'GREYHOUND' RE-OPENS.

After being closed for a little over a week, the 'Greyhound' in Hinckley re-opened last night as a significantly improved hostelry.

 

While it remains up for sale, Marston's finally appear to have realised that no one was going to be interested in buying a dirty pub with undrinkable beer and frequented by alcoholics, drug addicts and criminals. Their answer to this conundrum has been to send the previous management packing and to bring in the tenant of a successful local house together with an experienced temporary manager. After a week of cleaning, including resolving such issues as filthy pipes and a glass washer clogged up with mould and filth, and getting rid of beer so old that it had separated in the barrel, the pub is now back in business and promises to be a much better place than it's been for quite some time. The undesirable element has gone and won't be returning.

 

Last night, customers were treated to friendly service and good beer, for the first time in a while. Long may it continue.

HINCKLEY 'GREYHOUND' CLOSING !?

After being up for sale since March, the 'Greyhound' in Hinckley is apparently about to be closed, at least for a short time. Exactly what's going on is not yet clear but it seems that Marston's, the owners, have finally had enough of the recent manager and sent her and her family packing. The word is that it will be closed from Wednesday but it's also rumoured that a replacement has been lined up so the doors may well re-open within a day or two.

 

This used to be a quite popular hostelry but has declined over the years, dramatically so in the last few months. The quality of the beer has been inconsistent to say the least and the overall ambience unappealing; there have even been reports of some less savoury customers snorting drugs from the tables in full public view and one former regular and barman is currently residing 'at Her Majesty's pleasure'. The pub is in a dire state of repair and desperately needs renovation, though the potential costs of this on top of the asking price of £265,000 (unchanged since March), when coupled with the lack of trade, seems to have deterred all potential purchasers.

 

What will happen to this very old pub is now anyone's guess but if anyone does come along and buy it, they're going to have a big job on their hands trying to restore it to former glories.

 

 

QUEEN'S HEAD - BEST PUB IN HINCKLEY, BY MILES !

The 'Queen's Head' in Hinckley is, without doubt, the best real pub in the town. While I've had occasional issues with it, what can't be denied is that it looks like and behaves like a proper English pub.

 

Having been voted the Hinckley and Bosworth CAMRA 'Pub of the Year' for 2013 it has much to live up to but it is doing so very well indeed. The regular turnaround of real ales is a great attraction while its support for the very recently established 'Elliswood Brewery' in the town has already caused excitement.

 

Phil and Dawn, plus Dawn's mum Shirley, do most of the work and the beer is always superb; it also comes from every corner of the country and is likely to satisfy all but the most pernickety of real ale buffs. If you're in the area, give it a try - you are unlikely to be disappointed.

SARAH MANSFIELD AT WILLEY

I recently spotted a review by someone who'd had a bad experience at the 'Sarah Mansfield' and I thought it would be only right to make some more positive comments.

 

I visited this pub, off the beaten track and in a minute village close to the A5 just north of Rugby, last week to meet some old friends whom I've known for many years. We meet every few months at the same place and have done so for quite some time. Although there have been several changes of management over this period and, it must be said, the odd glitch, what can't be faulted is the quality of the beer, food and general service.

 

Last week, I had a couple of pints of beautiful 'Abbot ale' and we enjoyed a couple of very nice rib eye steaks plus a well cooked and presented rainbow trout. The service was friendly and efficient, the beer and food very good. Since we were last there, there have been a few enhancements to the furnishings but this remains a quintessentially English village pub; it's a really good place to visit and highly recommended, at least by my friends and I.

ELLISWOOD BREWERY A BIG HIT AT 'QUEEN'S HEAD' IN HINCKLEY !

Last Thursday, Hinckley pub-goers were able to sample the first beer from a new brewery in the town for over 100 years. The "Elliswood" brewery has been founded by 2 step-brothers and their first brew was trialled at the Queen's Head on  Upper Bond Street from 5:00pm.

 

In the absence of the most active members of CAMRA, who had travelled to Rutland for a beer festival, there was little early competition to get a pint, though even arriving at 5:03 wasn't good enough to be first to the trough; I was only second. "Just One More" was aptly named as everyone who tried it had at least just one more; some of us managed to order just one more of "Just One More" several times !

