A ferry across the Mersey

We decided to start our Friday tour of the People’s Republic of Wirral by crossing the River Mersey. We’d found an all-day travel ticket for just £5; though we had to journey from the ferry dock to the rail station and back again on order to purchase it, and then question the ferry staff to make sure that we were queuing for the right boat. And as an added bonus, our ferry was a tourist ferry so we got live commentary during our crossing; though it did mean that we couldn’t take the most direct route. We got told about the river’s history as well as its modern-day usage. It was quite windy out on deck but we each had a hat to cover ourselves, though I had to wait until we were halfway to the second stop before the coffee shop opened; at which point I found myself abandoning the idea. But it was a very novel way to see the city’s skyline; especially with The Beatles playing in between stops.

Crammed

I’m sitting like a sardine on a train heading back to Birmingham. I have only a window on my left and a wall in front of me. Earlier in the station I struggled to get a seat or find anywhere to stand while I waited for my train to be called. But as the platforms were announced and the masses headed off onto their trains, I was delighted to see that they weren’t heading for the same platform as me. I headed straight for the end of the train and found a seat easily behind the door with a smidge of legroom for my bag. It was only five minutes before departure that the train suddenly began to fill up quite quickly. Now there’s an excess in body heat with no windows to cool us down. the air conditioning is either faulty or is struggling to cope with the number of people on board. People are being friendly and are even giving up their seats in the hope of standing up to stretch their muscles. The conductor has even decommissioned and refunded the first class section in order to make space. But the biggest draw of hope is when we pull into a station and the doors open. No-one gets off, meaning that we have to wait and hope again at the next station.  

How to Publish Your Own Book by Vernon Coleman

How to Publish Your Own Book by Vernon Coleman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Coleman’s handbook starts off with practical and impartial advice. He’s clearly had a lot of experience in dealing with both publishers and customers and his goal is to keep potential authors as independent as possible in order to maximise their revenue. But this is a guide which has been rushed through in order to make a quick buck with little thought to its structure. A lot of the ideas in the first chapter is duplicated throughout the rest of the book; repeating his opinions alongside his advice. He also seems to pay extortionate prices for his printing and stationary; and seems to lack the ability to shop around. The other aspect of his work that he fails to look into is the internet; though Amazon was still in its early stages when Coleman published his guide. For example; he only discusses copyright and libel issues after the book has been sent to the printer; by which time it is too late to change anything. He is also belittling with the advice that he provides; explaining how profits and percentages work.
Towards the end he gets very cynical about some of the organisations that he has had to deal with which quite frankly bored the pants off of me. Upon his conclusion (which doesn’t include any summing up or goodwill to the reader), his cynical manner becomes apparent again in the glossary section. However, what Coleman does do well is market some of his other titles – I’m particularly interested in Alice’s Diary. But I’m glad that I didn’t buy this book otherwise he would have received a letter with suggestions for improvements in his next edition and request for him to return my money.


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On the line

I’ve just had a gripping experience waiting in a queue for the gents. It’s not something that we chaps often do, but when you know it’s coming out of the rear end you’ve got no choice. So there you stand, listening to other people tooting their rear horn behind closed doors; while the urinal users behind you come and go; all in the knowledge of what you’re about to do. And when it gets messy, you just have to put up with it. There’s no real hope of being totally clean until you get home, as the sinks are all out there next to the urinals. You also have to consider the flush; for those waiting outside it’s a glimmer of hope that you’ll soon be leaving your cubicle; yet there’s the task of buttoning up afterwards. And if there’s people waiting before you in line, you know that the older and bigger they are; the longer they’ll take. 

