First ever pint in a pub

[Mobyduck]

Reading through some of the replies to the top three all time favourite beers thread it struck me there's a bit of nostalgia in the air.So what was the first ever pint you purchased in a pub,I don't mean the crafty Bitter Shandy your Uncle sneaked you when nine or ten.If this thread has been done before,I'm sure its quite possible and someone will put me right ,apologies but I've not managed to trawl through the last five years threads yet. So here's my offering.
First ever pint paid for in a pub was Ind Coope Mild (keg) cost me if my memory's right a whopping 15p.
First ever real ale was Burton Ale (Ind Coope) followed by Courage Directors which isn't too bad a pint to this day. Of course there was much Double Diamond ,Skol and Harp to be had as well back then.
Those were the days .:eek:

[aleandhearty]

To be honest, I think this has been done elsewhere, but no worries. My first pint was at the tender age of 13, in The College (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/41249/), Wakefield, after playing an away rugby match for school just up the road. (The start of a long association between rugby and beer.) It was a pint of John Smith's and I'm guessing it was around 29 pence? The thought of it makes me shudder, as I remember trying to talk in a ridiculous deep voice to hide my tender years.

[gillhalfpint]

Mine was Vaux Samson in Seaburn near Sunderland. I was a student nurse on £12 a month after they took my board off, and made a half last most of the night!

[Oggwyn Trench]

I used to drink bottles of Newcastle Brown in the Fountain Wrockwardine Wood whilst still in School Uniform :D , the first pint i brought was probally M&B Springfield Bitter which i used to drink in my first couple of locals before moving on to Bass .
First real ale was probally Wem Bitter which is why most of my drinking companions from that era now drink lager , it was rank stuff :sick:

[Alesonly]

It was a pint of Light & Bitter in a Pub at lunch time back in 1973 I remember it was Toby Light Ale and Bitter but cant remember what bitter I think it was Bass as it was on hand pump. in a Charringtons House the Cambridge on the rounderbout at North Circular & Silver Street in Edmonton. Pubs long gone under the road widening.

[Andy Ven]

Mine was in a pub in Walsall called The Katz, now the Victoria (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/55715/), on the day I left school in 1986 (I changed out of my school uniform first). I don't remember the drink I bought but in all likelihood it would have been a pint of Carling Black Label accompanied by one of their huge chip butties. I remember coming home on the bus after drinking 2 pints and feeling rather squiffy!

I became a regular that summer and watched the '86 Mexico World Cup in there, when Lineker won the Golden Boot. Happy days.

[AlanH]

My 1st pint in a pub was in The Globe Inn, Gorton Manchester when I was 13. The landlord (my uncle Tony) put a pint of handpulled Walkers Bitter in front of me and said "Get that down your neck!" I thought it tasted horrible (much more bitter than Coca Cola!) but didn't let it show and got it down in about 1 hour.
The 1st one I actually bought was in the Portland Dive Bar, Manchester in 1966. It would have been Double:sick:Diamond in my misspent keg days. We sent classmate Graham Stringer MP to the bar because we were all under age and he was by far the tallest.

[pintplease]

Tetleys Mild 1/6 equal to seven and a half pence in todays money, that was Tap Room price back in 1965 in Leeds.

[oldboots]

Draught Guinness costing either 15p or 18p and purchased while wearing school uniform, ah the good old days. We had used off-licenses/supermarkets before that of course

[hondo]

struggling to remember but first pint was probably tennent's lager and first real ale timothy taylor landlord

[RogerB]

Would have been about 1977/78 aged around 16 in the North Star in Hook, Chessington. No idea what it was or what it did to me but I'm still perfecting the art to this day.

[Quinno]

First pint was probably either at the Bay Hotel (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/236/) or The Albion (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/52493/) around 1994/1995.

As to what is was...no idea! Probably Carling or John Smiths, before I moved onto Newcastle Brown Ale (a joyous discovery at the time) via Caffreys and Carling Premier (remember them?). I remember trying a cask Courage Best at the Albion as part of my 'try everything once to see what you like' approach (my folks aren't drinkers) and it was vile :sick:. Truly vile. No wonder only crazy old men with unkempt facial hair and bad clothes drink this, I thought. :D

[Al 10000]

I started on my dads home brew when i was around 13 which he knew about,after that me and a couple of mates were made members of a works club we were 15 and the stewards new this so we were aloud 3 pints in the week and no more than 6 at weekends,the beer was Mansfield keg bitter at 12p a pint.

The first two proper pubs i did when i was 16 and just started work were the Petersham Hotel in Long Eaton drinking Home bitter 20p a pint and the Man of Iron in Stapleford drinking Kimberley bittter at 18p a pint.

I started my pub crawling and recording what pubs i visited in 1982 at the grand old age of 20.

