Rough pub stories
Discussion
TheJimi said:
1974nc said:
Greyhound pub - Sheffield. As a young man in his prime of around 18, me and 2 mates were invited by one of their dads to a ‘gentleman’s evening’
I remember the words ‘if you don’t want to get involved then stand at the back’ being instructed!
I can go into further detail but I’m sure the PHers will be aware of what was about to happen.
(We stood at the back open mouthed at the scenes)
Ok, I'll bite - what happened?I remember the words ‘if you don’t want to get involved then stand at the back’ being instructed!
I can go into further detail but I’m sure the PHers will be aware of what was about to happen.
(We stood at the back open mouthed at the scenes)
PurpleTurtle said:
Fittster said:
Queen Inn, Primrose Hill Street, Coventry
Primrose Hill in Cov isn't quite as nice the one in London.
Watching a couple of locals leave their pints, pick up a baseball bats they had in a large sports bag, beat the hell out of someone walking up the hill (they were watching the street). After which they return to the pub and continued drinking, telling me I hadn't seen anything and should leave now. I didn't need telling twice.
That's where The Tic Toc Club used to be, yes? Hillfields? Primrose Hill in Cov isn't quite as nice the one in London.
Watching a couple of locals leave their pints, pick up a baseball bats they had in a large sports bag, beat the hell out of someone walking up the hill (they were watching the street). After which they return to the pub and continued drinking, telling me I hadn't seen anything and should leave now. I didn't need telling twice.
I've only had one night out in Coventry, ever. In the early 90's my elder brother and I drove from our home in the leafy affluent suburb of Sutton Coldfield to see Manc indie band The Mock Turtles play at the Tic Toc.
I was aware from 'Midlands Today' that Hillfields was a bit of a shady area, but didn't appreciate that we were heading into bandit country. We went in my Cal Look '69 VW Fastback, a nice custom looking motor that was the apple of my eye.
We located the club, parked up on an adjacent side street, engine still on, got a sense of dread eyeballing the tower block at the top of the road. As I was ruminating on whether it would be safe to park there, there is a knock on my window, Coventry's baddest wannabe bad boy gangsta, looking like Ali G before he was a thing, says to me:
Ali G: "Whaddya want?"
Me (naively, politely): "Err, nothing thanks, just parking for the gig. Is it OK here?"
Ali G: (immediately enraged) "WHAT YOU FINK YOU IZ DOING PARKIN ON MI TURF YOU PRICK!?"
He had by this point stepped back a few feet from my car, I could tell he was shaping for a move to take a running step/jump and kick my door in. My lovely shiny new, freshly custom painted door.
Fortunately the 19yo me had fitted twin Dellorto carbs and a 1641cc lump, so my car might've been old but it was no slouch. I gassed it, dumped the clutch and sped away, leaving Ali G to fall into the road on his arse, as my bro and I sped away, half laughing, half terrified.
We went and found an NCP some distance away, walking back to the venue, really hoping not to get stabbed.
Great gig though, the Mock Turtles were on fire that night.
EDIT: Just taken a tour down there on Google Maps, gave me a cold shiver!
Edited by PurpleTurtle on Thursday 9th July 12:58
Hendon Docks CIU, Sunderland 1978-ish. As its name suggests, down by the docks.
Mrs Rooster & I were there as guests of a friend at his diving club 'do'. It was fancy dress and I was Kermit the frog...when I went in, I realised this probably wasn't the best idea I'd had.
It was a Friday night and, apart from the disco, there was also the usual two sessions of Bingo and a raffle for the 'meat draw'; this was a weekly event in many clubs for a large tray of raw butcher's products, enough for a family of four for a week so a quite considerable prize in a very poor area.
The disco went OK, with lots of piss-taking aimed at me, but the fun started with the bingo. Our little group of four started winning; four corners - any line - full house, not just once, either. Dark looks were aimed in our direction, the muttering started.
After the final disco set, the climax of the night was the meat draw. I jokingly said "If we win this as well, we're not getting out alive".
"And the winning ticket is number 49...49, who's got 49?" Guess who!! Now the mutterings rose to fever pitch - "Get that effing frog out of here before I put him in a blender" - "Murder the little green t
t"
We grabbed the tray of meat and ran as quickly as a frog outfit allows and were fortunate that a taxi was directly outside the door - we jumped in and disappeared pronto with a baying mob behind.
I found out what frog st smelt like that night!
Mrs Rooster & I were there as guests of a friend at his diving club 'do'. It was fancy dress and I was Kermit the frog...when I went in, I realised this probably wasn't the best idea I'd had.
