Early Risers.

[roundhouse]

A belated happy birthday Ian A.

[Shedman5]

Afternoon,  As per above happy belated birthday Ian!

 

Well Grandson and parents departed this morning, I had forgotten what having a 8 week old was like! Needless to say we are having a quiet afternoon after cleaning up etc this morning. I might venture into the shed for an hour we will see how it goes.

 

Quite windy outside at the moment but its not raining!

 

Enjoy what's left of the day

 

Alan

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

As Yellow-beer Fever continues

Sorry to be turning this into a “nostalgia” thread but the association I make with Corona isn’t beer. I don’t know if they got over the whole country but the Corona lorry used to arrive and sell bottles of “pop” when I lived in Somerset (1950s). 

[BlackRat]

22 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Sorry to be turning this into a “nostalgia” thread but the association I make with Corona isn’t beer. I don’t know if they got over the whole country but the Corona lorry used to arrive and sell bottles of “pop” when I lived in Somerset (1950s). 

Still remember my favourites.......cream soda ( blue label) and cherryade ( red).

Our pop man was Stan and can still remember him tthomit was over 50 years ago......and all those wooden crates....... now going for stupid money for yuppie types to do whatever with.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Black Rats mentioning of Corona cream soda reminded me that we used to get a glass of cream soda and disolve an ice cream in it. The ice cream was not the sloppy 'soft' ice cream but one of those bars served up between two wafers or in a special rectangular cone. The ice cream was usually broken up with a spoon and stirred in to the soda. SEERS track night tonight, I might take a couple of items to play with test.

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

And another belated Happy birthday to Ian A.

 

I have to admire GDB's newly developed skill of avoiding injury -brilliant stuff to return the flat pack as 'damaged' and thus make sure it won't be back until someone else is available to assemble it.    

 

And Andrew C got it spot on regarding pubs - exactly the same has happened round here although the local brewery did things the opposite way round and flogged the brewery - which is now a hotel du Vin plus incredibly expensive flats in various converted other bits of their buildings.  The brewery company then reinvented itself as a landco owning a major percentage of its former pubs and selling others off in various ways, thus the one where I used to regularly work behind the bar became a private house.  This of course has worked badly for tenants and customers and several have subsequently closed down because with a hefty rent to pay no one could make a go of them.  One on the main road and near lots of vllage housing about 3 miles away used to do superb food with a really good level of trade plus locals drinking.  But the couple who had it simply couldn't make it pay well enough to keep it long term so they got out and now run pop-up restaurants which are invariably sell outs because his cooking is so good.  The next people who had it had to hire in a chef - not cheap round here - and gave up after a couple of years because they couldn't make it pay either.  Now, after being empty for months, it is  on the market again.  It's a similar story with various of their premises.  and recently a developer even tried to get rid of the town's microbrewery to create yet more overpriced flats.

 

Yesco was apparently quieter today although it was reported to my scouting and shopping team that it had been busier earlier - I stayed home t clean the vacuum and do sundry other tasks.  The management have decided to additionally stock the No.2 freezer so I suggested it would make sense to take an inventory of its contents at the same time - we appear to have chicken thigh and sausage mountains to go with the baked bean mountain.

 

Enjoy the rest of your day folks

[Tony_S]

I was very disappointed by the taste of Cream Soda.  I did try it again a few years ago and confirmed I still don’t like it. Probably just me, as so many other people like it. 

[Tony_S]

We were due to be going to Iceland in June and were supposed to pay the balance for the holiday in a few days. As we couldn’t predict what will be happening during the next few months we decided to cancel. I don’t know how receptive the insurance company would have been about repaying the deposit but currently the cruise line are allowing people to transfer to cruises next year without penalty. Hopefully I will know something definite one way or another in a year. 
Tony

[TheQ]

Corona lorries were certainly around in Wiltshire till the early 1970s..

 

I know one pubco house on the Norfolk broads was handed back in when the price of the beer to them was more than a nearby freehouse could sell it at.. ( same brand) 

[Joseph_Pestell]

7 hours ago, AndrewC said:

There have been many many arguments along the same vein. Basically it boils down to this...

