Many of the old traditional pubs have now gone and for others the only means of survival is to become a ‘foodie’ pub or pub restaurant but in recent times there has been a resurgence in traditional ale houses in the form of micropubs which seem to have replaced many of the old style drinking haunts, many frequented by a new and growing following of connoisseurs of real ale and good old conversation.
Exciting menus, deals of the day and happy hours are all familiar messages displayed for us all to see by landlords trying to capture an audience, but offering something a little different to tempt the punters inside is becoming very much more competitive and increasingly difficult.
The large branded chains of pubs have the advantage of economies of scale, able to offer subsidised beer due to the volumes they sell. They often offer subsidised food, free Sky TV and a host of other goodies to make you reach for your wallet. Their format is familiar, their prices consistent across the group and their loyal following appreciate paying rock-bottom prices.
Micropubs and traditional independently-owned free houses are different and attract a different audience who look for quality of product, often locally brewed and where cheap beer isn’t the order of the day, but more importantly it’s the choice and quality of real ales at reasonable prices, and where the emphasis is on conversation and having fun that are the main attractions, rather than being glued to a huge TV screen watching the latest Sky Sports offering.
Many pubs leave a lasting impression, great food or drink perhaps, lovely gardens, stunning views, or something quirky inside. Expect the unexpected when it comes to the loos.
Gents toilets come in various forms and I thought the three examples here (which I have utilised on my travels) might bring a smile or tempt you to visit them yourselves.
The second image is the hand flush at The Waterworks in Rye, an ingenious use of a beer pump to flush the system, cheekily labelled ‘Doombar’ and created by local, Tim Morgan. The main photo is of the gents at The Bell Inn at Ticehurst where the urinals are a trio of old European tubas where you can have a tinkle (sorry, couldn’t resist that one) and the last image is another ingenious use of old beer barrels which have been repurposed as urinals, at The Ship Inn, Shaftesbury.
If you have seen something similar on your travels why not send your photo in and see where this takes us, a little bit of fun and a relief from some of the many serious issues in the press currently.
Image Credits: Instagram , Nick Forman .