Morale, and the evening.

Well, as you’d probably gathered, it was quiet again, tonight, but my morale is improving. In part because one of the teams in play were Len, Jules and Justin, some of the Harold’s regular, and EXACTLY the type I’ve been hoping would join up up.

Regular customer’s of the pub, in other word’s.

It’s not usual, but it definitely helps spread the word, I’ve found. At least to other regulars. If they see their co-regulars in the quiz, it encourages others to do the same, keeps them coming in, and helps build a community of customers.

Another morale improver was the simple fact that Martin, George, Charlie and co have started putting out the flyers I’ve provided.

YES!!!!

I am grateful, today, for that!

It’s a simple little thing, and not necessarily something that’ll solve the numbers problem by itself, but it’s a very welcome start that will hopefully start contributing to word of mouth, and letting people know the Old Peculiar is STILL in business. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going and beat this recession that’s cutting holes in the industry.

It doesn’t hurt that I’ve the Los Lobos cut of “La Bamba” playing in my ears, at the moment, a song that’s almost always guaranteed to put a smile on my face, and get dancing. I’m probably making for a very strange sight, at the moment. Frantically blogging, whilst waving me hands around, and wiggling me backside around … in an swiveling office chair.

Could always be the diet colas, but hey!

What’s also helped is the Bonus pot’s gone up! Next Tuesday’s will be a minimum of £10•75; – we’ve hit a quadruple figure! Well, you can see what I mean. It didn’t hurt that another regular, Dave, made the useful suggestion that people who want to have a go at just the bonus should put a pound in the Bonus kitty pot — rather than the full teams 25p per head — to just have a go at that.

Which I can’t help but think is basically a sound idea, although it’d need some work. If for no other reason than to avoid bad feeling, if a non-quizzing member of the audience gets it right. Something to work on, I think!

Anyway, here is tonight’s bonus question.

“Three players have managed to win the European Footballer of the Year title three times: name them.” Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten and Michel Platini

Which no-one got, obviously, although I’m planning to make these a little easier, given time. I want these to pay out more frequently than other’s, after all; – it doesn’t hurt to have a reputation for handing out enough money to pay for a night out out, after all …

And, just to finish off, here’s the rest of that revised Harold 56, used tonight, and replacing the latter half of Hutton Six.

ROUND FOUR. ROUND BRITAIN.

Q31) Charles Dickens and Jane Austen were both born in which English county?

A31) Hampshire

Q32) The M11 connects London with which other city?

A32) Cambridge

Q33) Which sea is to the west of Denmark?

A33) The North Sea

Q34) Which city stands on the river Cam?

A34) Cambridge

Q35) Fair Isle is part of which island group?

A35) The Shetlands.

Q36) Which is the most popular tourist attraction in Britain?

A36) Alton Towers.

Q37) What is the name of the dangerous sand bank, in the North Sea?

A37) Dogger Bank.

Q38) Shanklin, and Sandown are on which island?

A38) The Isle of Wight.

Q39) Which English county is known as “The Garden of England”?

A39) Kent

Q40) There are twelve districts of London that – historically – cockneys come from; name any of them.

A40) Bethnal Green, Whitechapel, Spitalfields, Stepney, Wapping, Limehouse, Poplar, Millwall, Hackney, Shoreditch, Bow, and Mile End.

ROUND FIVE. TV DINNERS.

Q41) David Walliams, & Matt Lucas are the two stars or which sketch show?

A41) “Little Britain”.

Q42) Which Carol was the 1st presenter of “Changing Rooms”?

A42) Carol Smillie.

Q43) Which future “Star Wars” star appeared in the Dennis Potter series, “Lipstick on Your Collar”?

A43) Ewan McGregor.

Q44) Along the same sort of lines, which star of the “Sharpe” series played Mellors, in the 1993 adaptation of “Lady Chatterley’s Lover”?

A44) Sean Bean.

Q45) Who played Jeannie in Reeves & Mortimer re-make of “Randall & Hopkick. [Deceased]”; – Emilia Fox, Samantha Janus, or Keira Knightley?

A45) Emilia Fox.