[Brewguru]

Not necessarily my first pint but certainly the first occasion I ventured forth... A pint of Hook Norton at The George (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/57944/) one summer in 1989. Slipped out of school after the exams had finished and with a few mates walked the 3 or so miles to the next village as we knew we would probably not meet any teachers there.
Couple of pints later walking back into school we pass the Headteacher. Must have smelled of beer so said a cheery "Afternoon Sir" and breezed past him. I know its not a big act of rebellion on the grand scale of things but it certainly felt it at the time!

I found Hooky an excellent weaning beer, (only 3.5%) and I never looked back from drinking real ale.

[ROBCamra]

About 3 weeks before my 16th birthday in the now demolished The Sawyers Arms (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/19988/)

I had a pint of Thwaites Dark MILD. It cost about 17p.

[Strongers]

I think that the first pint I ever paid for in a pub was a lager of some sort in the Six Bells in Brentford where I used to play darts. This was in 1992 when I was a ripe 16 years of age.
I seem to recall sitting outside a pub at dusk in Hounslow somewhere with some school friends when I was 14/15. The four of us had pooled our money together and bought 2 bottles of Newky Brown which we thought would get us all trollied. It didn’t and it was foul.

[Farway]

So many year ago, but I think it was a pint of Brickwood's bitter in the now gone The Albany (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/13536/) in Portsmouth, late 1959 or early 1960

I was a green young matelot, barely 16 on his first run ashore with classmate oppos from HMS Collingwood

I can't remember the price, but scrumpy was 3d or thereabouts a pint [just over 1p], so reckon it was about 10d [4pish]

[Maldenman]

1977, at the ripe old age of 15, in The Bridge Inn (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/55147/) when Boddington's was a decent pint. The pub had two rooms then, and the beer was a halfpenny cheaper in the vault. Then landlord Derek (aka The Toucan due to his massive nose) would be livid if he caught anyone paying vault prices then sneaking through to the lounge.

A theme on here is how young many of us were when starting to visit pubs, they must have known in most cases, I assume if you behaved you were tolerated. It's a lot more tightly managed nowadays.

[Mobyduck]

A theme on here is how young many of us were when starting to visit pubs, they must have known in most cases, I assume if you behaved you were tolerated. It's a lot more tightly managed nowadays.
I too Was 15, early 1976, luckily my gran was head cook at said pub and i'm sure this was taken into consideration by the bar maid ,who incidentally I still know to this day, though not working bars any more.

[Rex_Rattus]

I am a bit embarrassed to have to confess that the first time I went into a pub was at the age of 17, soon after I started work. My parents never went into a pub and thus I never got taken into one, or had to wait outside with crisps and/or fizzy drink. My first pint in a pub was in 1967 when I would have been either 19 or 20 - although I had drunk numerous bottles of brown ale, and halfs of lager and lime before then.

I remember my first pint very well - it was Worthington E and was drunk in the vaults beneath The Buckingham Arms in Villiers St (long gone). Cost was somewhere between 1/- and 2/-. It was something of an epiphany moment - I couldn't believe the scales hadn't fallen from my eyes before then! Eventually real ale made a comeback and the rest is history.

[Strongers]

1/- and 2/-?

Groats and IOUs? :whistle:

[Rex_Rattus]

1/- and 2/-?

Groats and IOUs? :whistle:

Yeah, could have been! Seriously, you won't remember that this was one of the ways that shillings were represented!

[Wittenden]

1969, I should think,aged about 14 or 15, escaped from some school "jolly" in a village hall.The Woolpack,Chilham, http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/15733/.Now a Shep's pub, I don't think it was then, but can't remember what beer or brewery,only the utter sense of dread if caught out.(Schoolmasters had real power then, corporal punishment merely the start.)
I feel sorry for our children, with universal checking of IDs.

[AlanH]

Yeah, could have been! Seriously, you won't remember that this was one of the ways that shillings were represented!

Who else remembers paying for a pint in REAL money and what was the cheapest?

I remember paying 1/10 (1 shilling and 10 OLD pence for you youngsters ie. 9 NEW pence)
It was a shock in the Bridge Inn (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/70831/) one lunchtime when I handed a 2 shilling piece for my pint and got no change. Rip Off!:moremad: The first 2 Bob pint! In a Titbread House, they always were the dearest!
I guess this was in about 1969.

Several years later when I worked in The Cheshire Cheese in Altrincham (and old money had gone!), the Boddingtons Mild:notworthy: was 11p and the bitter 12.5p.
This was good value at the time as Boddies was always the cheapest::drinkup::bemerry:

[Maldenman]

I was too young to buy beer in £sd but I do recall my utter dismay when beer crept over 25p, meaning I could no longer get 4 pints for a quid. It was a double whammy as at around the same time the first Space Invaders machines arrived, meaning you had to find another 20p or so if you wanted a few games.

