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View Full Version : 'Last Orders' Radio 4. Friday 19th Feb 11.00



aleandhearty
13-02-2010, 00:09
Just saw this promoted in the new Radio Times. It's a two part programme about licensees who've taken on pubs since the recession started. The programme talks to such individuals as a retired Cambridge academic, an ex-miner from Barnsley and a one-time bunny girl. Sounds fascinating.

Conrad
13-02-2010, 00:19
Hmmm, I will try and remember to give this thread a bump next Friday.

Tilly-Miss
16-02-2010, 09:35
Shall have my radio tuned for that.

Conrad
19-02-2010, 10:22
While I remember a quick bump for this thread to try and remind anyone interested.

Conrad
19-02-2010, 14:58
Have to admit it didn't really grab me.

If anyone has half an hour to spare, Listen Again (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qpslw).

A celebration of the pub landlord and landlady.
With pubs disappearing at the rate of more than three a day, signalling one of the most rapid cultural shifts of recent times, half a dozen landlords and landladies reflect on life as a licensee and explore what we're in danger of losing besides the beer and the buildings.
This rueful view from behind the bar includes reflections on the qualities of a good landlord or landlady, their role as community confessional and settler of tap room fights, dispenser of best bitter and pearls of wisdom.
The programme hears from from old hands like Barbara, an ex-Bunny girl who runs The Grapes in London's Limehouse; Tetley Dave who fought a battle to keep The Shoulder of Mutton from closing in Castleford; Maureen from Langsett who's famous for her pies; ex miner Dennis from Barnsley, whose bte noir is health and safety; and former Cambridge academic Tim, who's taken early retirement to open his first pub in York, The Pheonix, just as others around are shutting up shop.
How have they kept their marriages together, living and working on the premises? How much of a temptation was it to hit the top shelf after a hard day's graft behind the bar? Why do they think the pub can help teach the next generation how to hold their drink? And how do they bar an objectionable customer without starting a Wild West-style bar room brawl?

aleandhearty
19-02-2010, 16:50
Have to admit it didn't really grab me.

Unfortunately, missed it this morning. just tried to listen to it on iPlayer but I keep being told to install Adobe Flash Player. I try to install it then my PC freezes. :mad:

Conrad
19-02-2010, 16:54
Unfortunately, missed it this morning. just tried to listen to it on iPlayer but I keep being told to install Adobe Flash Player. I try to install it then my PC freezes. :mad:
How irritating, also a little odd, you should have Flash installed as you are uploading images. I guess the beeb needs a newer version.

oldboots
19-02-2010, 18:24
I thought it was a little dated in style and didn't tackle the major issues of today, maybe part two next week will take that on. Tetley Dave had a profile by Roger Protz not so long ago on his Beer-Pages.com (http://www.beer-pages.com/2010/01/one-of-britains-greatest-pubs.html) and reprinted in the Morning Advertiser I believe. I did like the story of the old boy bringing in his dinner and going for the landlord with a walking stick and can you believe an ex Bunny Girl as landlady?

trainman
19-02-2010, 21:11
and can you believe an ex Bunny Girl as landlady?

I've been in The Grapes at Limehouse a coupla times, good little pub, especially for that area; never got served by a bunny girl though. In fact never seen a girl working there yet.

aleandhearty
20-02-2010, 15:09
Tetley Dave had a profile by Roger Protz not so long ago on his Beer-Pages.com (http://www.beer-pages.com/2010/01/one-of-britains-greatest-pubs.html) and reprinted in the Morning Advertiser I believe.

Still haven't caught it yet, but it's been made more interesting for me by the inclusion of Tetley Dave. He's very well known on our local real ale scene. I knew Roger Protz was coming up to the Shoulder on the 29th Jan and I planned to go across and meet him. However, my daughter's college interview put paid to that! :( Don't know how much was made of his battle with Enterprise Inns but Chris Heath's review of The Shoulder gives a flavour of the man: www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/40299/

Eddie86
20-02-2010, 16:13
I'll have to listen to that - cheers for the info!

aleandhearty
23-02-2010, 21:07
I thought it was a little dated in style and didn't tackle the major issues of today

Finally managed to listen to it today.Have to admit it wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it was a gentle half hour's diversion. It reminded me of those spoken word history projects of the fifties and sixties. Will probably listen to part twothough.

Conrad
26-02-2010, 07:01
Just a quick reminder, the second part of this is this morning at 11:00 on radio 4.

aleandhearty
26-02-2010, 11:44
Just listened to the second part, which I found much more enjoyable than last week's opener. Possibly it was because I knew what to expect, but also the contributors seemed to have warmed up a bit. Worth catching if only for the discussion on how to look after beer.

Conrad
26-02-2010, 12:01
I quite enjoyed this weeks as well having not been taken by the first part, as you say knowing the formula helped, also they were talking a lot more about the things that made a pub good, and reminiscing about the good times rather than talking about barring people and the like which last weeks seemed to be.

Not up yet, but should be available on this page later: Last Orders Part 2 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qx1m5/Last_Orders_Episode_2/).

Wittenden
26-02-2010, 19:45
I quite enjoyed this weeks as well having not been taken by the first part, as you say knowing the formula helped, also they were talking a lot more about the things that made a pub good, and reminiscing about the good times rather than talking about barring people and the like which last weeks seemed to be.

Not up yet, but should be available on this page later: Last Orders Part 2 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qx1m5/Last_Orders_Episode_2/).

I caught part of todays (and last week's) while hopping in and out of vans and tractors, so I missed more than I heard, but I was taken with the closing comment of one northern landlord appropos the closure of umpteen pubs per week.He was less concerned with the inevitable change of focus and character of pubs than wih their disapearance:once they've gone its no good worrying about the changing pub. Or words to that effect.