It was a Friday night and, apart from the disco, there was also the usual two sessions of Bingo and a raffle for the 'meat draw'; this was a weekly event in many clubs for a large tray of raw butcher's products, enough for a family of four for a week so a quite considerable prize in a very poor area.
The disco went OK, with lots of piss-taking aimed at me, but the fun started with the bingo. Our little group of four started winning; four corners - any line - full house, not just once, either. Dark looks were aimed in our direction, the muttering started.
After the final disco set, the climax of the night was the meat draw. I jokingly said "If we win this as well, we're not getting out alive".
"And the winning ticket is number 49...49, who's got 49?" Guess who!! Now the mutterings rose to fever pitch - "Get that effing frog out of here before I put him in a blender" - "Murder the little green t
t"We grabbed the tray of meat and ran as quickly as a frog outfit allows and were fortunate that a taxi was directly outside the door - we jumped in and disappeared pronto with a baying mob behind.
I found out what frog s
t smelt like that night!L1OFF said:
The Beehive, Millbrook Rd Southampton. Hells Angels pub, I drank in their from 15yrs old. 
The Oxford in St Mary’s was pretty bad. We used to live opposite, between the kebab shop and massage parlour/brothel. Highlight was when somebody tried to burgle the house when we were in the lounge watching TV.
I remember a man being attacked with a machete one night.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 9th July 18:58
Not rough as such, but surprised this one’s not cropped up yet:
Doncaster’s finest
Doncaster’s finest
Edited by Tom _M on Thursday 9th July 19:16
MC Bodge said:
My grandad told me that The Crown on the East Lancs/Walton Hall Ave in Liverpool was notorious in his day.
"You could buy anything from a fridge to an elephant in there" too, apparently.
Ha. My old man and his brothers used to drink in there back in the 70s and 80s . Some of the stories! My grandad would drink in the crown then go to the legion down the road for a quiet pint. "You could buy anything from a fridge to an elephant in there" too, apparently.
I enjoy a proper pub. Some of the best nights I've had are in some of the dodgiest looking pubs about. Just about knowing when to leave or not hanging around if the atmosphere isn't good.
I remember going in the Oyster in Crocky a couple of times as a kid. Gone now.
There is a pub near me that i used to stop in for a quick pint if the train was late. Nobody spoke to me every time. I knew someone else that went in there and asked them why the friendliest pub in the land was er not very friendly.. Turns out the locals assume that anyone coming in with a clean shirt on must be a copper.
Tom _M said:
Not rough as such, but surprised this one’s not cropped up yet:
Doncaster’s finest
Thought I recognized it. Pretty normal pub. For Donny anyhow.Doncaster’s finest
Edited by Tom _M on Thursday 9th July 19:16
Tom _M said:
No knowledge of the place, but reminded me of a pic I saw a while ago of The Windmill pub in Kirby from 1980:
Looks inviting!
Ahh Tower Hill KirkbyLooks inviting!
My local was the Roughwood in Northwood
Luckily I knew the landlord so the locals left me alone
He told me stories of the drayman delivering whilst people with baseball bats made sure the beer got delivered.
Happy days
Doofus said:
Two pubs I liked taking newbies to, because they looked really rough, but weren't (always).
The Purple Turtle, Reading
We used to go in there 20 years ago! Great place, followed by a night of sweaty dancing at "The After Dark" - again, looked rough as hell with the DJ booth caged in, but great tunes and a nice Indie crowd - far better than any of the townie places where you'd be punched by a guy in a smart pair of chino's for checking out his page 3 girlfriend.The Purple Turtle, Reading
Dapster said:
Doofus said:
Two pubs I liked taking newbies to, because they looked really rough, but weren't (always).
The Purple Turtle, Reading
We used to go in there 20 years ago! Great place, followed by a night of sweaty dancing at "The After Dark" - again, looked rough as hell with the DJ booth caged in, but great tunes and a nice Indie crowd - far better than any of the townie places where you'd be punched by a guy in a smart pair of chino's for checking out his page 3 girlfriend.The Purple Turtle, Reading
Pub crawls after rugby on a Saturday meant starting one end of Station Rd. At the level crossing on one end of the railway station. Some challenging pubs! Even more was stRting the other side of the station gates ( what we called the crossing). A bit Royston Vasey...local pubs for local people.
One night we went to The Whitstable pub. we walked in, cut through the smoke, the locals went silent and stared. Then a couple of us were recognised as working in the steelworks by a couple of the locals. We literally got the “nod” and had a couple of pints. They were SERIOUS drinkers being steelworkers.
