Globalti
Legendary Member
Was surfing the TV last night (ah! the curse of the remote) and watched some bits of a programme about drinking men's clubs and the beer culture. Now I remember going into the upstairs room of a large pub in Newcastle upon Tyne in the seventies and being impressed at the degree of organisation involved in converting as much beer as possible into urine; the dozens of small round tables with benches all around the walls, the call buttons and white-jacketed stewards who would bring round trays loaded with identical, over-chilled, over-caramelised and pasteurised Scotch keg bitter with a thick white head at the request of the drinkers at each table. The strict rule was that each drinker bought a round and the whole evening was full of subtle rules and etiquette, some of which still exists in British pubs to this day: http://www.sirc.org/publik/pub.html (this is fascinating reading, by the way).
I've always believed that the problem for British youth is that we no longer have any macho industries; we don't build big ships, we don't make steel, mine coal, build and operate steam engines. In those golden years of industry there was a strict hierarchy, young people had something to which they could aspire and hard work would be rewarded by slow movement up the ranks as the older workers retired. The hierarchy of the factory was reflected in the street as richer workers moved to bigger houses up the hill and it was reflected in the pubs and clubs, as explained by last night's programme, as the older drinkers occupied the more favourable seats. The pub was safe territory where men could discuss their problems and interests in a safely neutral male environment and receive the benefit of their chums' wisdom and experience. I'd be wiling to bet there was less isolation, less loneliness and less anxiety amongst men at least. Drunkenness was uncommon according to the TV programme because a man's peers would ensure that he didn't overstep the mark by moving on to, for example, shorts on a weekday outside of an occasion like a wedding or a birthday celebration. There was a strict dress code of suit, tie and flat cap and almost everybody slaked their thirst in the pub after a hard day's work. All this was very manly and I remember when we first moved to Newcastle in the seventies - my Mum was asked to move from the public bar into the lounge and when she requested a glass of lager the barman replied: "Sorry Pet, there's no call for it; we don't get many women in here."
Some celebrate the disappearance of this culture, which is often derided as chauvinist but I can't help wondering if there would be less alcoholism and violence if men still drank lowish-alcohol session beers in the controlled, low key, un-competitive environment of the pub or club where people sat and talked rather than cruise from one bar to another, conversation impossible thanks to loud music, getting wasted on strong lagers and cheap shorts. I miss the conversation with mates, the gentle joshing and banter and the feeling of having a place where you are welcome as a regular as well as the enjoyment of a great pint like Moorhouses or Copper Dragon or Joseph Holts bitter.
My small thesis of course ignores the entire question of women and alcohol, but I don't see why women shouldn't be able to partake on equal terms with men in the kind of environment I describe. They do in my local, the Robin Hood in Helmshore and a very pleasant, sociable pub it is too.
What do others think?
I've always believed that the problem for British youth is that we no longer have any macho industries; we don't build big ships, we don't make steel, mine coal, build and operate steam engines. In those golden years of industry there was a strict hierarchy, young people had something to which they could aspire and hard work would be rewarded by slow movement up the ranks as the older workers retired. The hierarchy of the factory was reflected in the street as richer workers moved to bigger houses up the hill and it was reflected in the pubs and clubs, as explained by last night's programme, as the older drinkers occupied the more favourable seats. The pub was safe territory where men could discuss their problems and interests in a safely neutral male environment and receive the benefit of their chums' wisdom and experience. I'd be wiling to bet there was less isolation, less loneliness and less anxiety amongst men at least. Drunkenness was uncommon according to the TV programme because a man's peers would ensure that he didn't overstep the mark by moving on to, for example, shorts on a weekday outside of an occasion like a wedding or a birthday celebration. There was a strict dress code of suit, tie and flat cap and almost everybody slaked their thirst in the pub after a hard day's work. All this was very manly and I remember when we first moved to Newcastle in the seventies - my Mum was asked to move from the public bar into the lounge and when she requested a glass of lager the barman replied: "Sorry Pet, there's no call for it; we don't get many women in here."
Some celebrate the disappearance of this culture, which is often derided as chauvinist but I can't help wondering if there would be less alcoholism and violence if men still drank lowish-alcohol session beers in the controlled, low key, un-competitive environment of the pub or club where people sat and talked rather than cruise from one bar to another, conversation impossible thanks to loud music, getting wasted on strong lagers and cheap shorts. I miss the conversation with mates, the gentle joshing and banter and the feeling of having a place where you are welcome as a regular as well as the enjoyment of a great pint like Moorhouses or Copper Dragon or Joseph Holts bitter.
My small thesis of course ignores the entire question of women and alcohol, but I don't see why women shouldn't be able to partake on equal terms with men in the kind of environment I describe. They do in my local, the Robin Hood in Helmshore and a very pleasant, sociable pub it is too.
What do others think?
.... The Telegraph Inn, Telegraph Road, Putney Heath.
These pubs are also very suitable for the ladies as well. Lets try to keep chains like Slug & Lettuce and All Bar One out of it though. I'm thinking more along the lines of Real Traditional Pubs with Real names and real ale.