Once upon a time there was the great British Pub. Then the greed of the brewers took over and filled their bars with nothing but their own tasteless yak urine while squeezing out other breweries and making it harder for free houses to buy beer. (see also Watney's)  They also destroyed the interiors of so many pubs. Where there used to be smaller comfortable rooms, we now have larger, noisier open space bars. 

 

The government decided that pubs and breweries should be separated. Voila the birth of the pubco. These companies leveraged the property value of the pubs they bought from the breweries and racked up massive levels of debt. To claw this back they've been ripping off their tenants with the beer tie and other charges. When practical they allow a pub to be run down to the point where it is no longer viable. These get sold for redevelopment. When a pub is viable but the land is more valuable, the pubco will force out the good landlord, and replace him/her with a company employed manager that is dedicated to making the place a failure. Even if the community band together to try and save the pub, the pubco will leave it closed with rental terms that make it impossible to reopen. (see the China Hall in Rotherhithe as a perfect example) After the pub falls into disrepair the pubco points to it and says to the council there is no demand to reopen. Voila, another block of souless people cubes and a fast £ made. 

 

As lifestyles and demographics change, the big breweries and big pubcos are in self cannibalism mode. Slowly selling off their assets to survive and to look good to shareholders.  Along comes the small craft brewer and the concept of a micro-pub. These smaller brewers are still having a difficult time getting their beers into the chain pubs. So, they've started opening up their own tap rooms. The Bermondsey beer mile is a perfect example of this. There are around 16 brewery taps there. Most are small places with seating for around 20-50 at most. These are all pretty much rammed during their rather limited opening hours. They aren't a replacement for pubs but they are an alternative to them. In contrast there are only 2 traditional pubs left in the area and at least 15 that are closed, flattened, converted. 

 

Now half way in between the traditional pub and the brewery tap we have the micro-pub. The first ones started in Kent after so many towns were left without a traditional pub. The pubs were gone and it wasn't really possible to rebuild or new build a pub. They make perfect economic sense. They are a fraction of the cost to start up than even taking over a lease on an existing pub. On average you need £30k in your pocket before a pubco or brewery will even look at you as a potential landlord. £15k for a micro will pay for the conversion and get you open & running. They make use of existing empty shop fronts with their footfall. Hours can be set to be more sociable. Most are closed Mondays, and only open 3-10 most of the rest of the time. Smaller business, smaller costs and much lower rates than a traditional pub. In many ways a micro is more like the cozy bar of yore. No fruit machines, no TV, no pool tables, no music, no lager tw@s, and no mobile phones. Just like the old days. They also support the smaller local brewers. 

 

The boring borough currently has 10 micros with at least 3 more planned or under construction. We are getting another on our high st in the next few months. Greenwich has 3 1/2 with more planned. The half is a temporary popup micro @ Lakedale coffee in Plumstead. They are hoping for an extension from the council to operate 2-4 evenings a week when the coffee shop would normally be closed. It is a great idea to maximise the utilisation of the space. Craft beers in a coffee shop setting. Sounds strange but it is quite enjoyable. Very family and dog friendly. 

 

Each micro is unique, each offers the locals something different. No chains, no identikit bar spaces. I know, I'd rather spend a few hours in the Kentish Belle (train themed no less) or the Bird & Barrel (Bexley Brewing's tap room/micro hybrid) than in some soulless 'spoons filled with louts, or the nearest Greene Thinge pub with it's montezuma's revenge inducing beers and reheated meals. We've lost 5 pubs in the area in the past decade to redevelopment. One more is under threat. One is grade 2 listed but just bought by the same company that illegally demolished the Old Leather Bottle in Belvedere. Micro-pubs are keeping the old traditional pub alive. 

 

On that note, I'm off work today so I'm thinking it is almost beer o clock. Time for a bottle of Belgian tripel, Dulle Teve aka raging bitch perhaps, which I picked up from the Kentish Belle's bottle selection. Try and find that in your local 'spoons. 

 

I would not disagree with any of that. And I know some very successful micropubs.

 

But I still prefer a proper pub. I was looking at taking one in Taunton recently. The area manager was completely gobsmacked at the idea of putting back in a studwork partition to separate the noisy beer/games end of the place from the eating/coffee end.

 

So now I find myself in a country village pub. It too has been opened out at some time in the past (1960s probably) but with a little care I can still create cosy little areas. And jukeboxes and noisy gaming machines are definitely out!

