Out with the old...

[DaveB]

I've no idea what the hourly rate is for a master electrician Joe but what I DO know is that for a mediocre electrician, you pay an arm and a leg.. same with a plumber! Their excuse is they go to night school/college for years so we all pay for that for the rest of their lives!

Paul.. yes mate, that's the plan. I have no aspiration to be CEO of a company or even work for myself for that matter. Being told what to do will suit me just fine I've heard nothing back from National Express so I guess they have no need for a mid-50's trainee bus driver but I've markers down with the Post Office and an application form for Arriva to send off. A couple of the big supermarkets are about to revamp their stores/build new ones so I'll be knocking on their doors when the time comes. Funny.. when I was in the Navy and Bruce Hornsby's 'The way it is' was popular.. the troops in our mess used to call it 'Get a Job' and that bloody song has been going round in my head almost constantly of late!

ATB
DaveB

[airboatr]

Their excuse is they go to night school/college for years so we all pay for that for the rest of their lives!

ATB
DaveB

sad thing is I've met too many guys who can pass the test, but get them out into field, and they couldn't wire themselves out of a paper bag.

here's a tip. If sparky shows up with crappy tools, send him packing.

love ta come and help ya , but airlines won't take beer as payment. I on the other hand I would.

[paulsl]

G'day again Dave,

Many thanks for the reply. I didn't mean to pry in to the personal side of the business but it gives a clear insight into what a pack of numpties are managing the brewery companies these days. Several years ago my niece had a go at being a landlady in Ashton-Under-Lyne. She had quite a nice little business going but the brewery just would not leave her alone. In the end though it was the same thing that got her - not enough bums on seats. It's a simple economic reality that the breweries seem incapable of understanding.

Anyway, it's quite a big move (in more ways than one) you've made at our time of life and I can but admire your testicular fortitude. I've always thought there's work for those that want it and you've been a pub landlord - anything else would have to be easy!

All the very best wishes for the future.

Paul

[Paul K]

Funny.. when I was in the Navy and Bruce Hornsby's 'The way it is' was popular.. the troops in our mess used to call it 'Get a Job' and that bloody song has been going round in my head almost constantly of late!

ATB
DaveB

Good grief! My last day in the Merchant Navy before flying home to redundancy, I was sitting in a favourite bar in the Japanese city of Chiba, and guess what was on the juke box ? Bruce Hornsby's 'The Way It Is'. I am not joking, it was playing and its significance was not lost on me.

Amazing that we are all so much fellow travellers.

[DaveB]

Hi Paul/s (makes a change from too many David's)

First to paulsl..
You weren't prying mate and I didn't consider it as such. It was an opportunity to show the economics of the problem and the 'hopeless' situation we've found ourselves in Breweries.. and Marston's are no exception.. always 'expect' more than is 'reasonable' in order to keep the bean pushers/investors happy and we're used to that. The first 14 or so years in this business were as managers working for breweries so we're well versed in their rather oblique look (or outlook) on what should or should not be happening. Our last operators went bankrupt after screwing us for some 5 years as 'pseudo tennants'.. a place we never intended to be but were forced into, so the life blood of the business has been creamed off for some time. Marston's 'fell by' The Bull as they bought up EP's estate after they (EP) returned to what they know best.. wines and spirits. The lease had already been bought by Inntown (the tossers who killed us and walked off laughing) so Marston's have got the pub for a song. OK.. they may have been liable for 12months rent (which we'd paid to Inntown but they'd not paid to the landlords.. Wellington PLC) but that doesn't amount to the cost of the lease so they're still in the green in the grand scale of things Bottom line.. we're fed up of being screwed and to go to Marston's 'control' would've been no different

To Paul K..
Yup.. I can still pretty much trace a song or a moment in time by what ship I was on or a combination of all three. Are we sad or what! Bless 'em.. both the RN and Merchant navies instill a certain 'something' that try as you might, you can't get rid of or couldn't even if you wanted to. Of course, there are 'passengers' in all walks of life and sadly.. those 'areseholes' tend to get higher up whatever ladder they're on than is just. Such is life Sailors the world over all have something in common.. I guess airforces and soldiers too but who gives a S**t about them Hat's off to Bruce Hornsby

ATB
DaveB

[Filonian]

All the very best to you and yours Dave, and whatever you turn your hand to, may it prove to be every success.

Know about the moving. I've always moved to where work is - world doesn't owe me a living style. When we moved ion here, I said that's it, only way I'm coming out of here is in a box. If the job goes tits up, I'll commute.

I don't care whar anyone says, moving is one of the mst stressful things you can do, and eventually, as in our case, the day comes when enough is enough.

Once again Dave, all the very best to you and yours for the future.


Graham

[Archer]

Hi Dave,

Sorry to hear that you're leaving the pub, I've still got the address stored somewhere for when I'm next in the area but I guess that we'll have to skip that. I can only wish you all the best with finding something to do and let us know when you've found a good local pub as I'm sure I'm not the only one who'll buy you a pint there.

[DaveB]

Cheers guys

Jelle.. I'd like to say that finding a good local wouldn't be difficult. I grew up in the house I'm moving to and know all the local pubs However.. one has been closed for a couple of years now.. another has been turned into an 'Indian'.. the main one in the village I'd not care to go in unless I was mob handed which leaves one more (it's Marston's so I have an axe to grind) and 2 working mens clubs. One of these I can remember going in for as long as I can remember and our membership is up to date I'll get used to whatever they sell as it's cheaper than anywhere else.. except the other working mens club which my dad didn't care for so we rarely went in There's a good chance my daughter will get a part time job in that one though so my affiliations may have to change. My uncle is on the committee too

ATB
DaveB