 

"Just One More" is an amber beer, hoppy, bitter and very drinkable at 4.2%. It had apparently been planned to be 4.1% but the brew had other ideas; I don't think anyone argued about it, they just enjoyed the very nice ale. One of the brewers, Tracy Ellis, turned up to find out how his beer was being received and must have gone away very happy; the 9 gallon barrel was sold out by 8:15pm and many CAMRA members who rushed back from Rutland to try a sample were disappointed to miss out. I had told Phil, the landlord, that one barrel wouldn't be enough but .......... :-(

 

"Just One More" will. hopefully, be back on sale in the Queen's Head next Thursday and another brew, "Thirst in Line", is scheduled to be available at the Market Bosworth Rail Ale Festival between 26th and 28th July. Here's hoping the old liver holds out !

HINCKLEY "GREYHOUND" IN A SORRY STATE.

Oh dear, oh dear !

 

There was a time when the "Greyhound" in Hinckley was a pub worth drinking in but no more. Admittedly it's up for sale, Marston's having decided it's of insufficient value to them, but the current working arrangements are a complete mess. The manager comes and goes while anyone and everyone seems to wander in and out behind the bar; there have been sightings of one or two of these characters snorting cocaine from the tables and how the takings and stock are ever reconciled has to be a mystery. Last night, the place was very quiet, many former customers having already deserted it.

 

Last night, the manager was absent, then appeared for a few minutes before wandering off into town to 'get pissed'. The beer seemed to be of no interest with the Pedigree definitely not right; the Hobgoblin was  unavailable and then the bitter went too. Although the manager returned, though not to work, and a new barrel of bitter was connected, I opted for the Guinness as the most likely of the beers to  be drinkable and was even disappointed to realise that they only have the 'extra-cold' variety. Why so many drinks now have to be served in this freezing fashion is another mystery, as it prevents the drinker from actually tasting what's in their glass and is nothing but a stupid fad invented to screw more money out of the punter.

 

It's clear that the brewery has lost interest in this pub and is just waiting for some unsuspecting fool to cough up the asking price of £265,000; by the time this happens, I suspect the place may actually be closed due to lack of management, customers and beer. I don't think I'll be going there again.

THE 'RAILWAY' IS OPEN BUT ............................... .

As previously announced by the 'Steamin; Billy' brewery, the 'Railway' re-opened yesterday evening selling an assortment of hand-pumped beers plus a variety of continental lagers. So far, so good.

 

The works on the pub appear to be far from completed and, frankly, it looked a bit of a mess, though this view didn't seem to be shared by most of the others present; perhaps I'm being a bit unreasonable, but the decor seemed to me to be all over the place and much of the work which has been done seems to have been a bit pointless while more pressing matters seem to have been ignored. I really didn't like it very much.

 

Worse, while the beer prices were quite reasonable and even a bit lower than in other local pubs, the lagers began at £3:50 and progressed upwards from there - this seems to be extortionate, though there is a loyalty card available for £2 which does knock 30p off of the price of some, but not all of the drinks. There seemed to be a bit of confusion behind the bar about what to charge as well as I and my companion received different treatment for each round bought; no doubt this was a 'glitch' that will be resolved, but it was pretty annoying.

 

From the look and feel of things, this will no longer be a locals' pub but will attempt to cater for a very different trade. One wonders if that trade will materialise.

STEAMIN' BILLY : TROUBLE AT THORNTON.

Steamin' Billy, the brewery company that's taken over my local, 'The Railway Hotel' in Hinckley, seems to be having problems.

 

The manager of one of its current outlets, the 'Steam Trumpet' in the Leicestershire village of Thornton, has apparently had enough and walked out. I've heard, though this is only hearsay, that he considers the deal he was on to be a total waste of time and effort. The brewery has now placed a notice on its website advising customers that opening hours are restricted for an indefinite period of time and there will be no food.

 

For anyone who's interested, the turnover is reported to have been around £212,000 in wet sales and £116,000 in food; the brewery are asking for an initial investment of approaching £40,000 for stock, f & f and so on, and the annual rent is £28,500. Nothing else is mentioned though, if the previous tenant's comments have been correctly reported, one might imagine there may be a little more to it.

 

We await further developments.

HINCKLEY PUBS ATTRACT INTEREST.

Word has it that the two Marston's pubs currently up for sale in Hinckley have attracted the attention of another brewery, Everards, which has no presence in the town. While a transfer to another major brewey may not be the best possible outcome, it would, at least, provide a bit more variety in the Marston's dominated town. Of course, having taken a look, particularly at the 'Greyhound', they may well decide not to bother - in my own inexpert opinion, the asking price of £265,000 is far too much for a building which is in a very poor state of repair, both inside and out. The 'Prince of Wales', which is in far better condition, may be more to their liking though its position on the edge of the town could be an issue.

 

It's also rumoured that the landlady of 'The New Plough' has been taking a 'shuftie'; she's already licensee of the 'Prince' as well as of the 'Plough' and has, apparently, expressed a view that she could sort out the 'Greyhound's' issues for just a few thousand pounds. While I think she's way off the mark with this, she would turn it into a free house which would be no bad thing. However, if I was her, I'd forget the 'Greyhound' and go for the 'Prince' which would need far less work, if any, and for which the asking price is only £30,000 more.

 

With the 'Railway' set for a partial re-opening in a few days, a bit of competition would be good; all will no doubt become clear over the next few weeks and months.

'RAILWAY' IN HINCKLEY TO RE-OPEN 2ND MAY.

After having been closed unceremoniously and without warning at the beginning of March, my old regular haunt, The Railway Hotel in Hinckley, is said to be going to re-open on the evening of 2nd May. However, it seems that the much vaunted refurbishment of the property is far from complete and only part of the pub will be in use, with building works continuing until the end of May. Having originally indicated that the pub would close for 6 to 8 weeks for refurbishment, it's now set to re-open after some 9 weeks with only part of the works done; we will have to wait at least another 4 or 5 weeks for completion.

 

The re-opening will, reportedly, be a low key affair but it's unclear exactly what will be on sale. Beers and a cider on handpump have been mentioned but will there also be any lager ? What will be the opening hours and prices ? Basically, who knows ? The landlord is a relative of one of the owners of the 'Steamin' Billy' brewery and has been transported from another brewery house at Syston, while the brewery is still advertising for an assortment of staff for the pub.

 

I know that many members of 'CAMRA' are pretty excited about this venture but, as a simple pub regular, I find it all a little concerning. I fear that the brewery has taken on and promised more than it can deliver and it will be the old regulars who suffer, with shorter opening hours and higher prices on top of what will eventually be a 3 or 4 month hiatus 'to boot'. Only time will tell if my fears are justified.

THE "SARAH MANSFIELD" AT WILLEY

Every now and again I meet up with a couple of old friends for a meal and couple of drinks. We used to get together in the village of Wolvey but in recent times have used the 'Sarah Mansfield'. Although this pub has enjoyed several different landlords in the last few years, it's service has generally been good and we've enjoyed our visits.

 

Last night we met up for the first time in a few months and I arrived at the pub to find the car park almost full; given that it's a pub in a tiny village, I took this as a good sign. Inside, there'd been a degree of renovation with new furniture and a new menu and, as a free house, the beer was available in several varieties. The staff were, as usual, friendly and helpful.

 

We had a very pleasant evening chatting about things old and new, and putting the world to rights. The beer was excellent (I drank the 'Bass'; there was also 'Brain's' and 'Abbott') and the food very good to, though possible a little more expensive than it used to be. The pub was busy with an assortment of locals and others, something which many houses would be only too happy to see on a mid-week night. All-in all, a very nice pub with excellent service, beer and food.

 

For anyone looking to try this pub for themselves, it's left off of the A5 a little north of Rugby and passed the 'Magna Park' industrial development and roundabout You can also get to it by taking the 'Willey' turn-off at the roundabout followed by first right; both turnings are signposted and it's well worth a visit.

PUBS ARE FOR FRIENDLY ENJOYMENT, NOT MISERABLE IGNORANCE.

There are times when I despair of people.

 

Today, I went for a lunchtime drink at a local pub. Initially it was empty apart from myself and the barmaid. After a while, a group of blokes came in; a couple I knew and the rest were lads (I use the word advisedly as they were a bit old to be lads) from Newcastle who are working locally for a few weeks. Noisier it became but they were all friendly, as Geordies always are; in fact, I'd have to say that they were great company.

