The Worcester Park, Worcester Park

Re: post below.

I was there as a regular (non quiz) punter the night the sound system failed and I have to say the quiz setters deserved it and the W.P.Tavern should not be damned for this episode.

That very night, the wife and I stepped inside and ordered a couple of pints and were right in the thick of the uproar concerning the defunct PA system. While the male half of the quiz setting duo (I do not know if they are a couple hence this description) did the leg work in going around the pub to repeat the questions so all entrants could hear, the female quiz-setter stood at the bar doing sod all - aside from loudly slagging the pub off to whoever would listen.

Drinks obtained, the truly gorgeous April evening led the wife and I to sit outside the pub for a couple of pints. We all but forgot about the quiz until closing time came around, and the teams left and eventually the quiz setters started packing up. On their frequent pub>car trips with their gear the quiz lady continued to slag the pub off (while once again, the chap did all the clearing up like he'd done all the running around reading questions)in front of the departing punters and staff clearing outside tables, threatening to "never come back" and muttering "I don't know why we bother with this one".

As we drained our glasses and girded ourselves for the saunter home, our empties were collected by a regular who helps out here and there (but is NOT staff). We chatted to him about the evening drama and arrived at the same conclusion: why aren't the quiz team bringing their own sound system like any quiz/DJ/live act that takes a paid booking? It's no wonder that the house PA was broken: that quiz-setting duo abuse it. They almost swing on a ceiling light fitting to hang a microphone lead over it and ham-fistedly tug at the mic socket that they can't quite reach instead of standing on a chair or asking for some steps.

The Worcester Park Tavern also features a Sunday DJ and semi-regular weekday live music from an acoustic group. Both parties bring their own PA system without complaint. I noticed that the quiz setters car has a window sticker promoting their disco service (wittily entitled "June's Tunes") so they must have a sound system but are clearly too lazy to bring it.

True, the Worcester Park Tavern does run out of beer, like many a popular pub. Maybe if those that only go there for the quiz (and indeed the ignorant lazy, stroppy quiz setters that think the pub owes them a living) went somewhere else, we residents of Worcester Park would have a first class establishment with enough beer for the locals.

Soap box put away now, I promise.

28 Apr 2007 14:37

The King Of Denmark, West Wimbledon

I believe that the application was rejected and it has now gone to appeal. Given that it is in Wimbledon Village, I can't see the appeal working. Hurrah!

28 Apr 2007 14:01

The Globe, Brentford

Despite the comment on the 30.11.06 suggesting to the contrary, the landlord (Charlie) IS English. The landlady (Beata) is Polish, yes, but she is damned elegant and certainly not easily mistaken for a bloke - particularly when Charlie does, as asserted elsewhere here, look rather Ming like!

Charlie is every inch the host, personally introducing the individual members of that evening's band back on for an encore, usually immaculate in a natty three button whistle and red leather shoes. It must have been someone else that "anonymous 30.11.06" saw. Charlie is the life and soul, no word of a lie!

The Globe is famed for its music, and rightly so. Guitarist Papa George serves up some of the best blues to be heard anywhere in Europe, and soul singers Paul Cox and Andy Roberts are never less than captivating. As a musician no stranger to this pub, and indeed many, it's not often that you find a gig circuit pub you keep coming back to again and again .. as a punter. I never tire of a pint at The Globe when I'm not gigging myself.

Whatever beers are/aren't for sale, it is only fair to point out that what is available will be kept beautifully. I haven't tried the food in there yet, but gazing idly at some the menu on the blackboard when packing up after a "straight after work and no dinner" gig has certainly had me watering at the mouth on a few occasions!

10 Jan 2007 21:43