The Old Castle was a pub near the steelworks. Basically open 24/7 as people from the works had “job and finish” so once their work was done ( a quota or specific jobs) the could leave. I remember one of them walking in, ordering 4 pints, drinking 3 straight down then sitting down with number 4. He had a hot job so was putting the fluid back in! Never any trouble in that pub.
One night we went to The Whitstable pub. we walked in, cut through the smoke, the locals went silent and stared. Then a couple of us were recognised as working in the steelworks by a couple of the locals. We literally got the “nod” and had a couple of pints. They were SERIOUS drinkers being steelworkers.
The Old Castle was a pub near the steelworks. Basically open 24/7 as people from the works had “job and finish” so once their work was done ( a quota or specific jobs) the could leave. I remember one of them walking in, ordering 4 pints, drinking 3 straight down then sitting down with number 4. He had a hot job so was putting the fluid back in! Never any trouble in that pub.
PurpleTurtle said:
I could tell he was shaping for a move to take a running step/jump and kick my door in.(...)
Fortunately the 19yo me had fitted twin Dellorto carbs and a 1641cc lump, so my car might've been old but it was no slouch. I gassed it, dumped the clutch and sped away, leaving Ali G to fall into the road on his arse,
True storyFortunately the 19yo me had fitted twin Dellorto carbs and a 1641cc lump, so my car might've been old but it was no slouch. I gassed it, dumped the clutch and sped away, leaving Ali G to fall into the road on his arse,
MC Bodge said:
stitched said:
Green Dragon eccles.
Apparently I only survived my visit as no one knew who I was.
Why, who are you?Apparently I only survived my visit as no one knew who I was.
Ps. The Green dragon is in Lymm. Maybe it wasn't as rough as you thought
Edited by MC Bodge on Thursday 9th July 18:38
PurpleTurtle said:
Fittster said:
Queen Inn, Primrose Hill Street, Coventry
Primrose Hill in Cov isn't quite as nice the one in London.
Watching a couple of locals leave their pints, pick up a baseball bats they had in a large sports bag, beat the hell out of someone walking up the hill (they were watching the street). After which they return to the pub and continued drinking, telling me I hadn't seen anything and should leave now. I didn't need telling twice.
That's where The Tic Toc Club used to be, yes? Hillfields? Primrose Hill in Cov isn't quite as nice the one in London.
Watching a couple of locals leave their pints, pick up a baseball bats they had in a large sports bag, beat the hell out of someone walking up the hill (they were watching the street). After which they return to the pub and continued drinking, telling me I hadn't seen anything and should leave now. I didn't need telling twice.
I've only had one night out in Coventry, ever. In the early 90's my elder brother and I drove from our home in the leafy affluent suburb of Sutton Coldfield to see Manc indie band The Mock Turtles play at the Tic Toc.
I was aware from 'Midlands Today' that Hillfields was a bit of a shady area, but didn't appreciate that we were heading into bandit country. We went in my Cal Look '69 VW Fastback, a nice custom looking motor that was the apple of my eye.
We located the club, parked up on an adjacent side street, engine still on, got a sense of dread eyeballing the tower block at the top of the road. As I was ruminating on whether it would be safe to park there, there is a knock on my window, Coventry's baddest wannabe bad boy gangsta, looking like Ali G before he was a thing, says to me:
Ali G: "Whaddya want?"
Me (naively, politely): "Err, nothing thanks, just parking for the gig. Is it OK here?"
Ali G: (immediately enraged) "WHAT YOU FINK YOU IZ DOING PARKIN ON MI TURF YOU PRICK!?"
He had by this point stepped back a few feet from my car, I could tell he was shaping for a move to take a running step/jump and kick my door in. My lovely shiny new, freshly custom painted door.
Fortunately the 19yo me had fitted twin Dellorto carbs and a 1641cc lump, so my car might've been old but it was no slouch. I gassed it, dumped the clutch and sped away, leaving Ali G to fall into the road on his arse, as my bro and I sped away, half laughing, half terrified.
We went and found an NCP some distance away, walking back to the venue, really hoping not to get stabbed.
Great gig though, the Mock Turtles were on fire that night.
EDIT: Just taken a tour down there on Google Maps, gave me a cold shiver!
Edited by PurpleTurtle on Thursday 9th July 12:58
Oh and the tic tok I saw the prodigy before they were famous thinking what is this s
t. Grew up there, there was 50 pubs in my youth all rough as f
k, got kicked so hard in the face in the brewer and Baker I had lace and eye holes imprinted in my face for nearly two weeks. Was stabbed in the back to the right of my spine outside the hillfields community centre.Weird I buggered off to the country and now chat about pig farming
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