The Royal Liver Building

The Royal Liver building is one of the most iconic landmarks of Liverpool. It’s not hard to see why; it’s often been compared to New York’s Empire State and Chrysler buildings; and has even been featured in films requiring a metropolitan setting without a specific location because of the lower cost in filming. And the added benefit of being next to the River Mersey makes it even more dramatic. It’s fully detailed with gargoyles perching on every corner; and it even has its own clock face. Its winged horse on its upper dome has had to be chained down in recent years because of high winds, but the building also has four lower domes on each corner which certainly sets its design apart from other iconic buildings. At present it’s owned by a finance company who assures the welfare of local people and the view up there must be amazing. It also means that when it comes to recruiting; this company must have the crème-de-la-crème of the city as they can select only the best people to treat them to astonishing views from their workplace.

A Bengo Placard Holder Ventures Outside the Booth

Dear Boss,

I’ve had a fantastic day out since I’ve been kidnapped when you dumped your food on top of me without a second thought. Well, I got caught in someone’s paper bag, and I have to say that it’s good to get out of the office. It’s true that I spent most of it in darkness; but in the glimpses when the bag did open up, it was great to hear different sounds and smell different aromas. It was great to hear conversations other than people’s coffee orders for a change. I’ve heard hollow corridors, live music, sirens and even snoring. And the wind; the rustling of the wind going by; it was absolutely beautiful. It was chilling yet comforting at the same time. It was also a lot more powerful than the steam that gets squirted into people’s coffee cups. And now that I’ve been returned to my fellow placard holders, I want more. I always want to travel. So from today; I’ll always be up early jostling for that same spot. Who knows, it may even give me a future career in holding different placards.  

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

What starts as a slow moving tale of two different livelihoods soon starts to unravel; much like Mrs. Defarge’s knitting. It's a shame that we don't get to learn much about the British spies; Dickens always keeps these characters in the dark until they're ready to interact with his main characters. However, the chief clerks of Tellson’s Bank are spies in themselves and you'll seldom see modern day bankers acting in the same way. But it does portray the idea that people have to work through the night just like spies to get things done; using sunlight as a vice to suggest that everything must stop as the activities of the revolutionaries are resuming and so they must retire themselves to hide away their secrets. It does touch briefly on the revolutionaries of France through a village tale; but of the unfortunates who are sent to the guillotine, they remain nameless. Is there too mistrust in these revolutionary times for Dickens to indulge us in revealing some of these mysteries?

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World of Robots

Ben sighed. It was the fifth day of the robot riots; and he'd been called out again to fix the same machine. It had malfunctioned twice in the last three days and had been vandalised for the last three nights running. He'd suggested that a crew of guards should have been kept on site but the company said that they didn't have the resources available. Today though; the company were losing even more money and wanted him to remain on-site before it was done. Once he'd seen photos of the latest damage estimates and had calculated the amount of time that it would take; he'd have to request a full security crew to ensure that his safety was ensured. The company said that they'd have to check who was available; but he really knew that they were checking the union regulations and how they could achieve it at the lowest possible cost. In the end they accepted with the condition that he was report to the company's engineering division at 4am so that they could escort him to the site   It was now 4:25 am and still no escort had arrived. He’d called his support team but of course the switchboard was closed.  

Orkney Norseman at The Welkin, Liverpool

The Norse are known for their Scandinavian fighting spirit; their passion for pillage and plunder; and longboats and hand axes. But who brew the beer for these feisty Vikings? Because the fighters were often away trying to fight their way into Valhalla, it was the simple vintage folk that were left behind that became the Norsemen, who brewed, farmed and traded to keep the village in check. These humble folk of the fjords may have been retired or injured fighters, or those who were simply inadequate at leading a pillage; but had other skills to offer the community. It would have been these people riding on horseback to other villages to other villages under the Viking’s protection; negating trade deals until the fighters weren’t satisfied with the goods produced and went raiding as a means to get their money back on any faulty produce. So spare a thought for these hard-working village folk who watched all their hard work torn to shreds which their fighters returned announcing they’ve just pillaged the village who brews their beer.

