BBC News - Pub can use foreign decoder for Premier League games

Hmmm …

You know, former barman that I am … ?

The link just immediately below this was always going to grab my attention.

BBC News - Pub can use foreign decoder for Premier League games

Like you couldn’t have guessed.

At ANY rate, let me try and quickly summarise for you.

Pub landlady, Karen Murphy has been running a pub for some time, and, like a lot of pub managers, had to fork out a fortune to pay for a Sky TV connection, to let her customers watch Premier League football.

So switched to using a Greek satellite box.

Sky and ESPN, who have the rights to assorted sporting events in the UK, sued.

Leaving Karen to fork out £8000 in various fines and costs.

She took it all the way up to the European Central Court.

Who, today, have ruled that national bans on foreign decoders can’t “be justified either in light of the objective of protecting intellectual property rights or by the objective of encouraging the public to attend football stadiums”.

»·«

Personally … ?

I can’t but help think that’s a good thing, frankly.

You see, I spent quite a few years on the ramp at a few years.

And the one I worked at for the longest … ?

Had its Sky TV connection taken out at one point, due to the sheer cost of the thing*.

And lost custom, from virtually the word go.

Being able to shop around would’ve been handy, there.

»»·««

Which I’m thinking is sort of my point, here.

You see, I’ve always felt ambiguous about Sky TV, I really have.

On the one hand … ?

I’ve always thought it would be ice to catch some of the science fiction it shows: things like the remake of Battlestar Galactica, to give you an example. Stuff like that’s usually not screen on terrestrial over here, on a regular basis.

On the other hand … ?

I can do without TONS of sports channels.

Actually, I can do without the tons of channels available on my Freeview digital TV set-top-box.

But I’m ALSO very aware that the pub industry’s relied on Sky to provide a HUGE amount of income: Premiership matches being as popular as they are.

So from where I’m sitting … ?

Where I’m sitting this EU ruling may have wider implications than just sports broadcasting.

But if it means a cheaper supply of something that a whole industry is reliant on … ?

THAT’S a good thing.

* So you know: here in the UK, television’s broadcast through three different mediums: what’s called terrestrial TV is received through an old-fashiod ærial. Satellite tv — Sky is the dominant UK satellite broadcaster — is received through a satellite dish, instead of an ærial. There’s also cable — which isn’t available everywhere — and the various IPTV/Internet TV connections, as well.

BBC News - Alex Attwood wants tougher drink-driving laws

BBC News - Alex Attwood wants tougher drink-driving laws

Hmmm …

Now THERE’s a thing …

I don]t know if you’ve actually saw that article, when it floated across the BBC’s news website, earlier, but I did.

Seemingly … ?

Seemingly, Alex Attwood, the environment minister for Northern Ireland, wants to introduce legislation to lower the amount of alcohol that drivers can legally have in their bloodstreams.

Smooth move, I’m thinking.

I don’t know about where you are, but the UK as a whole has a noticeably higher limit than most of Europe.

While I don’t drive — or even drink, these days — I can’t help but thinks that’s a good thing.

Ex-barman that I am, there’s plenty of times I’ve seen customers head off — in their cars — having had an amount that I believe would be over the limit: but never in a position to say anything.

Here’s hoping something similar goes through in the rest of the UK.

In Memorium: Nan

You know, that is strange, that …

Strange …

And sad, as well …

You see, I’ve just had some rather sad news.

Do you ever remember me telling you about a little pub called The Sir Charles Napier?

I don’t know if you will or you won’t, frankly.

But just to fill you in … ?

The Napier was a tiny little community pub at the unfashionable end of Brentwood High Street.

And run, up until the day it was shut down and demolished, by the woman officially remembered in her obituary in this weeks Brentwood Gazette as Elvina Leber.

But I think that I and many others only ever knew as Nan: that’s her in the top photo.

Well …

I’ve got to admit, I found out today — on the day of her funeral — that she’d died.

Which will probably tell you several things.

For a start … ?

Well, for starters, how well I read that part of the Gazette.

And, secondly, quite how private her and her family are.

I can’t say I blame them: I think this day and age, when everyone and their parrot are on Facebook, Twitter and Google+, it’s sort of refreshing.

»»·««

But … ?

But I’ll be honest, finding out Nan had died, did leave me feeling shocked … !

Although I do know Nan had been seriously ill for some time, she like one or two others I’ve known, had seemed so alive.

Alive …

And bloody stubborn, actually …

You see, Nan had been the person who — outside of Denise, at the Hutton — been the first person to hire me to do a pub quiz.

The first to hire me to do a quiz at a pub I wasn’t working at.

And … ?

Well, I know this, Nan was a damn hard woman to pitch to.

But also a very good landlady.

And very protective: of her pub, customers, workers and those she’d hired as entertainment.

I’m pleased to have been one of the latter.

Oh, she could be difficult: and give you a hard time …

But on the upside … ?

It’s very rare to have found an employer that could be wise AND offer good advice …

AND be fun.

Which Nan definitely was.

RIP Nan.

Licensing, and … Stuff … !

Hmmm …

Now, I’ve got to be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve been involved in the pub trade.

To be frank … ?

Well …

People who know me well, will know that I don’t drink: and probably be able to have a guess why.

But on top of that … ?

I’m really not sure I’d want to go go back to the trade, even if the opportunity arose.

But at any rate … ?

Keeping a vague eye on industry news … ?

Is something I’ve always TRIED to do, even though I’ve not actually needed to.

Or even managed to DO, successfully!

AHEM … !

But at any rate, I do know that I managed to notice this little article float past on the BBC’s teletext service, late yesterday afternoon.

Seemingly … ?

Seemingly Britain’s coalition government are planning to introduce reforms to all sorts of things.

Including in an area of interest to one local pub — the Essex Arms, where I once worked, MANY moons ago — that played host to live music.

Actually, I’ll be blunt, I loved that job! I was getting paid to listen to some seriously rather good bands*.

At any rate, the Coalition government is planning to reform certain areas, so that it’s easier for local bars to hire a band.

Without needing the specialist — and expensive, in terms of time and money need to get one — entertainment licenceº.

So this … ?

Well, I’m thinking it’s something of a mixed bag of nuts.

On the one hand … ?

It’ll give both small pubs more choice of entertainment.

And struggling musicians more chances at venues: at least in theory.

But on the downside … ?

If you live next door to a small, quiet pub, that suddenly gets REALLY noisy … ?

Well …

I can’t see anything in the story that tells me people can object …

* Have I mentioned Dumpy’s Rusty Nuts … ? No, I haven’t for a while … ! If you EVER get the chance to go see Dumpy’s Rusty Nuts, DO. NOW! And tell Dumpy that Nik Nak sent you. And DON’T LET HIM NEAR THE NEWCASTLE BROWN UNTIL AFTER THE GIG!

º Back when I was working at the Essex, for example, the management had to make sure they built a sort of indoor porchª around the fire-exit, and wire a noise limiter^ into the power supply, the year after that, in order to keep the license: all measures designed to prevent noise disturbing the neighbours.

ª I know that’s not the correct term: but it’s the only one I can think of to describe what they had to build.

^ There’s a story there … The noise limiter at the Essex Arms is still, as far as I know: the whole point of it was that, if the sound level from the stage went over a certain pre-set and unacceptable level, power to the stage would cut. The band would have to turn the turn the volume down and reset the limiter. And only then start playing again. However, I can remember the manager at the time telling me that one particular plug socket — or set of them — wasn’t wired into the limiter. Or, at least, there was SOME sort of workaround.

The President, The Alcohol Ban, And the iMac

Oh …

Okaaaaaay …

Right-ho, President Nicholas Sarkozy’s touchy about his height …

Hmmm …

Now, speaking as someone who’s 5’ 2”, I’m feeling a bit mixed about this.

After all, if he’s that sensitive about his height, why on Earth go into politics in the first place? It is, from where I’m sitting, mildly hypocritical.

And faintly ridiculous.

Or annoying, at least …

At least, annoying to me …

•••••

At any rate, another piece of news that caught my eye were calls by the British Medical Association to ban alcohol advertising.

Hmmm …

There’s a bit of a tough one.

Now, I’ve got to confess, I’ve worked in the licensed trade for some fourteen or so years.

And actually gave up drinking some seven years ago.

For various reasons I’d rather not go into.

So news like this always catches my eye.

Whilst leaving me in a very thoughtful mood.

On the one hand, I know, from both a personal and work perspective, that alcohol does damage. And that anything that helps reduce this is therefore a good thing.

But …

Oh, boy!

I’m also very aware of the damage that was done by the smoking ban. Whilst I grant it’s encouraged many to pack smoking, I also know from my own personal experience that at least one pub lost income, and been forced to close.

So I’m very worried that these calls will have serious implications for the licensed trade.

Serious implications.

From the few figures I’ve seen, I’m aware that smoking hasn’t decreased, over the years of the smoking ban, and the ban on tobacco advertising.

It’s also seen a rise in the use of various types of illegal substance; which is possibly a whole other issue, maybe.

But here’s what I’m trying to get at, though.

I’m thinking that an advertising ban will be counter-productive, especially for those of us with-in the industry.

But I’m also very aware that the industry itself could well be contributing more to things like rehabilitation charities and centres.

•••••

Right, now, lets change direction, shall we?

Shall we?

Oh, good lord, yes!

Phew!

Just as something of an update to the iMac situation, I do know I’ve manage to get hold of a free copy of Coral Word Perfect.

As you’d possibly noticed!

It’s something I’m intent on toying with, I know that.

I’m also fairly aware that none of the software I’ve found for Mac OS 9.2.2 can export directly to .pdf format.

In theory, if I had a printer that worked with it, it would do it straight from the print menu, as per usual with any version of Mac OS, or Mac OS X.

Getting hold of that printer … !

But at least in theory, I could save it as html …

Now, there’s an idea …

A few Points!

Well, there’s a thing … !

Just to update everybody on the Great Parking Saga, it’s been confirmed that the actual scheme went into force on August 17th. Along with the clamping scheme.

All to the good.

And, happily, the new Bike sheds are now in place!

NOW all I’ve gotta do is figure out the door code to park a bike …

•••••

I do know something else, as well, though; my last letter to the Gazette got published!

Wheee!!

I wrote to them, after last week’s report about the couple running The Dog And Partridge, in Kelvedon, deciding to give up the tenancy, after a rather nasty fight; not something you want, if you’ve very young children.

But the point I made — that, if you’re working in the pub industry, you have to expect these things — is one I think is very valid, and relevant.

And reiterated by the simple fact that the front page of this week’s Gazette had a report about what sounds like a major incident outside the Sugar Hut Village — in the building formerly known as The White Hart — on Sunday night.

Ooh, by the way, that junction — under the photo of Sugar Hut’s front door — is the junction that used to be the Sir Charles Napier …

I know the slip road was put there, because of the new cinema development, but I’m gonna miss it …

Oy!

•••••

But, at any rate, I think Tim and Adele, down the bottom, there are pleased. While I’ve not been able to figure out fully what’s going on, we’ve managed to download and update the Flash Player on their laptop, to handle flash based movies.

But unlike Allison’s, it won’t deal with Flash based games; and her laptop’s an older, slightly lower specced machine, running the same version of Ubuntu … !

Go figure!!

I’m thinking I’ll be making some phone calls about that!!

The Dog And Partridge …

Oh, now that’s a shame.

It seems that, according to this week’s Brentwood Gazette, the landlords of the Dog and Partridge, in Kelvedon, have decided to break their lease, after a particularly nasty Friday night fight.

I can’t say I blame them; the couple in question had young children, and most of the bar-staff I’ve met over the years are pretty much agreed with my own view.

A pub — especially when something like that kicks off — isn’t the place to raise kids.

Hmmm …

But, at any rate, I can’t say I blame the couple concerned for leaving.

But here’s the email I sent the Gazette …

I’ve got to admit, I was saddened to read about the recent violence at the Dog & Partridge, in Kelvedon, in this weeks Gazette.

Violence that forced the new tenants to give up the pub.

I was saddened, but not surprised.

As a fifteen-year veteran behind various pub bars, I believe alcohol related violence is much more common than those outside the licensed trade may realise. Friday and Saturday night would usually be the worst time, wherever I was working, and more noticeably in areas like Brentwood High Street; but usually was a result of simple arguments getting out of hand, aggravated by the amount that many customers — usually, but not always limited to, young men in their twenties — had drunk.

It’s unfortunate that the Dog and Partridge has lost tenants who sounded like they were making an positive impact on a declining village pub. The part of it I really find saddening is simply that — with skilled staff or experienced management — this sort of violence is usually very avoidable.

However we deal with it, we have to take one thing into account. For anyone working in, or running a pub, alcohol related violence is a simple fact of life.

Going into the trade without that in mind is not an option.

Whether it gets published is a whole other matter, of course.

But having seen the sort of incident the Gazette’s talking about, I think expressing a relevant point of view can’t hurt, now can it?

Tied Houses …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I wasn’t surprised to read this article on the BBC’s website, today.

I wasn’t.

To summarise quickly, the article say’s that shares in various pub companies — mostly the ones, like Punch Taverns and Enterprise Inns, that specialise in leasing pubs to landlords, rather than ones that directly run pubs — after various MP’s called for the Competition Commission to investigate the fact that most such companies imposed unnaturally rents on their tenants; the landlords who actually run pubs.

I think a little bit of explanation's in order, isn’t it?

I’m no expert on this.

But I have been a barman for some 14 years, which means I understand the basics.

Basically, pubs in the UK are run in three different ways.

Many are what’s called managed houses; in other words, they’re run by managers, directly appointed by a brewery or pub company, and the brewery’s the company that takes all the profit. Pretty much like an off-license* or supermarket that sells beer; the main difference being you can drink your beer on the premises.

Another kind is the freeholder; the person or people running actually own the pub building and the pub business that’s run there. The landlord gets all the profit.

Then you’ve got the ones who are having serious problem, here; leased pubsª, and their owners. Which is similar to, but not identical with, a franchise. The people in charge are tenants of the pub company and rent the pub from the brewery so that they can run a pub business in it. As with the freeholders, they get the profits.

But that’s where the similarity stops; freeholders own the pub, and the business that’s run in it. Leaseholders own the business, but pay rent on the pub.

Part of which is the wholesale price the pub companies charge their tenants for beer and spirits; usually it’s a lot higher than what a managed house in the same area would pay. And a tenant can’t go to any other company; he or she has to get it from the brewery.

Just as an example here, I used to work as a barman at The Hutton, many moons ago; when it switched from being a managed house to a tenancy, the prices of beer went up roughly 35 to 40 p, with spirits going up 25 to 30p. And pushed many of the prices over that psychologically significant £2•50 mark. And nearer the £3•00 mark in the more pricey range.

The tenants at the time I left didn’t last much longer than I did. About two months after I left, Punch pushed up the beer prices another 50p, and the rent up by 50%.

I don’t think anyone was surprised by that.

Which is partly Sue, who took over, was having such problems; she took over as tenant, after the pub had been closed for some six weeks, and couldn’t lower her prices. Possibly why events went the way they did with the quizzes I tried running there; only a small handful of the old punters ever bothered going back, from what I could see, discouraged by the emptiness and prices.

So reading that MP’s — and there’s probably a cynical line about setting a venal money grabber to catch a venal money grabberº — have recognised that there’s “… the existence of the tie pushes up prices for the consumer”.

Whether anything will be done as a result is a whole other matter, but …

•••••

Just as a thought, though, here … have a pint!

(From what I found out, years later, the company that made that ad had to find the one remaining lighting designer who knew who to light for black and white movies. Who was roughly 70, and the most expensive pensioner in the film industry!)

•••••

ª Which are also called tied houses, I should add.

* And I’m talking about somewhere like Threshers, or Tescos, here. A chain off-license or supermarket, in other words.

º Oooh, bit of satire, there, My name is Ben Elton, Goodnight …

And just as a warning to those of us are tempted to really overindulge; remeber, this could happen to you …