I can still clearly remember that first day, it was on a Saturday afternoon that I arrived with my parents and after unpacking found myself having to get ready for my first shift in the dinning room, my parents came up to my room an hour before starting work and bade me farewell before departing back to Nottingham leaving me alone and feeling somewhat unsure of my surroundings and of what was expected of me.
The Talbot Hotel
This was my first visit back to Stow since the early Seventies, the Talbot is no longer a hotel but a public house which unfortunately was closed due to refurbishment, although the building has not changed, all the rooms apparently have been turned into offices and shops.
A lot of memories came flooding back during my visit. I could clearly remember the regular customers we had who came in either just for a drink or an evening meal.
Entrance to the hotel, the step on the right was the residents lounge and further along on the right was the main reception.
Mr Biggs, a bank manager used to frequently come in for a drink at lunch times and during the evening, his idea of consuming a pint of beer was to open his throat and pour it down in two seconds flat. (He was once timed). It was the same routine with every pint he had. How could he say that was a good pint when he didn’t have the time to taste it?
Another regular was a Mr Jones and his wife, they used to come for a meal on some Saturday nights, he was usually plastered by the time he got to the table and that meant anything could happen!! We had two large statues of the Talbot dogs that sat on plinths in the dinning room between the tables, being a retired vet he used to take great delight in spreading mustard on the bitches’ nipples saying that’ll keep the dog off her much to the amusement of other customers.
The courtyard now full of shops, the dining room and kitchens were to the left, the building at the end was the Annexe to the hotel.
Mr Crow was another dreaded customer, he was of short dumpy appearance with a rounded face, he wore purple rounded rimmed spectacles along with a purple suit and drove a Mercedes car with purple stripes. Mr Crow was known for his enthusiasm to try to pick fault with anything and everyone if the service did not match his expectations. He always sat at his favourite table.......Table six as it was known.........one evening I found myself in the unfortunate position of serving him, he had ordered a Rump Steak for his main course, the starter was consumed without complaint but after being served the steak he summoned me over with the click of his finger and said it was not cooked properly, I duly apologised and returned the steak to Ron the chef…. Now anyone who has worked in a hotel and is aware of those who find nothing but faults with the meals will know what is likely to follow!!………
“And what is wrong with it?â€
:redface: