Category Archives: Work

Birthdays

I’ve never really been into birthdays. Maybe I’ve had a lot of disappointments; I don’t know. But, since my late 20s (which was a long time ago), I just haven’t bothered.

But, four years ago, with three partners, I opened a bar. Because I wasn’t into birthdays, the bar opened on my birthday. I did say that I wasn’t bothered but, after weeks of hard work, I probably needed a night off.

The thing about a night (or day) off, it’s sort of expected that you have one on your birthday. Of course, that’s not always possible. I had a ‘proper’ job for a long time and having a birthday free was never an issue. Although I wasn’t too bothered back then.

Well, there was always the ability to get time off when you needed (or wanted) it.

It’s not quite so simple when you run a bar.

I don’t want to turn this into a moan about getting time off when running a bar. It’s not.

I think I’d have liked a day off on my birthday this year (it was a big one). I should probably have conveyed that to my colleagues. Things have been busy.

That’s four birthdays in the bar that I’ve worked. The last couple were start to finish.

Going forward, I probably just need to say I’m having a day off. Or maybe I should retire.

Retirement

For me, early retirement happened six and a bit years ago. It lasted just a few months.

Getting involved in a pub was an accident, one of those random things you do after a drink, in the heat of the moment, or in a moment of insanity.

But that pub led to a little cooperative opening a little bar in a sorely neglected part of Gateshead.

It’s hard work and my retirement went out the window (because, if you run a bar, you should be there – in my opinion, that is).

We’re a partnership. We agree mostly, but sometimes we don’t. And somehow it works.

It’s not the best paid job, sometimes it’s not paid at all. But we have a bar. In Gateshead. And it’s the best bar in Gateshead.

And the bestest ever moment, is sitting with a beer, waiting for the next bus after the bar’s closed for the day.

The bestest.

A long time ago

I don’t often post pictures of myself.

Someone I worked with a long time ago, sadly died a year or two ago. I’d not seen them in ages and they’d retired years ago.

Some old photos they’d taken back then seem to have been passed to someone from their team.

This is one of those photos, a picture of a picture.

I’ve no memory of the picture of the event, but I do remember the guys I was with. They were also team leaders in the same group.

Those windows definitely weren’t those of the office, so this must have been taken at an off site conference or other event.

I could easily be wrong, but I’d make a guess at the early 90s.

It’s pretty scary how time goes so quickly.

Bakewell

I’d never been to Bakewell before, or (until a couple of years ago) know about the Peakender beer festival. I really wanted to go last year, but knew it wouldn’t be wise to leave the bar for four days in our first year (I’d already done that for Glastonbury).

So, this year, we made the decision to go as a team and close the bar. We didn’t regret it for a second.

The festival was more than a beer thing, there was music and a lovely vibe about the place. It was dog friendly and we even found a nearby stream for the hound.

The Thornbridge brewery tap room was a must at the close of the festival, as was some time in the town itself.

And we were so pleased that the van only smoked a little bit and just one bit fell off.

Whitby

I’ve been a CAMRA member for a few years now, since before I became involved in bars, but I’d never taken part in activities or excursions.

Working in the current bar has changed that; a lot of guys who’re members come into the bar and we know a lot of them by name.

When an email popped up, mentioning a trip to Whitby, we agreed a team Microbus outing. This happened on Saturday and we all had a great day. The trip was so well organised, but, after a visit to Whitby Brewery, there wasn’t an agenda. The opposite was the case, since some of the bars couldn’t accommodate everyone at the same time.

This was the first time all of us have have had a day out together since opening the bar – we’re all rarely in the same place at the same time.

We realised that we can do more to promote future events. We’ve some ideas. We’ll certainly take part in another.

Christmas camping

Christmas, the perfect time of year for camping.

Think about it; Boxing Day bus services end pretty early in the day. And it can be a real pain to get a cab late at night.

Fortunately, when faced with a long, cold walk home last night, there was an alternative.

Scaffolding in the snow

While waiting for a bus after work last night, I noticed that the scaffolding (which has been there for months) around the railway bridge was being taken down.

It all looked good in the snow.