 

One or two other people came in including a bloke I've seen in a couple of pubs but who has to count as the most pig-ignorant man I've ever met. I've previously made efforts to greet him but without response. Today I made a comment about the recent reduction in alcohol duty and the resultant silly prices in some pubs; he listened and then walked off without comment. He made no attempt to chat and was his usual miserable self. A few minutes later, he returned to the bar, dumped his almost untouched pint down and with a "That's terrible !" walked out. He made no attempt to enter into any conversation and said nothing to the barmaid. What was 'terrible' wasn't explained and he didn't give the barmaid an opportunity to poor another pint. He just left in a huff.

 

To be fair, the beer wasn't at it's best but it wasn't terrible; it was drinkable.Was this unpleasant man trying to make a point ? Is he just a 'beer snob' ? Or is he just a 'snob', full stop ? Sadly, I see him rather too frequently though he never speaks. The barmaid told me that she had never heard him speak other than to order a pint; he never says please or thankyou.

 

Our pubs are full of all sorts of people, many of them engaging and friendly. Why do I, and others in my local area, have to suffer this snobbish, rude and ignorant man ?

HINCKLEY PUB OF THE YEAR : "THE QUEEN'S HEAD"

Last Wednesday, I attended one of my local pubs, 'The Queen's Head' in Hinckley, for its CAMRA 'Pub of the Year' presentation; this was only in relation to the Hinckley and Bosworth area but was, nonetheless, a well-deserved honour. The pub will now progress to the East Midland regional competition and from there 'Who knows ?'.

 

The evening was a noisy one. There must have been close to a hundred attendees and the bar rarely stopped serving; as always in recent times, the beer was varied and excellent. Dawn, the landlady, laid on a fine buffet which seemed too much but very little was left over. It was a great night and the landlord, Phil, surprised everyone by announcing that he planned on increasing his array of handpumps from four to six while also reducing his price to £2:50 a pint, for the night only, I must add.

 

If I have a complaint, it would be that many of the CAMRA members present were less than friendly. As a new member, I do know one or two of the local committee and I did manage to grab a few words with them; however, my attempts to engage in conversations with others rather tended to fall on stony ground. It seemed to me that they were more interested in congratulating themselves and in maintaining their own cliques than in welcoming new members, of whom there have apparently been many in recent months.

 

This was, to say the least, disappointing. It was, of course, a major event for the local branch and it may be that I chose a bad time, and event, at which to try to introduce myself. I will try again.

GREAT NIGHT AT THE QUEEN'S !

Last night saw an unusual event at the 'Queen's Head' on Upper Bond Street.

 

The landlord, Phil, is a fairly fanatical Spurs supporter and he'd arranged a private function involving a visit from an old Spurs' player, Graham Roberts. Graham played more than 200 games for the club between 1980 and 1986, participating in 2 victorious FA Cup Finals, including Ricky Villa's matches in 1981, as well as the 1984 UEFA Cup Final which Tottenham won on penalties; Graham scored in the second leg of the final and was one of the successful penalty takers for the club that night. After he left Tottenham, Graham moved to Rangers, Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion before ending his playing career in non-league football with Stevenage, Yeovil and Slough. In more recent years he's turned to management with a number of teams including both the Pakistan and Nepal national sides.

 

During the evening, Graham talked about the various aspects of his career and entertained the audience with many anecdotes, ranging from racy stories about his experiences in hotels to being followed by an armed man while in Pakistan in 2010; apparently, he was then staying at a location only a few yards from where Osama Bin Laden was 'holed up'. He proved to be a most amusing and amiable speaker and the event was a great success, so much so that Phil may well try to organise further similar events from time to time.

 

To add to the enjoyment, the beer was, as always, excellent and varied - Abbott, Old Peculier, Pedigree and the Hopback Brewery's 'Spring Zing' and there was a buffet as well. All in all, this was a really great way to spend an evening and I look forward to the next such occasion with great enthusiasm  !

HINCKLEY PUBS UP FOR OFFER.

Once upon a time, Hinckley had lots of pubs, almost all owned and run by the Marston's brewery.

 

A few months ago, and quite out of the blue, the brewery placed one of these, "The Railway Hotel", up for sale and that one has now been bought by a small independent Leicestershire brewery. In the last 2 days, 2 more Marston's houses have also appeared on the market, 'The Prince of Wales' and 'The Greyhound'. Both are offered freehold and free of all ties, making them potentially attractive investments at the right price.