[roundhouse]

All this talk of pubs and beer is making me thirsty but that will have to wait till tomorrow.

 

Tilt in central Birmingham is an interesting variation on micropub. Its name derives from the numerous pin ball machines with more in the basement. Its effectively a coffee shop in the day but serves numerous changing craft brews (no handpulls) some can be very strong. I had a superb New Zealand strong dark beer just a few weeks ago when in there one lunchtime Its one of our favourite places when in Brum specially as its just round the corner form the hotel we normally stay in.

 

Our nearest micro is in Whyteleafe so isn't so easy to get to but would have been handy when I still lived at my parents if had been there then although  long hike up the hill afterwards.

 

The afternoon was spent in the shed working on the layout then to pick other half up off a late running Great White Worm, an accident on the main road closing that so a U turn and back roads so my other half was waiting for me.

 

Back to the shed after dinner.

[grandadbob]

1 hour ago, The Stationmaster said:

 

I have to admire GDB's newly developed skill of avoiding injury -brilliant stuff to return the flat pack as 'damaged' and thus make sure it won't be back until someone else is available to assemble it.    

 

 

No chance of that Mike and the replacement is already sitting in the boot of my car ready for transportation and assembly tomorrow. After all,

there is no way I can let my beautiful youngest granddaughter down.

 

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

We were due to be going to Iceland in June and were supposed to pay the balance for the holiday in a few days. As we couldn’t predict what will be happening during the next few months we decided to cancel. I don’t know how receptive the insurance company would have been about repaying the deposit but currently the cruise line are allowing people to transfer to cruises next year without penalty. Hopefully I will know something definite one way or another in a year. 
Tony

  

We too have that dilemma as we're also booked on a cruise and our balance payment is due at the beginning of April.

 

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

Corona lorries were certainly around in Wiltshire till the early 1970s..

 

 

And in Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire in the 1950s.  Cherryade was a favourite with me.

 

KIds have now gone home and all is quiet. Shiraz is tonight's choice of plonk and I'm waiting until The Boss has finished watching her usual fix of carp soaps and may then be able to watch something more interesting on the televisual box that I've recorded.

 

Oh and no decent pubs in the near vicinity so it's a rare treat for me to get to one these days. Having said that I haven't gone without over the past 50 odd years!   

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by grandadbob

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

We flew back over the ditch yesterday. Took qantas over an hour to get our bags to the Carousel.  And they left them out in the rain. The landing was....a lot heavy.. and Oz immigration and customs were very quick.

 

Been chuckinitdarn here since before we arrived 

 

Big problem with micropubs. .size, loos and sometimes very expensive beerwhichtasteslikegrapefruitjuice.

 

Localish brewery "Heck"  went bust this week. Why? Not selling craft beers just really nice proper ale..no lines in pubs so no sales... so no more of the excellent beer they brewed  "Dave" which was not an expensive "craft" beer.

 

We have quite a lot of craft breweries  in the leeds area. Don't mind it but not as good as Ram Tam!

 

And the pub cos control what beers their tenants can sell which defeats the object of the original changes demanded of the brewers

 

Very belated birthday young Mister Able!

 

Now...breakfast time!!

 

Baz

Edited March 3, 2020 by Barry O

[Ozexpatriate]

The conversation on British pub culture has been interesting.

While the same history is not possible in Australia, "Fishers" the large traditional Australian "hotel" / pub I remember growing up (I used to ride in the car while my Dad went to the drive through bottle shop and, were I lucky, might score a small bag of crisps) is now a block of units with a bayside view. The earlier structure was originally built in the 1870s and was a substantial brick structure, with an upper story. It's rival at the top of the hill was the listed (and still standing Waterloo Bay Hotel). 

 

Some internet trawling found this:

Quote

The Wynnum Point Hotel (Formerly Wynnum Hotel)

The hotel was built by Wilde and Adams in the late 1870s, and later passed into the hands of the `Fisher' family. This building has come under a number of refurbishments including the closing in of two storey open verandahs, and the recent change to its 'art deco' style. It has long been a popular hotel for the workers of the fishing fleet moored in nearby Wynnum Creek and locally has been known as "Fishers" for many years. Building has now been demolished.

