“CHAOTIC SCENES”

I normally stay well clear of topical comment on this blog; life’s too short for arguing.

But I was struck by this anonymous Government source quoted in the Telegraph implying “chaotic scenes” last summer preventing the early re-opening of pubs.

Yes, THOSE chaotic scenes.

Honestly ?

I made 290 pub visits between July 4 and November 4 and only saw well-behaved customers and licensees desperate to comply with increasingly more complex rules.

As Pub Curmudgeon wrote here;

“Licensees had to walk a tightrope between ensuring that social distancing guidelines were followed and avoiding going over the top with pettifogging restrictions. Sadly, quite a few seemed to fall into the latter camp and turned their establishments into profoundly unwelcoming places.“

The few examples you remember, that nightclub in Stone and, er, the other one, were 1 in 10,000 exceptions.

Actually, I thought I remembered some “chaotic behaviour“;

But it turns out that night was the 22 December 2019 (my birthday, make a note).

Will we ever again have fun like that ? And will moderate drinkers ever again be treated as anything other than social pariahs ?

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

24 thoughts on ““CHAOTIC SCENES””

  1. “that nightclub in Stone” – It was actually a pub, the Crown and Anchor known locally as the C&A, with the “chaotic scenes” caused by a load of Stokies coming down for the evening.

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      4. Tommy the cat and his brother Wee Kev are legends in Lerwick. Wee Kev tends to stay at home but Tommy gets out & about and often visits the Thule Bar, causing chaotic scenes. Not at the moment, obvs, because Nicola says Pubs Are Bad.

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      6. Yes, and then there was that lock in at the Spotted Dog in Digbeth. But all the pubs I went into (126 visits to 65 different pubs) before pub-going was banned again were oases of temperance, obedience, moderation and calm, with just one exception and even that was not in the least “chaotic”. Oh, and the one that was invaded by a Daily Telegraph journalist and photographer without masks; that was a little chaotic, and could have been worse if I hadn’t left my machine gun at home.

        If these influencers who want to stop pubs reopening have evidence of chaotic scenes, why haven’t the relevant places been prosecuted and closed down? I think we know the answer to that one.

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      7. When you say “machine gun”, you of course mean the “Machine Gun” album by The Commodores, Will ?

        Actually, of my 290 visits one (in Durham) had a lengthy queue snaking through the pub that felt a bit tight, and one Lancashire micro had a couple loitering at the bar for longer than necessary. Both before the September table service rules, and both minor transgressions.

        As you say, if there were evidence of chaotic scenes we’d never have heard the last of it. And you can’t blame those folk in Soho on pubs.

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  5. “Yes, THOSE chaotic scenes.”

    Fookin’ Hellski.

    “The only chaotic scenes I’ve EVER seen in a pub was when someone stole @oldmudgie Bombay Mix in the Criterion.”

    To be fair, probably the only time the Telegraph went to check how pubs were doing after the opening was when Si was there. Just bad luck really. 😉
    (I kid!)

    “I made 290 pub visits between July 4 and November 4 and only saw well-behaved customers and licensees desperate to comply with increasingly more complex rules.”

    I’m seriously starting to think that politicians don’t really want to vote for the people that put them where they are. 😉

    “Actually, I thought I remembered some “chaotic behaviour“;”

    (looks at video below)

    Crickey! That drummer was most definitely keeping the beat with the rest of the band!

    “But it turns out that night was the 22 December 2019 (my birthday, make a note).”

    I usually miss those posts as I’m busy visiting family… though you’ll note I did reply, because… we can’t EFFING visit our bloody kids!

    “And will moderate drinkers ever again be treated as anything other than social pariahs ?”

    Ask the smokers. 😉

    Cheers

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  6. I didn’t do too much pubbing in those months and mainly kept it outside, but the only time I saw scenes which were remotely busy were on Eat help to help out days ( and that was within regulations)
    I was outside our “roughest” boozer on August bank holiday (and it’s a proper drinkers pub) and everybody was following regulations, inside the 1 way system was being adhered too and there were no issues.

    I’m sure there was some problems across the country, nothing is perfect but why the press need to do this is beyond me, it helps nobody.

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    1. Yes, some of the pubs in Cornwall and Dorset were TOO busy during Eat Out to Help Out days but the worst that happened was that holidaymakers got turned away and were a bit disappointed.

      The BBC made absolutely sure we knew all about the odd example where a licensee allowed rule to be broken, but even those instances could be counted on one hand, and were largely in law-breaking counties like Staffordshire.

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      1. I might already have mentioned that Staffordshire only got a reputation for “law-breaking” after a load of Stokies came down to the C&A in Stone for an evening. Oh and with that bloke living next to the Star and Garter becoming a terrorist.

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