I’m sure we’ve all experienced this at some stage in our
drinking careers, and I know that certain bloggers have written about it as
well; including retiredmartin who described the problems he encountered on Exmoor,
back in the summer.
For my part it wasn’t too much of a problem; licensees after
all are entitled to a holiday, like the rest of us and when I got home I did
find the pub had given due notice of the closure on its website.
I was out for a bike ride - the first time I’ve been in the
saddle since my visit to Brabant, back in August. There
was no reason why I would have checked the Plough’s website before setting off,
especially as the pub normally attracts quite a crowd on a Sunday. If truth be
known, I wasn’t exactly sure as to where I was heading when I left home, but
having ended up near the pub, I fancied a drink and the chance to rest my legs for a short while.
I cycled back into Tonbridge and whilst I did toy with the
idea of popping into the local Spoon’s,
the moment had passed and I really couldn’t be bothered to chain up my bike and
join the Sunday lunchtime crowd, three or four people deep at the bar. Instead
I continued home and had a nice cup of tea instead.
2 comments:
It's becoming an endemic Paul. I've visited ten pubs since the new Beer Guide came out which have more restricted hours than the Guide promises. Sometimes I find out before I get there, sometimes I don't. Looks like you too it as phlegmatically as I do !
The Plough being closed didn’t really make a lot of difference for me, Martin. I was just out for a bike ride and fancied a pint, but if like some of your recent disappointments, I had travelled many miles to visit a certain pub, and then found it closed, I wouldn’t be so philosophical about it.
Pubs which keep erratic hours, or keep changing them, ultimately risk losing more than just the custom for those unannounced times they are closed. Once it becomes known that the chances of the pub in question not being open are quite high, then people will be reluctant to risk a visit.
Keep regular and well-publicised hours, so that customers know where they stand, and you will have no problem. Start messing people around and you will find them, understandably, very unforgiving.
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