic glass.
Fair enough if I was going to sit outside , but we stayed indoors and weren't offered a choice. I suspect it was for staff convenience with the anticipated rush later. ( we had a look in on the way to see the fireworks later and the place was rammed !!)
Anyhow, this got me thinking about plastic glasses. Somehow the beer doesn't taste the same and seems to warm up quicker. I can see the need at say a pop festival or at a public outdoor area with a hard surface.
Speaking of which ( finally - ed) about 5 years ago a group of us went on a pub crawl in Richmond ( Yorks). While having breakfast in the town' s Wetherspoons, a couple of bearded individuals sidled over with some leaflets.
Fancy calling to the Market Hall for our local CAMRA beer festival lads, it starts in an hour?
We promised we would so after breakfast and doing a couple of pubs, we headed for the market hall. Now when we do these trips, one of our group brings a quiz. Comprising several sheets of paper , its contained in a see through plastic wallet with a zip.
The hall had a cobbled stone floor, so the beer was served in plastic glasses. One of our lot just growled and muttered to himself throughout, glowering at his glass. In the corner of the hall was the gents, and just outside the door, was another door at right angles. This door was open and behind it was a shelf. Bamber Gasgoigne, clutching his plastic wallet, headed to the loo. Seeing the shelf , he put his questions on it and went in the loo.
I didnt see what happened next, but he came out of the gents and turned towards the open door to retrieve his quiz questions. Except the door wasn't open anymore...it was locked !. In the time taken for him to relieve himself, someone had walked over, shut the door , locked it and buggered off.
Well the rest of us were pissing ourselves. Fearing his life work was lost, Magnus Magnussun frantically dashed up the CAMRA bar and asked if they could contact whoever had locked the door. Luckily, the guy had a mobile and so he returned to much fanfare and applause about 20 minutes later.
Typing this Ive just remembered something. The pub we visited before the festival was the Bishop Blaize. Sitting in the pub garden I said. I believe Richmond Castle is near the town centre.
You mean that tall tower behind you ?, the rest pointed out.
Stupid boy !