My Vision

Well, it’s certainly not going to be with this company. They’ve lost the plot. New owners; strange hours; and all the regular hours seems to go to anyone new who joins the company. There’s no development for me here; especially with the hours that I do. So where next? I really need to get my writing career off the ground. And to do that, I have to keep pushing myself; something that I’m really struggling to do at the moment. There’s no goal in sight. So what I’m now going to is plan my life a bit more. Really give myself a rewarding target to work to. That way, I know that however bad things look; I’ve got something to motivate me and keep me going. And it’ll also keep me on track; as I know I’ll have to make sure that there’s time for me to do these leisure activities.

Caledonian First Dawn at the Richmond Hotel, Liverpool

Not much remains of the Richmond Hotel. The redevelopment of the shopping area has stripped all of its surroundings into chain stores; and the only thing that remains is a bar which has tried to blend in with its surroundings while at the same time creating European café-styled outside seating. It was originally owned by Bass and still has rooms for rent; though you wouldn’t know unless you looked on-line. Inside, the pub is quite small; with a long bar dominating the room and a large seating area at the end facing the corner. Large wall-mounted TV screens dominate each end of the pub; so it’s definitely a communal venue and not one for a quiet or private drink unless the pub itself is empty. The beer selection wasn’t great considering it was a CAMRA Good Beer Guide pub, but the beer we tried was fresh enough. However, it now looks as if it’s lost its listing. 

Large or Small?

It’s a difficult choice. Large or small? Will a small be enough? Will a large be too expensive? Or is it a marketing ploy in order to get you to spend more money; as the man looks at you gloatingly?  How hungry are you? Why can’t there be a regular option? Some places have a medium option at least, but for those who don’t; it doesn’t leave you with much choice. Is it possible to see a small size and a large size next to each other? Well, they can show you the box. But sometimes a large is just an extra handful of food cramped inside; making the carton overflow. My friend once got into an argument with a café when he ordered a large tea and I ordered a regular; and we both got the same sized mugs. I’m not sure what size we actually received, but I think he got a whole ten pence back.

All along the Watchtower

Over the city skyline is a giant tower, which was perfect to help a friend navigate his way to us. At night, it was lit up like a UFO; and the streetlight that I was under when I took the picture made it seem like a second craft was just arriving. My friend arrived late to our pub crawl tour, and was on the phone trying to find the pub that we were in. He’d got a rough idea of whereabouts it was; but we were in a pedestrianised area which was something that his map didn’t show. When verbal directions failed; I popped outside to see if I could find him or find some local landmarks to help him find his way.

‘Can you see a giant tower with the words Liverpool FM anywhere?’

‘I’m right underneath it.’

‘Perfect. Turn to your left. Hello!’

And there he was, as if he’d just beamed down to us. Never has a giant tower been more useful. It’s a shame that we didn’t have the time to climb the tower; and so another visit to Liverpool must be organised in the very near future.

Pub Tramps

A common haunt of town centre pubs are the typical pub tramps. If it’s a quiet night, you can guarantee they’ll be there chatting up the younger barmaids desperate for their custom or counting out their pennies for their next pint. Occasionally, they may be spotted outside smoking a roll-up or sobering up with some fresh air. Always wearing the same clothes; what they do during the day is an absolutely mystery; though they’re probably out earning their beer money. Their drink of choice is the highest strength pint at the lowest possible price; with a chaser to match if it’s been a good day or some kind sod has offered to buy them a drink. If you’re a regular; they’ll instantly give you a friendly nod at the bar in recognition in the hope that you’ll oblige them; or start moaning about the happenings of today. Occasionally they’ll often enter into full conversation with people you know when you arrive; forcing you to acknowledge their existence and recognise them.  And being locals themselves; they can often gain power over you through knowing the bar staff. But when they’re in there every day, you just have to wonder if they’ve ever managed to set foot outside of the town?  