 

Pub culture in Portland is fraught with the vagaries of the commercial market. The Pacific Northwest is very much where the US (and now global) craft brewing market exploded and brew pubs are everywhere. Sadly many pioneers of the craft brewing movement, despite continued excellence have succumbed.

 

Bridgeport Brewing along with their excellent pub/restaurant closed, and the Portland Brewing tap room and the Widmer Brothers tap room both closed, Though Widmer still brews as part of the Craft Brew Alliance and Portland Brewing products are still produced by Fifco.

 

The largest 19th century brewer in Portland to survive into the 20th century was Henry Weinhard's.  They survived Prohibition by making soft drinks and were still brewing largely unremarkable but drinkable beers as the craft brewing revolution arrived. The downtown Blitz-Weinhard brewery fell to the Brewery Blocks development around 20 years ago but was commemorated by Henry's Tavern - a large tap room and restaurant. Despite being a busy, popular place, Henry's Tavern abruptly closed last year when it's parent corporation (Seattle-based, Restaurants Unlimited) filed for bankruptcy and was sold to Landry's.

 

8 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I can remember pubs having “off sales “ of beer in a jug the customer brought. I didn’t partake but does this still happen anywhere?

 

7 hours ago, AndrewC said:

Yes yes, a thousand times yes. The vast majority of micro-pubs sell takeaway. Most are in plastic 2 or 4 pint jugs. Other places have “growler fills” which allows one to have what ever they want filled as long as they can accurately measure what is being sold. Unlike the US growlers haven’t taken off as much but micros rule for draught off sales.  

The growler fill is a big deal though it too can be very marginal. A local taproom focused on selling draft beer by the glass and as growlers hung on for a few years but has since closed.

 

Friends in central Oregon are regulars at an outstanding local taproom. The taproom keeps 45 kegs on tap with a big display showing the keg levels. With this many taps they can cater to people who want something other than "juicy" IPAs.

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[TheQ]

I've never been in a micro pub,  a search online says the nearest is a 20mile round trip, with the next being a 40 Mile round trip. Come to that excluding meals out I've not had a pint in a pub for several  years.  It being a ten Mile round trip to the nearest pub,  there are two nearer restaurants that serve beer IE they claim to be pubs , but a three course meal In one would cost in excess of £58, the other  £40, with beer prices to match.. 

[AndrewC]

Evening all. A rare appearance from me post noon, but needing to vent. A 2 hour yes 2 hour call from the ex around the offspring and his ever delayed trip to visit his mum was the order of the afternoon. AAARRRRGGGHHHH. Basically I’ve become the middleman against my wishes. The whole story is very long and convoluted and worthy of several face palm moments. In a nutshell, offspring’s significant other is letting the side down when it comes time to recovering a large sum of cash from their previous landlord in the form of their deposit, and doesn’t have the courage to ask her manager about getting the 2 weeks off that they need. Ex is pushing. Offspring is not wanting to rock the boat, I get to mediate and translate. I have now done some major damage to my bierkeller. 

 

Ian, hope to hit Tilt on Saturday, After all I’m a pinball wizard from way back. In 75 I won tickets to the premier of Tommy. A couple of weeks later I did actually play them all from Soho down to  Brighton. While my Doc Martens were not on the same level as Elton’s I still have a pair of 20 hole ox bloods. Which seem to scare the carp out of the local yoofs when worn. 

[roundhouse]

17 minutes ago, Barry O said:

 

Localish brewery "Heck"  went bust this week. Why? Not selling craft beers just really nice proper ale..no lines in pubs so no sales... so no more of the excellent beer they brewed  "Dave" which was not an expensive "craft" beer.

 

We have quite a lot of craft breweries  in the leeds area. Don't mind it but not as good as Ram Tam!

 

 

Yes craft is pricey but we tend to go for the dark ones rather than the IPA's etc.

 

Yep Ram Tam is very nice, and even nicer when it was your round

[roundhouse]

10 minutes ago, AndrewC said:

Evening all. A rare appearance from me post noon, but needing to vent. A 2 hour yes 2 hour call from the ex around the offspring and his ever delayed trip to visit his mum was the order of the afternoon. AAARRRRGGGHHHH. Basically I’ve become the middleman against my wishes. The whole story is very long and convoluted and worthy of several face palm moments. In a nutshell, offspring’s significant other is letting the side down when it comes time to recovering a large sum of cash from their previous landlord in the form of their deposit, and doesn’t have the courage to ask her manager about getting the 2 weeks off that they need. Ex is pushing. Offspring is not wanting to rock the boat, I get to mediate and translate. I have now done some major damage to my bierkeller. 

