Oh dear Jack! Will you & Les be OK in the Ladies Lounge?
I might have to leave that question for Les to answer. As I said I haven’t been in an old fashioned pub for 20 years or more. The few bars that I have been in, mainly for a meal when travelling, have been large and family friendly and full of young people drinking concoctions I have never heard of.
No, I have not become antisocial. Increasingly clubs have taken over the function that pubs provided and even if you are not a member, when more than 10 km from home, you can sign in at the front door and enjoy most of the facilities available to members. Of course, there are a few exclusive, and expensive, clubs but I have no reason to join them, even if they would admit me as a member.
I am a member of two golf clubs, two ex-service clubs (even though I am not an ex-serviceman), a rugby club, a workers’ club (even though I am not a worker) and a surf club. This probably needs explaining. I am a member of a second golf club because it is the one we play at in Sydney every week with a bunch who are long term members and it is cheaper to be a member than to pay green fees. I am a member of two of the clubs because many years ago they ran into financial difficulties and offered perpetual membership for the cost of 5 years membership and so I am a member until I die, although because it is no longer convenient, l never visit them. Some of the other clubs that I am a member, or have been on a short term basis, is because membership is cheaper than the benefits that accrue. Because of the licensing laws, for a reason I don’t understand, clubs need to attract a big membership and so membership is cheap.
I joined a surf club in Surfers Paradise last year because when we visit the grandkids in Brisbane we sometimes go with the family down the coast to watch them play on the beach. The surf club club offers members 10% off food and drinks. I shouted the family lunch and more than covered a years membership out of my discount.
Anyway, back to pubs. I have no evidence for this, but I picture Les as a frequent visitor to an old fashioned pub where he has a seat at, or near the bar, which every one knows as Les’s seat and whenever he goes there, he never lacks a friend to drink with.
I just re-tried the Jack Thompson clips at work. Bizarrely I actually thought they might work on YouTube here rather than at home. What sort of twisted logic is that? Anyway what it actually says is "This video is not available. Sorry about that" Then a large rectangular unsmiley face bit like this.
No worries, Pen, she’ll be right. Someone will come up with an answer sooner or later.
Pip pip Old Bean
I gotta make tracks and get my head back on the pillow.