Wire Man — his official name, according to the ‘information sheet’ he dutifully carries — sits in one corner of the Albert pub in Hebden and has done so for some years now. He is quite an interesting creation, but he doesn’t do much. Visitors like him at first. Then they get annoyed that he is basically occupying two seats in a prime spot, particularly on busy weekends (and they’re all busy at present).
Multiple meanings in the title of today’s post, for I was, indeed, studying while in the White Swan this afternoon — as was this gentleman. That’s my excuse, anyway.
The fire in the pub has been lit some two or three weeks earlier than last year. This is a good thing.
A dull and drizzly day, and I didn’t go anywhere, thus limited opportunities for photography. I did notice this creature sat in its cage above the bar, the sort of thing that’s probably sat there forever but never been seen. It’s not a raven, of course: it doesn’t even particularly look like one. But allow me the cheap and indirect Halloween reference.
I wonder how many different public houses have appeared on here over the last 12 years. Quite a few I imagine. Free advertising: the Ship in Brighouse does very good BLT sandwiches for only £3.50. And thanks to its Halloween decorations, it gives good purple — a shade almost exactly matched by the woman’s coat, which I think is why I like this shot.
“He stands like a statue, becomes part of the machine, feeling all the bumpers, always playing clean… Plays by intuition, the digit counters fall, that deaf dumb and blind kid, sure plays a mean pinball….”
OK, this guy’s probably not deaf, dumb or blind, but hey. The Tilt bar in Birmingham has 20 fine altars at which to worship. Dammit though, that’s a pub two days in a row. But I am on a long weekend.
Wetherspoons, the pub chain, are a company of ambiguous attractions: but one thing they do have going for them is good taste in premises. The Old Picture House in Stafford is magnificent. I suppose it would be great if it were still a cinema but at least it is in use. And yes, I was in there at 11.25 in the morning, but hey, so were several other people.
Some pubs are just superb inside, and I discovered today that The Central in Liverpool, just round the corner from Lime Street station, is certainly among them. Keeping those mirrors free of grime must be a full-time job (although probably easier than it was when smoking was still allowed in pubs) and this is just a small part of the whole. But what I really like about this picture is the way that the reflection of the woman on the screen looks like she has turned into the bride at some major Indian wedding.
Have we only just made it to October? Blimey.
A Friday night out, in the kind of lighting which makes taking photos with my point-and-click gear an activity dependent mostly on luck. Great action shots of people dancing don’t really emerge. But this photo of Clare getting the first beers of the evening is at least notable for this being the point when she overtakes Joe as the most-often featured person on here — a status that, all things considered, she will almost certainly now retain.
Being 42 