Q46) Ian Kelsey left “Emmerdale” for which hospital drama?

A46) “Casualty.”

Q47) “Foyles War” is set during which war?

A47) World War Two.

Q48) What’s the occupation of the main character in the series, “Rebus”?

A48) Detective.

Q49) Phil Redmond created “Hollyoaks.”. But which long-running children’s show was he also responsible for?

A49) “Grange Hill”

Q50) Which Corbett created Sooty the Bear, Matthew, Harry, or Harry H?

A50) Harry Corbett. (Matthew was his son, Harry H played the son, in Steptoe & Son)

ROUND SIX. GENERAL KNOWLE IGNORANCE.

Q51) Which of Shakespear’s plays was banned during the reign of King George 3rd?

A51) “King Lear.”

Q52) When Australians talk of a billabong, what are they talking about; – an oasis, a cooking pot, or a kangaroo that’s been run over by a truck??

A52) An oasis.

Q53) Who wore ‘demob’ suits, at the end of World War 2?

A53) Soldiers, leaving the army.

Q54) What is a Jesuit; – a Belgian hat, a French cheese, or a Roman Catholic priest?

A54) A Roman Catholic priest.

Q55) The Rocket 3 is advertised as the world’s biggest motorbike. Which British company makes it?

A55) Triumph.

Q56) The Yuan is the currency of which East Asian country?

A56) China

Q57) After a selling price, in a classified ad, what does ‘ono’ stand for?

A57) “Or Near Offer.”

Q58) What are the two main colours on a roulette wheel?

A58) Red and black.

Q59) What name is usually, and incorrectly, given to the clock tower of the House’s of Parliament?

A59) Big Ben. (Big Ben is actually the bell.)

Q60) Which fruit, when dried, produce’s raisins?

A60) The grape.

Enjoy!

Tonight – Fit the Second.

O, dear Lord, that was a night with teething trouble.

If you’ll excuse the metaphor … ?

The one brightish spark was managing to get a quick and dirty snap of Danielle wearing an Old Peculiar top.   Which, if you hadn’t guessed by now, obviously means that her and Gemma, also on the bar, tonight, came in last place.   I’m not complaining, it gives me a chance to hang around with women that look like them.

On the downside, the King Harold is struggling for numbers.   I know it’s pretty petty, and I know the Credit Crunch is starting to change into an official Recession, but I really wish the amount of people who say “We’ll turn up, next week” gave me a flat out “Thanks, but no thanks”, or “Thanks, but not right now”.   It makes it a lot easier to know on who to spend my persuasive effects.   I should add that sometimes, these people can and do change their minds, after seeing the quiz, and me, in action.

We’ve had a team in, tonight, who are an example of the latter, I think.   The 3 Pints sat and have politely watched, over the last few weeks, had a go this week, won, and sound like they could well be back for the next few weeks.

I do know that I’ve had Joe – who’s one of the Harold’s mainstays – ask if going over to fortnightly or monthly may be a better idea.

I’m doubtful, frankly.

I do know that, having tried this at the Railway Tavern in Chelmsford, it didn’t work out to well for me.   The simple infrequency of the monthly format, there, to interest building up much more slowly than Chris and Rick felt comfortable about, and led to them canceling, after what would have been only a month in action, with a weekly event.   At least, that’s my thinking, here.

In the midst of all this negativity, however, there are sparks.

The one thing various the few building company heads, company directors, and assorted other business heads I have talked to, seems to feel that, hopefully, this recession should start to pick up by around February.

With that in mind, I started talking to the teams that were there tonight, about a bonus question.   25p extra, on top of the usual price of a pound, which’ll go into a separate kitty, and will be handed to the team that correctly answer the super tough question at the end of the night.   Extra prize money, in other words …

It’ll get split between the winning teams, if there’s more than one.

If there’s none … It Rolls Over.

To the following week.

And, as I’ve already mentioned, in previous posts, Rinse and Repeat …

All I can do now is quietly pray, persuade, and hope.   Wish me luck, folks, on that.

Anyway, I’ll post up the quizzes used tonight in the morning, and let you have the details, then.   G’night, all.