At 56 there is nothing more exciting in life, bar Mrs RM rustling up tea from “leftovers” than being on a run of new GBG pubs.
After a dull start at the Railway, my next tick was less than 10 minutes west east.
SO WHAT if it’s a Greene King dining pub in a dormitory town for Liverpool ?
My entrance is barred by a couple of scallies sneering as I don my mask.
“Haven’t you heard ? You don’t need to wear that anymore !“
I sort of explain it’s a courtesy to the young staff, but they just twat on. “Don’t need that mate. Ha Ha“.
WHY CAN’T PEOPLE JUST LEAVE OTHER PEOPLE ALONE ?
I keep it on, even though the staff aren’t bothering anymore. In fact, no-one is bothering anymore on Merseyside.
In my experience there’s only three types of pub in Sefton anyway; the square boxy shopping arcade micro selling Peerless pale, the giant brewery-owned roadhouse selling Peroni and Prosecco, and the Wetherspoons.
Somehow, the Cross House manages to do a bit of all three.
An upbeat, helpful barman seems to applaud my choice of Peerless, which makes me think it may be the only pint pulled that day. “There you go, Boss. There you go“.
It’s one of the most upmarket Greene King houses you’ll see, bit like those ones in Headingly and Crookes that emerged a decade ago with a dozen beers and rare Van Morrison cuts.
I liked it, despite everything, and the Triple Blonde was bearing up well enough in the searing heat (NBSS 3).
I decided to walk through town to Freshfield station to catch the next train. If I tell you this was the highlight you can guess how impressed I was.
If I hadn’t stopped to admire the dog wash I might have popped in The Freshfield for you, but given it’s identical to the Cross House there was no point. Bet there weren’t mask bullies on the door there, though.
retiredmartin 
We’re all stuck in this in-between world now, many of us wearing masks while fully vaccinated, entering into rooms full of maskless people who may well be largely unvaccinated. Playing it safe seems the prudent thing to do, but clearly an awful lot of people have drawn different conclusions; who knows what’s best really, but being told “You don’t need those anymore” isn’t exactly helpful, is it?
Your use of the phrase “dormitory town” got me curious, as I recall a line from an old Split Enz song that went “I’m wide awake in a dormitory city,” which I’d always viewed as poetic language, but am now thinking was a play on words!
I do wonder what Simon would have to say about that sun-drenched-forest wallpaper. 🙂
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Nice reference Mark ! By dormitory I mean a place that seems to have grown up in the last century to provide out-of-town housing and lacks much of a separate identity of its own. I guess many suburbs of Auckland, NZ meet that definition !
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You should have said you’d tested positive the day before, but just fancied a day out, and if they insist on you not wearing a mask, then who are you to argue?
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Surely the extra fingers gave away the fact I’d been vaccinated?
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I thought extra fingers just indicated that you came from Norfolk. Or is that webbed feet? I get so confused.
Anyway, I’ve been vaccinated, so where can I apply to for my extra fingers?
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More than the usual 12 found in the Fens?
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Yes, t’is odd. Lots of masks in the supermarket, hardly any in the pub (even when not seated). It’s like two different worlds.
Pub quiz last night (you’ll know where, RM) was pretty much just like the old days. No slur on the establishment in any way as they were doing their bit – well spaced tables, sanitiser provided.
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I hate masks. I wear one where it’s mandatory (shops and pubs in Scotland for the moment) but I can’t breathe with them, then I start to panic and that makes it worse. When the Blessed Nicola makes them optional, I probably won’t bother, although I do live in an area where Covid is vanishingly rare. I’m also double jabbed and multiply tested (negative). I wouldn’t slag anyone else off for wearing one though.
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I hate masks, but I’ll wear them at the bar then take them off when seated. But in the Chinese takeaway I was served chicken curry instead of crispy beef last Friday as they couldn’t hear me and that’s a tragedy.
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Noooooooooooo!
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I have grown accustomed to wearing a mask – last year it was driving me crazy on the train but I’ve calmed down now.
On Wednesday in Beverley this week I was told by a very young barman in the White Horse (Nellie’s) that I did not need to wear my mask at the bar. Full account of the exchange (if anyone’s interested) here: http://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?17283-Disappointment-of-the-week/page25 (#248).
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Everyone should read your posts, Will. I enjoyed the report on the Tiger as well.
And good for you, I’ll wear my mask to the bar as long as I want too.
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