David Brent

Do those UK working mens clubs still hold the Sunday morning Bingo sessions ?
Eeh, a right royal treat along with a bevvie or two before the Sunday roast dinner.

The last time I visited a typical working mens club in Birmingham I could hardly see my pie and mushy peas through the plumes of cigarette smoke.

Dave.

Mark O

You're right there Steve!.......Arthur Seaton said something about his Parents being 'Dead from the neck up' in 'Saturday night Sunday morning......"a packet of Fags and a Television set and they're 'appy"!!

Mark

Steve Crook

But is that lesbians who are killers or killers of lesbians?
You always have to be careful when things are turned into headlines like that.

I saw a poster the other day that was advertising an investment fund. It said "Five star managers in one star fund"

I thought it was good that they got some five star managers, but why should they then work on a one star fund?

Steve

Steve Crook

Sorry Bristol, I have long since lost interest in anything you have to say on this or on most other subjects

Steve

Mark O

After reading the posts I became intrigued by this story........here's a link, but it's actually quite horrific


Lesbian killers jailed for murder | The Sun |HomePage|News

Mark

Steve Crook

And of course their being lesbians is bound to have been a vital part of the story. A respected newspaper like The Sun would never just comment on it to add to the shock or titillation of their readers

Steve

Mark O

I agree Steve, I don't read the Sun myself, personally I think it's a dreadful homophobic rag, all bold headlines that take up almost the whole page, and very little in the way of actual news (and what there is mostly made up by the journalist themselves, such as "a bystander/insider said" comments)........I wouldn't even want my Chips wrapped up in it!

Mark

Marky B

A tabloid refers to the size of the newspaper,not its contents or its attitude. A broadsheet is what the Daily Telegraph still is (I think) and what most newspapers used to be.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

Marky B

As I work in a Social Club,there is a lot that has contributed to the demise of pubs and clubs,and whilst the smoking ban has a lot to answer for,it is not the main reason.
Cheap booze in supermarket is one reason,which can work hand in with the smoking ban,as more people are stopping at home,going by their own rules,and are quite happy to have a few cans and smoke to their content,whilst watching DVD with a curry supper.
Drinking habits are changing. Unless you are in a pub,which has meals,a lot of places who don't are suffering as more people are not drinking during the day.
It could also be argued that there are too many pub and clubs and not enough custom to justify it. In Billingham alone,there are about twenty licensed premises,which would befitting when ICI and the shipyards were at their full strength,but now when the major industries have gone (and those that are left,have forbidden any of their staff from consuming alcohol in their lunch break),the slump is felt on a seismic scale.
The likes of my club does attract the youngsters,but we are used by them because our drinks are fairly cheap,and they'll have a few in there,before going down town to the more trendy pubs,where the drinks are more expensive.
Now there is a threat that there is going to be a big hike in prices in beer and lager (because of the rise in raw materials),which is not going to do the trade a lot of good.
My club is doing okay,but the biggest income is private functions and we had a funeral the other week,which netted the club nearly £3,000 alone.
TO answer David's question,some clubs still have bingo and quizzes on a Sunday afternoon. We don't,but our members still get cheese and Ritz biscuits to welcome them when they come in for their first drink.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

Steve Crook

But when I said British newspapers are now at the level of what we used to call "tabloids", I was referring to their contents
(And before that revives an old comment, that is just my opinion, you're free to disagree but I shall ignore your disagreement)

A lot of the old broadsheets have changed to a tabloid format - although some call it other things, like the "Berliner" format used by the Guardian or the "Compact" format used by the Indie. But there's very little difference in size between a Berliner or compact format and a tabloid format.

Some use the term "red tops" for the old tabloids like The Sun, The Star, The Mirror etc. - because they have a red banner at the top of the front page.

The FT is generally regarded more as a trade paper for the financial industry rather than a regular British national newspaper. It wasn't on that list of British national newspapers that was mentioned recently and nobody commented on its absence.

Steve

Marky B

For many years,our local rag the Evening Gazette was a broadsheet during Mondays to Fridays and a tabloid on Saturdays,until 2004 when it went tabloid every day,which pleased me as I don't like the broadsheet format.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

Marky B

Another thing I forgot to mention was that a lot of people are now too frightened to go out on the night time.

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

BristolUK

No skin off my nose. I'm not going to change your mind and you won't change mine. That's never the point in these discussions is it? It's all about putting the facts and/or opinions - hopefully supported by evidence - before other people who have either yet to make up their minds or have seen only one point of view, or just enjoy watching the battle.

You said all Brit newspapers were at the same level.

I showed how The Guardian has a completely different content - style as well as subject matter - to the Sun. Most people recognise this anyway.

So now people know that you were wrong.

Of course, my use of smileys shows this is just friendly banter.

Moor Larkin

Fair play to you MarkyB...... You know of what you speak.

WMC's were much more a Northern thing though, generally, I thought. Apart from Kent, with its coal-mining and docker towns, I only really recall WMC's up north. The most amazing concentration I experienced was in Geordie-land. The coal-town I visited seemed to have a 'Club' on every street corner and hardly any pubs. I was more familiar with Merseyside where the opposite seemed true.

Weren't Clubs allowed to be open when pubs were not?............

One thing that does strike you as a possible social divide between 'Muslims' and older Bradfordians is booze actually..... The Temperance Movement came a century too early perhaps. Then again of course, it's become a new British tradition to retire for a curry after a night on the beer; and 'Indian' restaurants seem frequently to be run by anything but 'Indians'........ mostly Bangladeshi origins, in the ones I frequent.

Marky B

Thanks,Moor. I personally don't drink during the day,apart from Christmas Day. I used to,but knocked it on the head as I would rather enjoy a drink on the night time. Even when I am out walking,IF I ever stop at a pub,it is always lime and water. I think working in the trade has also perhaps put me of it,as I would despair spending my time off during the day in a bar.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.