 

Ian, hope to hit Tilt on Saturday, After all I’m a pinball wizard from way back. In 75 I won tickets to the premier of Tommy. A couple of weeks later I did actually play them all from Soho down to  Brighton. While my Doc Martens were not on the same level as Elton’s I still have a pair of 20 hole ox bloods. Which seem to scare the carp out of the local yoofs when worn. 

You may be some time when visiting the gents as you have to walk past all the pin ball machines on the ground floor then past all of them in the basement so just make sure you have a beer with you!!

[roundhouse]

31 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

The conversation on British pub culture has been interesting.

While the same history is not possible in Australia, "Fishers" the large traditional Australian "hotel" / pub I remember growing up (I used to ride in the car while my Dad went to the drive through bottle shop and, were I lucky, might score a small bag of crisps) is now a block of units with a bayside view. The earlier structure was originally built in the 1870s and was a substantial brick structure, with an upper story. It's rival at the top of the hill was the listed (and still standing Waterloo Bay Hotel). 

 

Some internet trawling found this:

 

Pub culture in Portland is fraught with the vagaries of the commercial market. The Pacific Northwest is very much where the US (and now global) craft brewing market exploded and brew pubs are everywhere. Sadly many pioneers of the craft brewing movement, despite continued excellence have succumbed.

 

Bridgeport Brewing along with their excellent pub/restaurant closed, and the Portland Brewing tap room and the Widmer Brothers tap room both closed, Though Widmer still brews as part of the Craft Brew Alliance and Portland Brewing products are still produced by Fifco.

 

The largest 19th century brewer in Portland to survive into the 20th century was Henry Weinhard's.  They survived Prohibition by making soft drinks and were still brewing largely unremarkable but drinkable beers as the craft brewing revolution arrived. The downtown Blitz-Weinhard brewery fell to the Brewery Blocks development around 20 years ago but was commemorated by Henry's Tavern - a large tap room and restaurant. Despite being a busy, popular place, Henry's Tavern abruptly closed last year when it's parent corporation (Seattle-based, Restaurants Unlimited) filed for bankruptcy and was sold to Landry's.

 

 

The growler fill is a big deal though it too can be very marginal. A local taproom focused on selling draft beer by the glass and as growlers hung on for a few years but has since closed.

 

Friends in central Oregon are regulars at an outstanding local taproom. The taproom keeps 45 kegs on tap with a big display showing the keg levels. With this many taps they can cater to people who want something other than "juicy" IPAs.

 

I wasnt so keen on Bridgeport when they turned their brewery tap into a restaurant. Portland brewery taproom was a bit out of the way but was good. However we do miss Widmers taproom epsecially with it being opposite UP's Albina yard. Visited Henrys Tavern once but with so many places in Portland its difficult to keep visiting all of them. Thers only so many breweries and taprooms you can do in a day!  Rogue Hall up in the University area is now one of our favourite locations since the Rogue on Flanders was refurbished as its lost alot of its character now. Both Lucky Labs are still very good for basic taprooms.

Edited March 3, 2020 by roundhouse

[Gwiwer]

7 hours ago, Kingzance said:

Ah Rick ... Pray tell all 

 

All ?  ?  ?

 

6 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Sorry to be turning this into a “nostalgia” thread but the association I make with Corona isn’t beer. I don’t know if they got over the whole country but the Corona lorry used to arrive and sell bottles of “pop” when I lived in Somerset (1950s). 

 

Yes indeed Corona has changed somewhat since the days when a lorry stopped at intervals as frequent as the ice-cream man and sold glass bottles of flavoured burp-water.  I seem to remember Strawberry was my favourite.  And you could return the empties for a modest consideration - I think it was 1d back on the bottle offered as 1d off your next purchase but never as cash back.  