Southport Soundgrounder at The Welkin, Liverpool

Many people would cringe at the mere idea of visiting a Wetherspoons pub in a city with so many

great venues nearby. But for our needs, it was ideal to pop in and get a good value meal and a Cask Marque scan at the same time. While this Wetherspoons wasn’t particularly pleasing in its architectural design; the pub had done enough of its homework to link the venue with a historical connection; in this case the father of English Astronomy. Jerenich Horrocks was a native son of Liverpool and the Wrekin is an Old English word for sky. While the food wasn’t served in as quick a manner as we would have hoped; the curry was still of good quality. However, many people were waiting around eyeing up other tables; and the busy pub quickly became full of diners trying to work out who ordered before who and whether the service was being fulfilled in the right order. Although we had a wait; I felt that we were relatively in sync compared to some of the customers before us. But as we left; the waiting area was full of plated meals under heat lamps; and a small crowd had begun to gather. We did actually return to the same pub on the same night; but only so that a friend who had just joined us could grab something to eat. Luckily for him, there was a good beer selection…

Lost on the Rails

Jenny entered the station. She’d paid her fare, having worked out the necessary amount of quarters to pay the attendant. Now all she had to do was find the right platform. She’d saw a sign on her way in indicating that she had to look for the green one, but as soon as she’d walked through the turnstile she was lost on a giant square room. The words ‘Platform One’ flashed above her on a rolling sign in lettering above her head, while at the corner another sign flashed ‘Platform Two’ above her. The room was deserted; and it didn’t even feel like a proper train station as the track was the same level as the platform. It felt more like a kids ride at the theme park. There was a sign stating the words ‘Brooklyn Gardens’ for the sake of the people getting off, but what about the ones getting on? It was all a bit too much. 

Boggart Hole Clough Cascade at the Victoria Cross, Liverpool

‘Attention! Right, it’s been a very hard morning. It’s taken a long time to get those regimental drums mounted on the shelves, but we’ve finally done it. It’s all represented. And God only knows how we’ve managed to get the bottles up there as well as the bust of our queen, but it’s all ready. Now, the pub will be operated by a human. This means that during our duty, we must remain motionless for the next twelve hours. There may be time where we can break from cover for a quick breather but we must be prepared to spring back into position. So now’s the time to find a pose that you can be comfortable in. As soon as those lights come on; the long haul starts. The time for a bathroom break is now people, as we’re going deep undercover while in plain sight. And should any one of you maggots blow our cover, I’ll shove you off the shelf so hard that there’s no going back. Clear?’

‘Sir, yes Sir!’.

Getting away with it

Many people like to experiment with the idea of what they can get away with. It's often in our human nature to do the minimum; to pay the least, take the most and get someone else to do it at the least possible cost. But some people like to push the boundaries; whether it’s taking up the maximum amount of space in a crowded area for their own comfort; or choosing not to pay for our travel tickets until the conductor asks us for our fare. And of course, some people push it to the point where it becomes criminal. Taking that extra sausage at the buffet or leaving it for someone else to do. And that’s when other people begin to get annoyed. We’re all equal. Why are you getting away with it and why do I have to do it for you? And the major these days is that there’s less people who are willing to take the responsibility that the rules are being followed, opening them to further abuse.

Red Star Formby IPA at the Carnarvon Castle, Liverpool

The red star is not a popular symbol. Yellow stars are more common, granting wishes to children everywhere. The red star brings up images of communism such as that in China or the former U.S.S.R. So why a brewery? It seems that the brewery does have Eastern links; having managed to export its beer as far as Serbia. Perhaps it was a name to capitalise on a familiar name known throughout the railway industry for sending parcels. It’s ironic that the pub we found the beer in belongs to Heineken, a company that also associates itself with the red star. Perhaps the image is trying to encourage people to come together and share their experiences over their beer as fellow comrades. Traditionally, the red represented the blood of the heroic might of the communist army; while the star displayed those who were of true patriotic value. Or perhaps it’s trying to start a kick-start a brewing revolution? It’s all been done before.

