The Friendship

[spot]

I have, as it happens, quite liked the idea of managing a pub. Opening one here might be part of the learning process.

The problem with opening one in town is - and I've worked the spreadsheets to check - a matter of getting enough turnover to cover the staff expenses. A pub (in England at any rate) tends to be an urban affair with most of its clientèle living within walking distance. An inn, by contrast, is a village or rural place, often near running water and a road junction. Where an inn exists now in an urban environment it's because it used to be a place where coaches picked up, set down and changed horses. The call for urban inns has long since past.

But a rural inn, which has guests who travel to reach it, is the right model for The Friendship. Since I'm designing it I'll describe it. There's a Public Bar, a Lounge, the manager's Snug, a couple of back rooms for hire or for private parties and a long bar upstairs which gets opened when there's a lot of custom or for a live music night with a booked band. The ground floor rooms are all stone-flagged, stone-walled with a white wash, sparse decoration, an upright piano, some instruments on the wall which are playable (several bodhran and violas, a couple of violins, a set of Northumbrian pipes, an upright double bass with a bow in a holster, penny whistles, a flute and, incongruously, a saxophone and a clarinet). The upper floor is wood-floored, shelved for books. All the floors are spread with coarse sawdust before opening and swept after closing which gives a distinctive resiny smell to the place. The toilets are outdoors, the lighting is poor, the staff have cudgels in reach behind the bars. There are dartboards, darts and cards and dominoes behind the bar and a few cribbage boards for older visitors who know what to do with them. One door leads to an indoor alley equipped for Nine Man's Morris. There are many heavy wooden tables which easily seat eight at their benches, a few smaller tucked into corners, occasional chairs to adjust matters as needed. None of the bars have barstools, all have brass footrests.

We stock a surprisingly wide range of bitters and mild ales, lager alcohol-free and otherwise, cider (sweet or still), barley wines, assorted apple spirits, wines by the bottle (we're not prepared to serve by the glass but we do supply a house red and a house white by the jug), spirits and mixers.

The staff will refuse more alcohol to anyone they consider to be fighting drunk though they'll continue to serve them refreshments.

We have snacks, we have a dining area, we have a chef, we have a substantial plat du jour immediately available for any traveller in need of a meal.

Ladies and gentlemen, The Friendship is now open for business. The proprietor is anxious to interview staff and serve you right.

[minks]

will you be in direct competition with Bothwells????

[spot]

Competition in what sense, minksy? There'll be as many posts in Bothwell's Pub as ever, I'd have thought. I don't see the existence of a second pub on ForumGarden as competition any more than having an inn out in the countryside would reduce the trade in a town centre pub. If it turns out that ForumGarden's denizens can't summon up the posts needed to support two pubs then I'm sure this one will wither, dry up, cease business and fade into oblivion. Bothwells Pub is far too long established and built into the fabric of the site to be in any danger of closing.

[minks]

Originally Posted by spot

Competition in what sense, minksy? There'll be as many posts in Bothwell's Pub as ever, I'd have thought. I don't see the existence of a second pub on ForumGarden as competition any more than having an inn out in the countryside would reduce the trade in a town centre pub. If it turns out that ForumGarden's denizens can't summon up the posts needed to support two pubs then I'm sure this one will wither, dry up, cease business and fade into oblivion. Bothwells Pub is far too long established and built into the fabric of the site to be in any danger of closing.

well brave man if you can make this one a go and we can keep the other afloat then I think you are on to something. I just wondered what would happen to either if both were running on similar context... or do you think some people will sit in one with a certain sect while others visit the other... and next thing we know we have rivalry's, and gossip, and he said's and she said's Oh My Oh My the complication of it all....
Oh never mind. knock yourself out Spot it could be fun

[spot]

As it happens I once worked full time as a barman in a city pub for about six months - I ran bar shifts for years in a company club too. At the pub I ran my shifts in charge of the Public, I got to know my regulars, I called in extra staff when the load was too much for one person and if it quietened I helped out in the Lounge for a few minutes when they needed it. I often walked the three miles home after midnight when I'd finished cleaning up after we closed. I can pull pints, I can mix cocktails, I can talk the talk when someone new's at the bar and needs to socialize. People would spend some time in my Public while being regulars at other pubs too. The idea of dropping into more than one venue of an evening surely can't be that unusual.

[minks]

Originally Posted by spot

As it happens I once worked full time as a barman in a city pub for about six months - I ran bar shifts for years in a company club too. At the pub I ran my shifts in charge of the Public, I got to know my regulars, I called in extra staff when the load was too much for one person and if it quietened I helped out in the Lounge for a few minutes when they needed it. I often walked the three miles home after midnight when I'd finished cleaning up after we closed. I can pull pints, I can mix cocktails, I can talk the talk when someone new's at the bar and needs to socialize. People would spend some time in my Public while being regulars at other pubs too. The idea of dropping into more than one venue of an evening surely can't be that unusual.

well then your experience speaks volumes and yes you are quite right more than one place to stop in for some R & R is a fine idea.... Bring on the grand opening of "The Friendship"

[CARLA]

Spot are women allowed in the "Nine Man's Morris". What the heck is it I'm game. pass me a Guinness cheers to "The Friendship".

[along-for-the-ride]

Spot, is this what you have in mind? I'll have an "old-fashion"..but first you have to tell me what's in it?

[Mustang]

Stopping in to have a shot and a beer with Spot. Nice to see another inn being started up.

[spot]

Some people might call it Skittles but on ForumGarden that's not a word to be used lightly. Mixed teams are fine, we're not prejudiced any longer. We'll use my local rules if that's alright, I'll adapt them from the Portishead Pill and District League Rules, they're simple enough. Here's the Guinness, we only have draught not bottled, we don't serve halves, we only serve it slightly chilled but don't tell the suppliers or they'll refuse to deliver.

An Old-Fashioned for AFTR... the right glass inverted, dip it into the saucer of sweet cooking sherry, then into the sugar bowl, then turn it the right way up, two ice cubes, a double measure of brandy and two dashes of Angostura Bitters, a twist of lemon peel on the rim. That'll be three and eight please if you're paying for the both of you.

The nearest to a shot we stock would be Jack Daniels and I think you'd best have a cold Fosters, English beer wouldn't really go. One and ten please.