 

This afternoon was spent most enjoyably over cups of tea with Former Neighbour (Upstairs) who called round after a very long absence for a catch-up.  Everything from her shiny new man (who might not be as shiny as her alcohol-fuelled first impressions suggested) to her former university acquaintances who are Current Neighbours (Upstairs) was discussed.  We have established over the years a great sense of trust and there has never been "too much information".  I value having a sensible non-judgemental friend among the younger generations and she values having "one of the girls" who is a much more senior and life-experienced male as a confidante, advisor and genuine friend.  I learned - among other things - what I have suspected for a while that Upstairs is now home to 4 1/2 people as they apparently have a small person due later in the year.  

 

Another 15 metres of garden bed was weeded, dug over and raked after lunch with the effect snow being quite noticeable and attracting comment from various neighbours in the block.  We might even inspire some to tackle their own weed patches.  New planting may be a couple of weeks off yet as the soil is not really warm enough though is certainly moist to a good depth.  

 

And so to bed.  Hump day tomorrow when I expect to see suitable numbers of camels wandering past.  Sleep well until then.  

[tigerburnie]

Evening all, well I'm back from an extended weekend in Yorkshire, sadly the NYMR wasn't running but we still managed to have a great weekend with the kids and grandkids(I say kids, my son's nearly 40 lol). We all stayed in a converted barn, superb, no wifi and the mobile signal was lousy, so we played games with the young un's and talked to each other.

Hight light of the weekend was the cake, inaccurate in detail but spot on with taste, what I didn't know was it was chosen because tickets have been booked for me to travel behind it in the summer on the Aberdonian, so something to look forward too, a great birthday treat.

That's me and the grandkids sat in the tender...……………………………………….

 

[Ozexpatriate]

13 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

... with so many places in Portland its difficult to keep visiting all of them. Thers only so many breweries and taprooms you can do in a day!

This is precisely the challenge for pub culture in Portland. With so much competition, it is hard for anyone to stay in business for the long haul.

 

Lompoc Brewing closed last year.

 

Restaurants too. There is a large national chain of seafood restaurants (McCormick and Schmick's) that was based here. When the 2008 financial crisis hit it was very difficult for the white linen restaurant business. McCormick (having made donations in the right places and been rewarded with an Ambassadorship to New Zealand from 2005-2008*) was ready to retire. The chain was sold to the Landry's restaurant empire (founded by a former Dallas Cowboys' football coach, Tom Landry). Since then the founding location under the "McCormick's" name in Beaverton is closed.

 

* Can you imagine how nice it would be to be the United States Ambassador to New Zealand. Now that's what I call patronage!

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I was very disappointed by the taste of Cream Soda.  I did try it again a few years ago and confirmed I still don’t like it. Probably just me, as so many other people like it. 

I am a big fan of what we called "creaming soda" in Australia. The local bottler in Southeast Queensland was the pineapple canner "Golden Circle". I am a big fan of pineapple soda too. The Mexican Jarritos brand (cane-sugar sweetened) piña flavour is great, though sadly off limits for me.

[Ozexpatriate]

8 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

... Corona cream soda reminded me that we used to get a glass of cream soda and disolve an ice cream in it. The ice cream was not the sloppy 'soft' ice cream but one of those bars served up between two wafers or in a special rectangular cone. The ice cream was usually broken up with a spoon and stirred in to the soda.

Ice cream soda (a scoop of ice cream floating on a soda) was a favourite childhood treat. The lunch counter at Woolworths would serve it. (Locally it was called a "spider".)  I remember them with chemical green, lime soda.

 

In the US these are chiefly "root beer floats" made famous in the A&W chain of fast food restaurants. Brew pubs will often offer a "stout float" as a dessert. Ice cream in a stout with chocolate or coffee notes makes something not entirely unlike a boozy affogato.

 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[polybear]

On 02/03/2020 at 15:45, Kingzance said:

Regrettably and despite my having entered the London Festival at the Ally Pally in our shared diary, I am now unable to attend because the broomstick driver has now invited people and their pets to stay here whilst she swans off to tea in The Ritz. I hope those who make it will have a very good time, I only wish that I was going to be meeting up with you all.

 

P!ssed off much more than Gerald the Gorilla

 

So Mrs. K will now be baby-sitting instead of going to the Ritz (which, let's face it, is over-rated and very over priced) .  The good news is that the money saved will more than fund your visit to A.P.

So where's the problem?