So, what should I write about next on the blog? A question I
often ask myself at the beginning of the month. The FIFA World Cup has been and
gone, and the less said about FIFA, the better, but as the years roll by, it
does look increasingly unlikely that I shall witness the national side lift the
trophy for only the second time. I’m fortunate to have witnessed England winning
the World Cup, sixty years ago, a match I watched, as an 11 year old boy, with my father, on our small,
black and white TV, but unlike many of the population, it is a feat that I
witnessed with my own eyes. With the world cup finished, it would be
interesting to discover how much of a boost the competition has been to the
licensed trade overall, and to the nation’s pubs in general.
Moving swiftly on, and whilst there’s always the weather to
“entertain” people with, I’m fairly certain that we’ve all had more than enough
of what seems like a never ending, heat wave. Not only that, but the climate,
or the way that it is constantly changing, is a never-ending topic of
conversation for us Brits. Unfortunately, it also seems to define us, so before
spending too much time on the subject, I just wanted to share the following
snippet with you all.
One would think that the hot weather has been good for
trade; a thought I repeated to a couple of fish & chip shop proprietors
over the past few weeks. Both told me that excessively warm temperatures are
actually bad for trade, especially where it comes to eating, as the heat acts
as an appetite suppressant. I’m not sure why, but I’m guessing that it’s
something to do with energy that the body has to expend to digest that large
portion of chips, or that even bigger deep-fried Moby that seems to overwhelm
the plate!
Bailey Towers has a different feel to it, now that not so
young Master Matthew has flown the nest, and Mrs PBT’s and I had every good
intention of sorting his room out, in order to create some much-needed extra space.
However, like many “good intentions” the pair of us haven’t exactly achieved
much, as according to my good lady wife, it’s been too hot for that type of
work. She is probably right, and in truth it’s too hot for any type of work, especially
when it takes place outside. Unfortunately, the garden has taken quite a hit,
with many shrubs just about hanging on, and I’m torn between regular watering,
or just abandoning them completely, as with drought conditions in place across
the south-east, it does seem rather churlish to be using scarce water to keep certain
“treasured” plants alive!
As if proof were needed of the shortage of water, this
morning much of Tonbridge awoke this morning to find either low pressure, or no
pressure in the system, which was due to a burst water main in the north of the
town. So, no shower this morning, and no water-related appliances able to run (washing
machine or dishwasher). With little
going on outside, I’ve been using my spare time to have a good sort out of accumulated
paperwork, files, books and even unwanted clothes, as Mrs PBT’s and I gradually down-size. I don’t envisage us moving house, at least not for a while, but with
the lad no longer living here, it does seem the ideal opportunity for a good
clear-out, or at least it would if the temperatures.
On a positive note, I’ve unearthed a “treasure trove” of pub
and brewery-related material which I’m sure will prove of interest to blog readers,
once I’ve knocked it all into shape. The majority of this “material” was typed
up, by me, several decades ago, and will require a serious review. Much of it
is out of date, has been superseded or is no longer relevant, as it’s surprising
what can take place over the course of three decades. They say that a 30-year
period constitutes a generation, and I suppose it does, but rest assured, I’m
not going to allow any nostalgic look backs at the past, to detract from what is
happening in the present, particularly when it comes to pubs, breweries and
beers, and our mutual enjoyment and appreciation of them all.
