Bath Tec School

Steve a query, shouldn't the title have read "Pubs and their part in my falling down", sorry couldn't stop myself there.

 

My drinking days started in the Edinburgh Castle in Newark St, a short hop from the Central Youth club, (St.James Hall of fond memories, Weymouth House days), the Lamb and Lion was directly opposite but the landlady had our card marked. Later I progressed through most of the Widcombe pubs, The White Hart, Ring o' Bells, The Ram, Golden Fleece, Rossiters Royal Oak, but weekend evenings, (Friday to Sunday), usually started at the Stable Bar at the Berni Royal, then to the Parrot Bar via, the Huntsman, Christopher Hotel, the Cellar bar at the Oliver, and finally Fullers. Occasional excursions to the Saracens Head, the Bell and Hat and Feather and the Star on the Paragon reputedly the smallest pub in Bath. Sometimes diverted up Green St. to the Old Green Tree, the Hatchetts, the Full Moon and the Volunteer Rifleman.

 

There were other excursions but I'll come back to them, I'll probably need a drink or two to remember some of them.

 

Stu

Hi Lads,

 

My first hostelry was the Old Crown in Twerton High Street and then the Full Moon next to St. Michaels Church. Always handy for a swift snog if you were lucky. We also used to go to the Regency Ballroom on Sundays or if there was nothing we fancied the Stable Bar at the Oliver, where I used to drive everyone mad by playing Travelling Song by Pentangle on the juke box (remember them) Then it was the Christopher , the Parrot Bar and then a Chinese in Broad Street. Remember the Salamander just off Queens Square. I'm now thinking of ales gone by. Red Barrell, Starlight, Tankard. Courage Best, George's Home Brew, Coates Triple Vintage.

Ah, what memories. Not to mention Barley Wine !!!

 

Happy Days.

 

Rich

There ya go Rich! I'd forgotten the Salamander, Taj Mahal for the curry ? or The Four Seasons for a chinese ? hurl it later.

 ?

Ah Happy Daze Stu

Bottom of Broad Street.....The Saracens Head. Of course, if you didn't mind spit and sawdust there was always Broadleys Wine Vaults in the Sawclose !!! And.....much later, circa 1976 The Regency Bar in the Sawclose with Billy and his limp wristed mate!!! We did also use the Empire Bar, underneath the Empire Hotel but there was no atmosphere at all in there !!!

Now I see where I went wrong ....or right. I spent my money on wine, women and beer.............must have squandered the rest then !!!

 

Hic

 

Rich

Good morning

 

Drink does not seem to have affected your memories!! You are right Stu, fell down in most of these establishments but I was just paraphrasing Spike Milligan (not Milliken!!). I remember with fondness the hosteliries already mentioned.

 

I had three locals in my English drinking career, Belvoir, Rising Sun (Lymore Avenue) and the Victoria.  The Rising Sun had a brilliant Landlord by the name of Steve Barnes. Steve and his wife Lil used to keep the fantastic pub on Holloway called The Young Fox. Unfortunately the pub was demolished to make way for those lovely houses (I think not!). The Fox was a favourite of Burt and Roy Meddick as you may  remember Stu. I remember the Dug Out in Broadleas, now there was an education and for many years had a men only policy. Perfect. Although 'men only' there was a woman (nearly) behind the bar who drank pints of 'ginocide'.

 

Other pubs remembered are the River's Arms on Camden. I am still bewildered why it was called the River's Arms, could not be further from the river. The Landlord was a character called Stephen Stevens and the beer was served via  a doorway to the cellar staright out the barrel. Heaven!  Stephen left his Christmas lights and decorations up all year round because as he said by time he had taken them down it was time to put them up again!!

 

Anybody remember the Horse and Jockey and Seven Stars on Lower Borough Walls, now there were two pubs you were always guaranteed a punch-up!!

 

Saturday night after a home game consisted of "tea" in the Hat and Feathers, a walk into town and a few pints of Double Diamond or Worthington E with Lou the barman in the Empire Bars. Then a 'short walk' to The Grove or Policeman's rest as it was known. Then down to the Argyle Wine Vaults, the landlord had some lovely daughters. Then up to the Oliver cellar bar for a schooner of sherry and finally to the Parrot Bar in the hope you could find  a lady to take home (allegedly).

 

I am sure there are many more pubs to remember, we haven't mentioned the King William, Porter Butt, New Inn for instance.

 

Drink up lads

 

Cheers

 

Steve

 

 

Hi guys,

The Porter Butt .. well , I used to play the drums (once or twice) there .. getting plastered while in plaster with a broken leg .. can`t seem to remember like you guys all the pub names . could tell you the locations .. and prices at the pumps ( Ha Ha ) maybe .. all was a blur with me .. the only Pubs I can remember are the ones I started the night out with .. and the few that I woke up in in the mornings. Didn`t do many basement bars due to access problems and fear of falling down stairs .. The Hop Pole by Viccy park (desructor bridge) used to be a watering hole I can recall .. along the road is(was) the "Windsor Castle" (gas works bridge) .. I guess I like water with my beer Ha Ha ..  well got to open some free wine from next door .. Carole has been selling her services (with a sewing machine I might add) .. we shall see if it can cope with the sunshine without evaporating .. catch you soon .. hope you`re having a good time with the weather (Tony & Janice) in Blue Anchor Bay.  