VicTim

Vicky is a young secretary who’s just managed to join the typing pool. It's hard word; but it's a job, and it’s allowed her to move out of her parents houses do into since posh flat on her own. Independent and single, she hits the wine bars with her friends now that she's got some money coming in. But after a particularly hard night of partying; she ends up assaulting her taxi driver as he's stealing the jobs of the British. When she's sentenced by the police she's given a choice: either two months in prison or 300 hours of community service. Then the bills hit home; and she realise that if she goes to prison she'll lose her job and the flat; so she'll spend forever losing her party privileges in order to fulfil her sentence. While commuting on the tube one day, she sees an ad to make some extra cash by becoming a foster parent. If she could adopt a teenager she'd get some money off the government and the school would take care of the kid in the weekday. So she'd be able to help out five nights a week leaving 48 hours to wing it…

Thwaites Wainwright at the William Gladstone, Liverpool

This was a good beer from a bland pub, and in all honesty, we were only here to scan the Cask Marque certificate. Even though it was in good nick, a quick look round the pub showed that the beer was only there as part of a portfolio of some marketing guy’s idea of what a pub should be. We could also tell by the volume of the music and the amount of plates left on the tables. We hovered on the bar just long enough to finish our drinks, and it was literally in at one end and out of the other, since you could actually walk through this pub from one street to the other. There were fake chalkboards advertising drink deals and live sport; but there was nothing that made it stand out as a particularly special pub. Even its website only advertises it as a meeting point to start a night out rather than somewhere to spend the entire evening. It was a very forgettable experience. 

Agents of Tellson's

‘Cruncher!’

‘Yes Sir?’

‘I need you in here now.’

‘What the Dickens’ mouthed Cruncher as he grabbed the screen of his laptop. He’d only been late by five minutes because of talking to the new receptionist. Young and athletic with a nice pair of legs; she was just like one of his ‘working girls’. However, as he walked down the corridor to Mr. Tellson’s office, he had a horrible feeling that his chance to ask her out for the evening was slowly slipping away.

‘Take a seat Cruncher, some urgent news has just come in. I know we've been promising you some extended leave but that’ have to wait. One of our FTSE companies has just announced plans to merge; and we just can't allow that to happen. The bank stands to lose a fair share of its assets; so we need this company to remain independent. We need to convince their board of directors that they're doing the wrong thing; and bring in some puppets to replace their players. We're not yet ready to lose this account.  

What's Inn a Name?

There are over 500 pubs that go by the name of the Red Lion, but did you ever think how these pubs got their name? Lions aren’t often part of our native wildlife; so why would someone name a pub after it? In this series we look at the meaning of pub names.

Pubs were traditionally named after their inn signs; which were brought to Britain by the Romans. Pubs, or tabernas as our Italian friends called them; would use a piece of greenery (relating to hops) tied to a pole. The sign was actually called an alestake or a bush, which suggests that The Bush Inn could be one of the oldest pub names out there. Sometimes a chequers board was used to show that in addition to a pint, a games of chess or draughts could be played there.

As time went on, the population increased, and so did the number of taverns and inns (unlike today!). As most of the population couldn’t read or write; businesses often used pictures to advertise their wares. Landlords would try to attract customers with the best signs, and name the pub after it. Then in 1393, King Richard II declared “whosoever shall brew ale [in London} with the intention of selling it must hang out a sign; otherwise he shall forfeit his ale”. Sounds like a great way to drink for free if you’re a King! 

So what of the Red Lion? It can be traced to a heraldic symbol back in the fourteenth century; belonging to John of Gaunt, Earl of Lancaster. Gaunt was the fourth son of Edward III and used his influence of the throne to claim large amounts of land; a Landlord in his own right. This made him England’s richest man; but it also made him very unpopular as he used his political power to increase taxation and introduce England’s first poll tax. His heraldic symbol was used to indicate his property or allegiance to his cause.   