[Farway]

Who else remembers paying for a pint in REAL money and what was the cheapest?

I remember paying 1/10 (1 shilling and 10 OLD pence for you youngsters ie. 9 NEW pence)


So far I reckon my 10d [4 p ish] pint of Brickwoods around 1960 is the cheapest so far, now if I had been brave enough at 16 then the 3d [just over 1p] pint of scrumpy would clear the board

[Mobyduck]

Who else remembers paying for a pint in REAL money and what was the cheapest?

I remember real money well enough, but being 10 years old when it changed over I would have been pushing it a bit ordering a pint up.

[Farway]

I remember real money well enough,.

I recently found whilst clearing a drawer, loads of real money, threepenny bits 3d [a bit over 1p], tanners [6d, just over 2p], 2 bob bits AKA "Florin" [10p] but oddly enough no half crowns [12p ish]

Some are so old they even have King George V on them

I think I started collecting them because of the silver value exceeded the face value, which is now why we have mickey mouse money of plated steel

[Bucking Fastard]

we were all under age and he was by far the tallest.

This was my fate,coins shoved in my hand and told to push to the bar and order three pints of bitter because I was the tallest.First occurrance was before Palace v Orient in The Thomas Farley (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/66459/),which was absolutely heaving,so anyone would get served as long as they had the money.I wasn't hugely underage and could check the record books for the exact date.Price unknown,beer ? These days it's a Greene King pub ,so maybe the first paid for pint was GK IPA......shock horror.:eek:

Used to play darts and have a lunchtime pint in The Wheelwrights (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/54411/) while in the sixth form but we used to send any fifth formers packing before they got to the bar if they tried to invade our space.;)

[oldboots]

I think I started collecting them because of the silver value exceeded the face value, which is now why we have mickey mouse money of plated steel

Pre 1947 are the ones with real silver so your KGV ones should raise the price of pint or two. I heard that the Bank of England never got many ten-bob notes back after decimalisation (15th Feb 1971) because everyone kept them as souvenirs, I sometimes still call 50p coins ten bob bits. At least you can pick up modern "copper" coins with a magnet.

Yours,
Saddoe of North Yorkshire :(

[sheffield hatter]

... the Bank of England never got many ten-bob notes back after decimalisation (15th Feb 1971) because everyone kept them as souvenirs ...

I think maybe this was more because they were taken out of circulation before decimalisation, though I am sure many were kept back as you say. (I have one myself!). According to this Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_England_note_issues), "The ten shilling note was withdrawn on 20 November 1970 following the introduction on 14 October 1969 of the fifty pence coin."

My first drink in a pub was on the Friday before D-Day (that's D for Decimal - 1971 rather than the Normandy landings in 1944 :)): a Double Diamond in the since-demolished Cupid in Hemel Hempstead, costing 2/11 (or 2s 11d, just shy of 15p). My first real ale was a pint of Boddingtons in Lancaster in 1973, which cost 12½p.

[Pangolin]

Sad to relate that the obscure back street pub that we used to slope off school to was a Grotney house. No wonder we were never found there. I cannot remember if it was the dire Special, but I do recollect it was 1/10 a pint, although I tended to go for Light and Bitter at 2/2. A few years later, a friend introduced me to 'proper' beer and I was amazed to discover how nice it was!

I enjoyed sub-20p pints well into the 80's, in the West Mids and Manchester area, but especially from the much-missed Burts on the Isle of Wight. Ah the Volunteer at Ventnor...

[arwkrite]

My first pint was Double Diamond at one of the pubs in Longden Coleham, Shrewsbury. Back in 1964 us Air Cadets would pile into one pub and have a pint and a packet of crisps. Beer was about 1/- and crisps 3d. No one gave a toss about our age but then I do not remember any bad behaviour either.

[AlanH]

Is anyone on line who bought beer in the '50's or before? (even if you were only 7! :D).

[Mobyduck]

Is anyone on line who bought beer in the '50's or before? (even if you were only 7! :D).

Before my time.

[Farway]

Before my time.

And mine, and I would have been only 7, so had to stick to glass of lemonade & packet of crisps outside The Crown (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/27899/) Colham Green whilst my Grandad supped inside

I hope they have improved the vile outside toilets in the intervening 60 + years

[ETA]

this Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_England_note_issues), "The ten shilling note was withdrawn on 20 November 1970 following the introduction on 14 October 1969 of the fifty pence coin."



Were we really using 50p coins in 1969 - 3 years before we had new pence?

[Mobyduck]

Were we really using 50p coins in 1969 - 3 years before we had new pence?

Yes strange but true:confused:

[sheffield hatter]

Were we really using 50p coins in 1969 - 3 years before we had new pence?