 

'The Greyhound' is an old pub not far from the town centre and with a reasonable trade; sadly and for no reason known to anyone in the locality, Marston's has steadfastly refused to maintain it in any sort of decent condition. The exterior is tatty, the carpets need urgent replacement and the exposed floor tiles either need attention or covering up. It's general decoration is poor to say the least and although there is a kitchen, it's reportedly in an unusable state; the rather pokey gents' toilet is not exactly top quality. A large back room which has been used for musical and other events, is mostly empty and in need of attention. The drains frequently produce foul smells and it has no customer parking. The private accommodation has variously been said to be anywhere between disgusting and bearable. Marston's are expecting £265,000 (plus VAT) for this property which needs at least £50,000 spent on it to make it into a decent pub and quite possibly a lot more depending on its structural condition.

 

Conversely, 'The Prince of Wales', which is further from the centre though not by very much, is a more modern building and seems to have been well maintained. The bar and bar areas are much bigger than in 'The Greyhound' and it has a separate and well furnished function room. The general furnishings and decoration are good; the toilets are large and clean. It has a decent and usable commercial kitchen and parking for 20 or so cars; there's a good-sized outside area with a number of tables and chairs. I have no knowledge of the prvate accommodation but there's no reason to believe that it's in a different condition from the rest of the pub. Overall, this is a much nicer, smarter and cleaner pub than 'The Greyhound', and doesn't seem to need much if any further investment. Marston's are looking for £295,000 (plus VAT).

 

I can easily see the price for 'The Prince of Wales' being paid, indeed, I would if I had the money to hand, but why anyone would pay the asking price, or anywhere near it, for 'The Greyhound' defeats me. Time will tell whether or not I'm right.

HINCKLEY PUB CRAWL VERDICT : 'PRINCE OF WALES' ON TOP.

Following the unannounced closure of my local pub, the 'Railway Hotel' in Hinckley, by its new owners, the 'Steamin' Billy' brewery, I and a few friends have tried a few other local hostelries. We already made occasional visits to the 'Greyhound' and the 'Queen's Head', but we've now had a look at one or two others.

 

A few days ago, we started with a couple of pints at the 'Greyhound', before moving on to the 'Railway' which had not quite closed then. A couple more pints, fortunately they still had a stock of our tipples, and then it was time for a trip out to the village of Wolvey and a first visit to the 'Blue Pig', a pub under new management. A pint there and it was time to return to the town for one in the 'Sportsman' before finishing our little journey at the 'Prince of Wales'. This was, I hasten to add, a  trip made possible by our non-drinking driver !

 

What did we learn after all of this racing around ? Well, the 'Greyhound' is an OK Marston's pub and one that has reasonable beer at relatively low prices; it does, though, need a fair bit of 'tarting up' as its decor is pretty poor and no one seems to have spent much money on it for many years. Perhaps this is why Marston's are about to place the pub's freehold on the market ! They've also just shunted the landlord and her family off to another of their 'Retail Agreement' outlets, while moving the former landlord of the 'Railway' in until it's sold.

 

Moving on, the 'Blue Pig' offered a different range of beer as it's one of the few non-Marston's outlets in the area. This is a 'Greene King' house with new tenants, and I'm told that it used to do very well. The other day, a Friday evening, it was pretty quiet and, although a menu was available, it didn't seem to be creating much interest or beng promoted. The beer, I drank the 'IPA' as 'Abbot' really is a bit too powerful for consumption during a pub crawl, was passable though not exceptional, and was also a bit pricey compared with other local pubs. One was enough.

 

Back into Hinckley and we tried the 'Sportsman', a good sized pub under a proper Marston's tenancy. The barmaid was friendly enough, the beer, Marston's Bitter, good enough and the atmosphere ok, though, again, the pub seemed a bit on the quiet side. The prices were a fair bit higher than we've been used to and we only stayed for one in the absence of anything else to keep us there.

 

Our final stop was at the 'Prince of Wales', another Marston's tenanted house a few yards from the 'Sportsman' and one that also has a relatively new landlord. Although not crowded, there were a few people there and it was welcoming; the barmaid was quick to serve and the beer was fine. Sadly for our pockets, prices were similar to the 'Sportsman' and 'Blue Pig', but we stayed because of the general atmosphere. Other customers were friendly and more than happy to chat, while the landlady, Katie, was in the bar with her partner and dog, an enormous furry bear of an animal; all were friendly, befurred or not, and the experience here was far-and-away the best of the night.