 Some sources suggest that the Red Lion came from King James in his transition from James VI on the Scottish throne to James I when he became King of England and Ireland as well as ruling Scotland. In the early 17th century, James made a royal decree similar to King Richard II above, but this was to demonstrate those who were loyal to him since many people were not comfortable with the idea of one king ruling all sovereigns. The red lion was also James’s heraldic symbol and he asked that this was placed in all public buildings to show their allegiance to the throne.

 So there you go. Two possible theories out there, each linked to royalty. If there’s a third one that you know about, do get in touch.

 If you are interested in pub history, you may be interested in joining the Inn Sign Society. The group brings together those who have a common interest in pub signs; and has established written and pictorial archives for its members. For more information, visit www.innsignsociety.com

Brakspeare Bitter at the Church Street Townhouse; Stratford upon Avon

I was quite nervous about visiting the Church Street Townhouse. I saw it as quite an upmarket hotel, so it was definitely somewhere to dress to impress rather than somewhere you call in after work. Last time I walked past, the first thing I saw was tables laid out for food. But I needn't have worried. The bar was quite small but modern. The few tables that were there were all occupied but there were empty barstools. I opted for Wychwood’s latest beer; Hoptathalon; but my first taste was very sour. A quick sniff smelled hints of vinegar; and this being my only pint of the weekend, I decided to take it back. The other beer on offer was Brakspeare Bitter; and bitter it was indeed. As I got halfway through my pint a band struck up; and they played extremely well. It's a shame that the beer wasn't good; otherwise I would have stayed for a second pint. 

New Pubs Code comes into Play

The government has launched the Pubs Code, a new set of legislation in England and Wales which ensures fair and lawful dealings between tied pub tenants and large pub companies.

Licensees that are tied to their pub companies could only buy their supplies through the pub company; a practice which has greatly harmed the pub sector; affecting pub prices and the livelihood of hard-working licensees. The new guidelines allow licensees to trigger a ‘Market Rent Only’ option (MRO); which will allow them to buy their products on the open market rather than the pub company. This process can be triggered during the tenant’s rent assessment (which must take place no more than every five years); an increase in cost of their current supplies; or an event which has an effect on the trading conditions of the pub. In addition to this, a Pubs Code Adjudicator has been appointed by the government which pubs tenants can apply to if disputes occur between licensees and their pub company.

This news is welcomed by CAMRA; who have campaigned for many years to give tied licensees a fair deal. However, the British Pub Confederation; which represents the majority of tied pub tenants; has called for the Pubs Code Adjudicator to be replaced following a conflict of interest. Paul Newby who took up the role in May has been cited as a shareholder of Fleurets; a company that specialises in leasing Hotel, Pub and Leisure properties. 

McDonalds Misfits #mcdonaldsmutterings1

I'm in the misfits McDonald's in Banbury. It's not as nice as the one nearer the motorway; but it's rush hour and there's a huge queue of people trying to get to work on time. Here, there are no self-serve kiosks so you have to order at the counter; which only has enough for three people and it makes matters even worse when only one person is serving. The cross-eyed server just stares at me as if I'm in the way; then brushes me aside without even a thank you or goodbye so that she can talk to her friend behind me. It’s also busier here; the place is full of builders and the drive-thru can't seem to cope as orders are being taken outside to cars. The Gateway Retail Park has more spacious seating; better looking staff; and its customers tend to be businessmen crawling off the motorway. It's such a shame that you have to queue to get there. And I also have to park further away when I'm using the misfits one. 

