Blog: Talking of Pubs...

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Talking of pubs, as the below indeed is (as one of the larger themes of The Album is The Pub), i am happy to report that i may have found my NEW LOCAL. HOLA!

One of the culture shocks of my recent big move was the fact that i was no longer within easy walking distance of The Pump & Tap, the pub in Leicester which has been my de facto local for about fourteen years. There were gaps in my affiliation, and I didn't always go there every week, even if i could have done, but for almost my entire time in Leicester the Pump & Tap was the place i popped in to meet people on the way into town, or dropped into on the way back from somewhere, or nipped to for a quick one for lasties, or just spent many many many nights slouching in slagging off other people in bands. It was never really my main pub - the Durham Ox, the Magazine, and the Angel were the places where people knew my name and what i drank - but it was always the MISTRESS, and when i went back to Leicester for the weekend it was the obvious place to go.

So recently, when i was arranging to meet some people in Scenic Leytonstone, it was a bit weird to NOT have an Obvious Place To Go, and i found myself FLOUNDERING, even - gird yourself - suggesting going into a Weatherspoons pub! I know! So, imagine my pleasure when, after QUALITY TIME spent walking across Wansted Flats, the Light Of My Life suggested we just pop into the pub for a swift one (thus illustrating one of the MANY reasons i love here), and the pub we popped into turned out to be LOVELY. There was BEER available that was nice! There was a MIXTURE of people, young and old, groovy and not, just lurking about! The music was AUDIBLE, but not HORRIBLE! There were pictures of Old Leytonstone on the walls! There was a pub quiz on Mondays!

As the sun streamed through the windows, illuminating the smoke of the old bloke's rolly next to us, i felt myself RELAX into the sort of place i BELONG. A pub, in the sunshine, on a day off with the woman i love, could anything be better? It was a happy Hibbett who returned home that day I can tell you, his MIGHTY BRANE silently, cunningly, working out ways in which he could be there again, as soon as possible...


posted 17/3/2003 by MJ Hibbett

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