What a week of sport! Two test victories and Pakistan along with big football news that Birmingham City remain unbeaten since November 12th following their goalless draw in Blackpool.
Last year’s debacle at Bloomfield Road saw us fall to a 6-1 defeat and I left my phone at home meaning I missed a beer with Blackpool Jane afterwards and, was rightly outed for failing to adhere to blogging rule no 375, you must turn up for a beer with a blogger when arranged!
Of lesser importance than Blues’ draw at Blackpool and this week’s fixture against Duncan’s mob, Reading if you didn’t know, is the World Cup.
England didn’t win – they tried their best – and normality returns with some sub-zero football and Friday night post work drinks – the golden hour as Martin often refers to.
781 – The Kings Arms LE12 5LD is one of those pubs that’s a bit of a ‘village all-rounder’ in Hathern. It’s a village in North West Leicestershire, not far from those honeypots of Coalville and Shepshed, so from good stock.
This boozer is on the main drag and crossroads, which is easy to spot and within walking distance of plenty of chimney pots and shops so well situated.
It was Friday night around 7 when I popped in for a pint and it had the gloriously chaotic feel of a ‘proper pub’
It’s a Marston’s 2-1 style place, (do they still exist?) and the bar staff looked like it had been busy as they were under the cosh but still friendly. All the cask as finished for the night so a pint of Hobgoblin IPA on Keg (Wychwood) was order of the day and the trainee barmaid was helped by the gaffer to ensure it had some semblance of a head on it
There was a lad playing pool who looked like he had been in since knocking off at about 4pm, as he was wasted and indulging in some pub bantz with a lad.
“I don’t want to pay pool with you because you’re s***” said the slightly less hammered lad and the lad with the cap kept repeating the same question, which is s a sure fire sign of being on the sauce.
The bantz continued around pool playing ability and girlfriends whilst most of the rest of the party were slowly drifting home after what looked like a top couple of hours.
He was getting ever closer to the lad and a girl sitting with him and she was moving ever further away in between pool shots!
A couple next to me were necking he lager whilst waiting for a late tea and it looked a like a proper local pub that sells food as opposed to anything else.
A footfall of people coming and going was good and I always like to sit in the bar area as there is often much more going on…
Nearly five quid for a pint of Hobgoblin shows just how tricky the balancing act is for pubs at present and the tipping point must be coming soon…however, enjoy the glorious British pub whilst it’s still here in all it’s various guises.
Life After Football 
It’s seems like a recent trend that pints are going up in price by quite a bit. BRAPA paid really high prices the other day and I seem to read 5 pounds or more a pint quite often now. It doesn’t seem that long ago that just over 4 pounds a pint would set people off.
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You’re not wrong Dave!! Between £4 and £5 is the norm nowadays but I can’t blame the pubs….high bills is hurting them and I think the tipping pint when regulars start going out less and less due to cost is looming…
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Normally, since we are on vacation when I am paying for them, I don’t pay that much attention to pint prices. I think Simon paid 7 pounds in London. That would catch my attention for sure.
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London had always had its own rules but lots of people with cash to back it up…it’s when the price hikes reach the shires and nationwide that the problems will start…
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Now that was a proper pub visit Beermat. Loved the pool story. Agree with you about the pricing now, there does come a point when it’s too much (particularly with all that’s going on currently) and folk either go out less or choose to drink at home. I’d best cram is any many pub visits as I can in that case !!
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It would be rude not too!!!
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