What a cracking couple of days, took a BBQ down to Welcombe Mouth yesterday afternoon & evening, difficult place to find if you don't know where it is, if you don't know I'm not going to tell you, great scenery, nice beach, very limited parking certainly can't get either a coachbuilt or "A" class motorhome down there, took some cider Shirl drove home, lovely. Worked this morning, tres busy, ran about like a winged insect with painted rear, still life has its little compensations firstly the bottle of single malt from a satisfied customer, followed by a very shapley blond who peeled off her wet, wet suit in the car park, that stopped traffic I can tell you, I dribbled all down my white shirt, let it all hang out!

Pubs, I don't frequent too many myself now Bill, The Royal George in Appledore for an occasional Guiness and some sociable company, and the same for Lilico's in Barnstaple, which if your in the area does some very good mediterranean food and tapas.

Bath - never got out to the London Road very often, Filos occasionally and the Porter Butt once or twice, I'd forgotten Broadleys Rich, and I could never get a drink in the Regency Bar, if Bernie didn't fancy you that was it, I could stand at the bar all night it was like I didn't exist, always had to get someone else to but it for me. The Kings Arms in Monmouth St. now and again if one fancied foreign quarters. I did consume a few in the East Twerton as well, and in latter years The Hadley Arms in Combe Down on a Saturday night for a Red Stripe and a few games of pool, and if the Irish were in a bit of a Donnybrook, or perhaps the Ringer in Widcombe when it had been taken over by a couple of gay ladies, regular meeting place for the Deaf club, Bath members of the Motorcycle Action Group and assorted flotsam and jetsam, (in which catagorie I include myself), this one was also good for the occasional lock in. Sadly these days I get squiffy after a couple of pints or one bottle of wine, must be the pills the doc gave me, ah well.

Got to go and sit on my balcony and watch the sun sink slowly into the west now, have me one bottle of wine, well half a bottle anyway, somebody else'll drink the rest, and while I'm at it deepen the mahogany colour I'm slowly turning.

 

Toodle Pip, Stu

What a life you've got Stu !! Free whiskey, half naked birds or chicks or whatever they're called these days. BBQ, cider and the best bit, jogging our memories. I think we'll all escape the dreaded Althzeimers (sod the spelling ) if we keep this up.

It's been a lovely weekend here, wall to wall sun. Had a late afternoon walk around the harbourside and wondered if I 'm ready for Corfu on Monday week. I reckon I'll manage don't you. Hot, Hot, Hot !!!

Also it's nice to see Conroy with us!! I remember him but don't expect he'll remember me as I am a slightly younger oik !! I do hope our waffling won't drive you away, Conroy !! In fact please join in, we really do want to keep this site going so more waffling will do the trick.

 

Cheers all,

 

Rich

Agree with your sentiments entirely Rich, Corfu should be really nice this time of year, hot but not to dried out. One thing though she wasn't half naked, the lot came off, why do you think I dribbled.

I've been intrigued by our various choices of music, it's quite a revelation, there's a lot in common which means that anything unknown / unheard, might be worth a listen. Have you ever heard Alan Stivell, the Breton harper, quite an eclectic mix of traditional celtic music, rock, and occasionally dance.

Conroy, agree with your choice of The Flaming Lips, Yoshimi, the Soft Bulletin's a good one as well, but I suspect you know that, wasn't impressed by them live though.

Just checking out the malt Rich, Jura 40%, does what it says on the bottle.

 

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       s off in alcoholic daze!  Stu (I think).

Good morning

 

Glad to hear that you are all getting a bit of Spanish weather. You will be eating paella and drinking red wine soon. I will draw a veil over pubs but just to say I could have bored you with pubs of Bradford on Avon. I will mention the Dog and Fox and the Grapes in

B-O-A, both great pubs.

 

Rich, I have been to Corfu a couple of times. is it your first time? You are right when you say the temps should be building up. The best holiday in Corfu was when we stayed in Kasiopi (Something like that!!!). A little fishing village in the North with a lot of local atmosphere and beautiful scenery, a few bars as well!!!

 

Hi Stu, had your young lady been muff diving? Sorry. Do you get paid as well for this job? Naked women and whiskey and pay!

Westward Ho here we come.

 

Hope your weather continues, lovely here today again.

 

hasta leugo

 

Steve

you're right about the Lips, I saw them in Birmingham at the NIA a few years back, they only filled half the arena, which made the crowd feedback somewhat muted. The band tried hard, but the overall show was a bit flat.

Sorry somehow got off the pubs etc.

Conroy

Morning all,

No Steve, it's not my first time to Corfu. The first 2 visits years ago were to Sidari and then we discovered the very same place you mentioned, Kassiopi. Apart from one trip to Turkey (hygene was awful ) and one to Menorca ( too many Germans) we've stayed at Kassiopi ever since. It's ideal for us as you can have a noisy night at the bars or a quiet session down by the harbourside and take your pick of good eateries. We can only do one good holiday a year so we know we'll get what we want in Kassiopi.

Anybody see Zappa plays Zappa on Sky Arts 1 last week? I know it's drifting off pubs, but Dweezil Zappa played an absolutely blinding concert. I do have moments when I absolutely love Zappa although, as with all music, he can be an aquired taste.

 

Rich

 

PS Muff Diving ? It's a long time since I heared that expression......or managed it for that matter !!!