The Queen’s Head II

I had a look at the planning application for the Queen’s Head this evening. Regrettably, the application is for a proposed conversion to 14 (yes, 14) bedsits.

I’d clearly misread the Council notice in the street, concluding that the proposal related to flats. Since this is a conservation area, there aren’t major exterior changes.

The pub may have been pretty nasty, and it’d be wrong for an old building (already in a poor state of repair), to slowly fall apart. But a conversion to bedsits feels to be simply a money making venture, with little regard to either the conservation area or the community.

The Queen’s Head

The Queen’s Head, just down the road, has never been my most favourite pub. It clearly had a good life in the 80s, judging by the decor, but has since been sadly neglected.

But, old pubs (I must confess that the above is a five year-old picture from the internet) should have a future; they should have a role in the community. And maybe make a profit too. The Queen’s Head hasn’t been doing very well of late, customers were few in number over the past year or so, then the bar closed a little while back.

Just a year or two ago, the place was really busy, so I don’t quite understand what went wrong. The recession?Â But the beer was cheap. Bad (and changes of) management, I think. The Traveller’s Rest is at risk too, I suspect.

You know when a pub is nearing the end when there’s a karaoke most nights. I’m not exactly sure when theÂ Queens actually closed, but it was pretty recent.

The sad thing is that, prior to it’s 20th Century modernisation, the pub was pretty lovely. The top floor is clearly a modern addition, but I’m unclear as to when this was added.

I have to admit that I’ve been hoping for years that someone would spend a little money and restore the building to its former glory. But that’s not going to happen.

I guess it’s irrelevant now though; the place is closed and there’s an application to convert it to flats.

The Old Cannon, just a bit further down the road, and with a lot more history (just look it up), closed some time before the Queens. It, however,Â (and, fortunately) has no rear access for parking, so I’m hoping it may survive.

Breaking free

Yesterday, after work, I visited the City Tavern, with a colleague from work. He drank Bruges, while I had Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Pleasant conversation was had, followed by a quite random text message conversation. While in the bar, we noticed that an employee, possibly the manager, resembled Freddie Mercury on a bad hoovering day. After we’d parted company, texts were exchanged, mostly related to Queen song titles. While this was enjoyable, I didn’t do very well and had to concede defeat.

Learning

I went on a learning, to learn the ways of man. A few years ago, after a march across the site at Glastonbury, I caught the last half hour of Joe Gideon & the Shark’s set. Which included the end of Kathy Ray, which was worth rushing for after hearing it from a distance, and Civilisation, both favourites of mine.

I’ve only seen them live three times; the first when they supported Lisa Germany in a club in London, eight or nine years ago. And then there was that half set in the old Q Magazine bar, the Queen’s Head, at Glastonbury, and a gig at the Head of Steam (on my birthday, if I recall correctly). The latter was memorable for an unplanned reunion with Karl and a huge row with a former spouse.

Anyway, I’ve been looking forward to seeing them at the Cluny tomorrow evening. The booking system didn’t seem to be working very well, and I’d held off buying because I’d been attempting to persuade someone to go with me (unsuccessfully, I should say, but it wouldn’t have been the first time I’d gone to a gig by myself).

I’m not sure why, but I checked the band’s website this evening, only to find that the tour (Joe Gideon and Jim Sclavanus, rather than the Shark) has been postponed to later in the year. Admittedly, I’m disappointed, but there’s relief that I’ll not be turning up for a cancelled gig.

The Learning quote was from Civilisation, a track from their Harum Scarum album. It’s not exactly mainstream, but I can recommend it.

Mars

A view of Mars in a hundred years or so.

Well, a view of the future from 1960. Apparently, the Earth is at risk of becoming ‘a mass of boiling mud’. A rogue spaceship, controlled only by its ‘electronic brain’, is destined for collision. Fortunately, an attempt is to be made to reach the spaceship, Alpha Two, from Venus. And Venus is just a short trip from Mars.

Oh, a detour must first be made to rescue people from a lost ‘space taxi’.

Assignment Outer Space (1960). I need to stop watching this rubbish; I’m not twelve any more.

Design flaw

The door of my eldest daughter’s washing machine recently parted company from the machine itself. On inspection, I could see that the door was attached with two screws, through the hinge, directly into corresponding holes in the front of the casing. The screws were short and probably self tapping, since there was nothing obvious to receive them. I effected a temporary repair, using silicone, knowing it would only last a day. It lasted two.

When the door once more rejoined the floor, I took it home to drill larger holes in the hinge to accommodate more substantial screws. The new metal drill bits, purchased when fitting stove pipes, worked a treat, drilling through 3mm of hinge in seconds. The replacement, slightly larger, screws fitted the hinge perfectly too. When finished, I removed the drill bit I’d used and inserted the original masonry bit.

On the morning of the day I’d arranged to return with the newly drilled door, I picked up the bag of new screws from the kitchen table (from among the other packs of screws I’d been considering) when leaving for work. At the last minute, I also decided to take the drill in case larger screws were needed.

That evening, after work, I attempted to re-fit the door. Unfortunately, it transpired that I’d pocketed the wrong packet of screws. They were too small and wouldn’t bite. So there was a trip home to collect the correct packet. Which were also slightly too small.

I returned this evening with larger screws. Which wouldn’t fit the holes in the bracket. Fortunately, I’d left my drill at my daughter’s, so I was able to drill larger holes. Or at least attempt to. Regrettably, the masonry bit proved to be wholly ineffective. So, once more, I needed to return home to collect the appropriate drill bits.

To conclude, my repair was successful. The door appears to be firmly reattached. Since my second in command had acted as taxi driver on both occasions, she may not have been entirely pleased with my errors. It’s possibly no coincidence that, as a reward for successfully repairing the washing machine, I was allowed to watch the Liverpool – Manchester United game this evening.

The pit

Quatermass and the Pit, that is.

Quatermass

Or rather, Quatermass ii. The whole series, from 1955, is on YouTube. The film quality isn’t brilliant, but it matches my (very young) childhood memory. The sound’s surprisingly good though; I’m assuming it’s been cleaned up.

It’s so bad, it’s actually quite good. Quatermass and the Pit next I think. It won’t take long to watch this series, since they’re only half hour episodes.