 

The result of our circumnavigation was an unequivocal victory for the 'Prince of Wales', with the 'Greyhound' in second place though a fair way back. We reinforced our judgement on Sunday by returning to the 'Prince' late in the evening and again finding it a most pleasant environment with, mostly, friendly people. The only blot was an unnecesssary and almost inexplicable outburst from a customer whom we knew from elsewhere and who had clearly had a pint or six too many. After he departed, those remaining chatted amiably and intelligently; forget the idiot, this is a nice pub and we'll be back.

STEAMIN' BILLY BREWERY : WHAT A LET DOWN.

My local pub, the 'Railway' in Hinckley, was a Marston's house run under that brewery's egregious 'Retail Agreement'. Late last year it was put up for sale and has been bought by a small Leicestershire brewery, 'Steamin' Billy'; all the initial signs were good in that the new owners appeared to promise new life for the pub with a revised selection of beers and a bit of refurbishment. It was a definite case of 'Goodbye Marston's and good riddance' !

Oh dear, how a few weeks can cause one to rethink. Under Marston's, the running of the pub was hardly good, but they usually had well kept beer and were open every day, all day. Following the arrival of 'Steamin Billy', the availability of beer and other beverages has been problematic, the cellar was seriously flooded for more than a fortnight and opening hours were cut drastically. Now the pub has been closed, well ahead of the expected date for a refurbishment to be carried out and with no real notice or explanation being given.

Yes, I know that many pubs, now including most in Hinckley, amend their opening hours to match the times when most of their customers turn up, but what about the customers who want a drink at quieter times ? What is the point of running a business that's closed more than it's open ? Of course, now that it's closed and likely to stay that way for 2 or 3 months, the 'Railway's' regular customers will have to look elsewhere at all times. Those customers who want an early drink will be pushed into the arms of the town's 'Wetherspoon' outlet and the remaining 2 or 3 pubs that open all day, all of which are operated by Marston's; the rest will find themselves wandering the streets in search of a new 'local'.

I don't bemoan the fact that Marston's disposed of the 'Railway' but I am deeply disappointed that 'Steamin' Billy' appears to have no interest in offering the existing customers any sort of real service. It looks increasingly as though their purchase of the 'Railway' will result in a good old fashioned pub being turned into a haven for kids, with the current locals being driven elsewhere. Worst of all is that their website provides no contact details for the company, just a load of tosh about how good they are, loyalty and merchandising - typical of organisations that don't want to hear from their customers.

Whatever you do, don't let them get their hands on your local !

BEER, PUBS, BREWERIES & LANDLORDS

I've been drinking beer since I was knee-high to the proverbial grasshopper and have been in a fair few pubs. Some have been good, some very good and others mediocre or downright awful. Every now and then I feel the need to let off a bit of steam about somewhere I've visited or, perhaps, to lavish praise on a particularly fine pub; so far any such comments have been contained within my general 'Thoughts and Ramblings' but it seems high time that I gave myself the space to put down all such thoughts in one place, hence, this Blog.

 

Recent events in my local area have certainly been a serious incentive to write down a few things about the ways in which breweries and pub management companies operate. Quite simply, and despite all of their protestations to the contrary, they have no interest in their customers or, indeed, their landlords, beyond the money they bring in. They treat both like the muck they might find on their shoes after a walk through a field full of cows - something to have as little contact with as possible. I've written at greater length about one particular issue, 'Marston's Retail Agreement', which readers may find of interest.

 

This might seem a little vitriolic but I'm convinced that it's true. This is not to say, though, that the same applies to pub landlords; undoubtedly, some are of the same ilk as their brewery masters, but many are not. Many landlords try their very best, often against overwhelming odds, to give the very best service that they can and to make customers not only feel welcome but also wanted. Why we should have this dichotomy is anyones' guess, but it does not help the beleagured pub industry.

 

I've written before about a couple of pub and brewery issues; I've written to at least a couple of breweries over the years and can't say that their responses were overly helpful, generous, or even very polite. I'm well aware that CAMRA, the 'Campaign for Real Ale' has worked tirelessly for many years to try to improve our pubs and maybe I can add a tiny amount to their efforts with a few choice postings. I certainly hope so.