Liverpool Organic 24 Carat Gold at the Cavern Pub, Liverpool

I was quite proud to be able to visit the Cavern Pub; a former tribute pub to The Beatles. The actual club is just over the road; but there was a gig on and they were charging on the door. I might have been interested if it was someone I'd heard of; but we were pub crawling and this was the next best thing; a swift half of Liverpool Organic’s 24 Carat Gold- at least the beer was local. I had my mugshot taken in front of Ringo’s drums; then did what everyone else was doing; wandering around looking at the portraits on the walls of the celebrities who’ve done the same thing; only they were permitted to sit at the drums. But I think it's embarrassing to let Ant & Dec have a go; especially since they can't actually play any instruments. Screens everywhere were playing videos of the Fab Four when they were live in the club and the queues to get in outside; alongside ticket stubs framed for prosperity. I should have bought some of the memorabilia on sale; but I didn't see any key rings. At least; I don't remember seeing any key rings.  

Pint Taken Autumn EditoriAle

Phew, what a scorcher! This year’s summer was the hottest ever recorded; and many of us have taken advantage of the warm weather to squeeze in an extra holiday and cool off elsewhere; which is why this season’s issue is a few weeks later than usual. Don’t worry though; there’s plenty of relevant material inside…

This season’s cover pub is the Coach and Horses, found in Harvington near Evesham. It’s the 2016 Worcestershire County CAMRA Pub of the Year, and our sincere congratulations must go to Steve and Di for running this fantastic countryside community pub. We’re thoroughly looking forward to having a celebratory pint with them, and we hope you can too.

Autumn is best known for its hop harvesting; and many brewers rush to get these newly grown buds into their beers to create exciting flavours in their green-hopped beers while the oils are still fresh. And let’s not forget Oktoberfest; where pubs and breweries across the globe all pay tribute to the world’s biggest beer festival in Munich. Wunderbar!

Ali Fitton checks out the Weatheroak Taphouse

Weatheroak Ales are proud to announce their latest outlet; The Weatheroak Taphouse in Studley! Brewers Dave and Toby Smith have been busy converting a former wedding shop on Studley High Street into the village’s first micropub; which has allowed them to downsize and move over from the Victoria Works. The result is just what they wanted; a micropub which allows them to sell their own beers in a great pub atmosphere. Up to five ales are available from the nearby Weatheroak Brewery; alongside a guest ale which is usually from the Warwickshire area. The pub also sells a Kolsch-styled keg lager from the Wye Valley brewery named 1985; which was launched this summer. Customers are welcome to bring their own food; and there’s no shortage of takeaways in Studley! The pub is perfect for a pint and quiet conversation; and Dave says that the Weatheroak Taphouse has been very popular with the locals.

You haven't got 'it'

There's a new advert on the radio for a loan shark company. The advert mocks a well-established television advert that uses music to promote a different product by inventing a character to sing the same song an irritable high-pitched tone. The narrator gives up halfway through and decides on a different approach. So what the loan company have effectively created is a hatred for the original product as well as an annoying advert to promote their business. Have they thought this through? The original product is so well established that it's subliminal messaging within the radio advert rather than to turn people's thoughts to a loan shark company with a huge repayment rate. If the narrator gives up on the original idea; then surely the listener is compelled to do the same? And just how desperate are people to turn to these companies? Surely these rates are only going to make them even more in debt? It's just fuel for the stupid.

George Wright Yellow Submarine at the White Star, Liverpool

This beautiful pub is in the heart of the city and is well preserved. Its tiled exterior is clean and crack-free, and shines out from the rest of the shopping precinct as a beacon among those weary for a pint. Inside, its interior is full of historical features; demonstrating that it’s stood the test of time against the shops around it. It’s tastefully decorated with White Star memorabilia, and is practically a living museum to the Titanic. The beer is beautiful; I tried George Wright’s Yellow Submarine; a pale ale with a zesty lemon flavour. But there’s a bit of confusion where it’s brewed, the brewery’s logo is hard to make out; but if you zoom in it states the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company in Liverpool. I ask at the bar who the brewer is; but I should have asked which brewery produces it; as I got a story about Matthew’s son who lives just down the road. But the answer that I think I was looking for was the George Wright Brewing Company. In truth, I’ll never know for sure if I’m right.