Unusually I drove out yesterday a Saturday, a few dozen miles to a town I know the other side of northern England, I needed a change of scene and to hopefully chat to a few people I sort of know a little or thirty years. The day was okay, missed seeing Pauline, her place is now condemned, and my excuse for the carbon footprint on this is that already my small car is only running 8k miles annually as opposed to what would have been 18k miles in years gone by. Gone is the horse charity work and a strange marriage that ‘drove me’ to places as now dog-less I’d never venture; memories suffice. Recently merely a second time such a ‘need’ has overcome me … last exercised a year ago. Result not too exciting admittedly but actually the best part was the journey across this part of northern England, through some always interesting landscape and a chance to criss-cross on foot the two towns I know best.
What struck me and horrified me was the amount of hardcore heavy drinking spilling out from the main watering holes, and this at 6pm! I doubt they could be very well off and wonder what hardship this causes at home, my wife grew up in a household where weekends were hell, as she many times told me “When drinks in wit is out”. Luckily she was able to move to her grandmothers age eleven and gain some peace and quiet, and yes her parents were usually stoney-broke, looked it, sounded it and what would be termed disadvantaged by the social workers.
Noise, volume, heated banter, all which covid would enjoy, likewise the other town I drove over to in taking a walk to the lake; I had no idea the town became a drinkers mecca on a Saturday night, silly me …. how else could all these pubs and eateries justify their existance! I cannot myself see the point, value or pleasure in this, a certain type only is drawn to it. I’ve never had the luxury to throw money away in such a manner, admittedly I did have a half year of pub visiting when in digs but soon met my wife thankfully and the interest quickly waned, we actually moved town and being strangers never did fall into any pattern of ‘going out’. My pleasure nearest to this is enjoy my own home cooking and some late evening beer at home, any pub or bar will never see my presence nor my money.
My point is, covid deaths are still high if I’m reading the news correctly and after all the sacrifices made, surely the pendulum is swinging too far in the opposite direction? Is this a smokescreen from Boris Johnson to deflect from his own disastrous predicament? The next thing is they’ll be having a war, an age old diversion for such times as now.
On the drive back at our local town there is a tiny public house, recently converted from a small office premises say ten years ago just before the T**ford Bridge and it was full packed with drinkers, mostly older and windows all steamed up, only one single doorway as access. Again, why?
climate-change-briefing 