The Bricklayers Arms, Putney

This is my first and last post on this site, I usually stay out of the debate, (even when the price of my cider is mistakenly said to be �4.50). However, I really feel I have to respond to the last comment because there are important points to be made.

My policy on plastic glasses being used when Fulham Football Club play at home is based on advice and recommendation laid out by both Wandsworth Police and Wandsworth Council. Broken glass on public walkways and highways present a real Health and Safety issue. This is a highly residential area. My neighbours include many children, I have a 3-year-old myself, and pets, and I try, where possible to prevent injury and accident to them, not to mention punctured car tyres. The pub is enormously busy on Fulham days, the crowd spills out onto the street and glasses used to get broken by the dozen. With the best will in the world, when the fans have had a few, they don't bring their glasses back to the bar and sometimes they're scattered half way down the street

The other reasons are of a practical nature. To LoveLeedsHatesBates, when you were here did you not notice the size of the bar? We have very little shelf space and only a single glasswasher. To get that volume of beer served out in that amount of time using our everyday glass numbers is impossible. Ask any Fulham fan who used to come here before we introduced the plastics, sometimes we just couldn't serve beer because all the glasses were out. And then, if you did get a pint it would be ruined in a boiling hot glass that hadn't had the chance to cool down.

Lastly, I'm a small independent pub. I haven't got a huge brewery behind me, sending me down boxes and boxes of glasses as they get lost or broken. I have to stump up the money myself for EVERYTHING in this place. So yes, I try, where possible to minimise risk and waste.

We all agree, plastics are not the ideal. I know The Duke's Head and The Star & Garter get a very hard time for having to serve in plastics down on the river there. I've had grown men literally screaming in my face because of it. At my beer festivals I borrow CAMRA glasses but it's different at the festivals because folks pay a deposit for the glass and also re-use it, so no washing up.

Publicans are not 'silly', and we're not out to ruin your evening. And we're also very happy to discuss the valid reasons for our decisions face to face...

Becky Newman
(Licensee Bricklayer's Arms).

27 Aug 2010 19:41