The 50p coin was introduced October 1969 and the change over to decimal coinage was February 1971. That's 16 months, by my reckoning! Apart from that slight quibble, yes, I can remember the introduction of the seven-sided coin as being prior to the advent of "new pence".

One of the strange consequences of decimalisation was the way language changed too. Before, we had a penny, tuppence, thruppence, sixpence, etc. "Pence" in this context is clearly the plural of penny. However, if you were referring to more than one penny, the plural in normal usage was pennies. After D-Day this all changed, and we spoke of "three new pence" instead of "three pennies". This led to the use of "pence" as a general word for the new coinage, as in "have you got one pence?". So the old plural became the new singular. And now if I go to the post office for change and ask for a bag of tuppences, they don't know what I'm talking about. I have to say "two pence pieces".

[oldboots]

One of the strange consequences of decimalisation was the way language changed too. Before, we had a penny, tuppence, thruppence, sixpence, etc. "Pence" in this context is clearly the plural of penny. However, if you were referring to more than one penny, the plural in normal usage was pennies. After D-Day this all changed, and we spoke of "three new pence" instead of "three pennies". This led to the use of "pence" as a general word for the new coinage, as in "have you got one pence?". So the old plural became the new singular. And now if I go to the post office for change and ask for a bag of tuppences, they don't know what I'm talking about. I have to say "two pence pieces".

Round our way we always used pence never pennies as the suffix for values up to a shilling then either one and a number or one and x-pence. I think the new pence thing was due to people trying to stop confusion between the old and new money, some people talked about 3Dee and 3Pee and the Pee has remained with us. Another consequence was inflation, some items at, say, 4/7d became 47p overnight rather than 23p.

You could ask for "tuppenny bits" in the post office just to see what they say:evilgrin:

[RogerB]

I remember watching this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rOzF3QpJcw

[NickDavies]

I remember watching this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rOzF3QpJcw

It seemed to be on always especially when we got home from school. I don't think there was daytime TV then so they put it on before kids programs. I remember things like Mars bars were 9d which became 4p. So two Mars bars in old money was 1/6d but 8p in new. As LSD and decimal ran in parallel for some time shopkeepers were obliged to take both but some weren't keen on snotty nosed schools kids insisting on paying a shilling and a sixpence - 7.5p for such sweets rather than 8p.

[Mobyduck]

I remember watching this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rOzF3QpJcw
Fantastic ,I too remember this, Its funny how a thread can go off on a tangent but its all good stuff,(for us Wrinklies anyway)!;)

[gillhalfpint]

Brings back memories. I got really mad with Italian cafe when my lunchtime 4d pasty was suddenly 4p. All I got was a shrug when I queried it and take it or leave it attitude.

[Mobyduck]

Brings back memories. I got really mad with Italian cafe when my lunchtime 4d pasty was suddenly 4p. All I got was a shrug when I queried it and take it or leave it attitude.

That's What I call inflation.

[Millay]

I remember watching this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rOzF3QpJcw

Can't say I remember that, although I did recognise Mum from On The Buses.

[Mobyduck]

Can't say I remember that, although I did recognise Mum from On The Buses.

yes Doris Hare I think also seen in the likes of Benny Hill and Corrie among'st others.

[Alesonly]

Yes I do remember that as well I also remember Buying the Odd pint bottle of cider in the Off Licence in £/S/D with me paper round money as I was only about 14 at the time and not old enough to go in a Pub. :D :D That 9s/6d a Week seemed to go a long way back then.

[Farway]

Yes I do remember that as well I also remember Buying the Odd pint bottle of cider in the Off Licence in £/S/D with me paper round money as I was only about 14 at the time and not old enough to go in a Pub. :D :D That 9s/6d a Week seemed to go a long way back then.

Ah, I bought Woodbines with my paper round money, from same shop as I had the round from. Seems life for nippers was much easier then, no ID card to buy fags or booze

I even managed to buy vinegar on a Sunday from same shop

For the younger viewers, it was illegal to sell non perishable items on Sundays, and most shops except newsagents were shut, by law, anyway

[Mobyduck]

Anybody remember the the bottle and jug at your local pub, managed to obtain much underage cider through these means.:drinkup:

[Alesonly]

Yes I remember getting sent as a kid to the Railway Tavern in Ponders End many of time for family & neighbours. There Jug & Bottle was on the right hand side of pub as you viewed it from the outside when you went inside there was a serving hatch on the left that opened onto the bar end. I Got many of bottles of Beer & crisps from there sneaking the odd one for myself as I got older. They only sold smiths plain crisps in those days at first with the little bag of salt. Then came Cheese & Onion and it seemed a luxury if you got the C&O.

[Lady Grey]

The House in the tree, Cheltenham - probably cider!