Pub bitch: Bobby George gets his eye in
Wardrobe malfunction
On the oche at last week's Publican Awards, held in the glittering surroundings of London's Grosvenor House hotel, was John Smith's Darts champ Tim 'The Teapot' Jones, who admitted he was more nervous taking on the pub industry's finest in the exhibition room than he'd been playing at the Lakeside earlier this year. He needn't have worried. No such problems for old pro Bobby George. The King of Bling took on all comers and made a special beeline for a well turned-out female competitor. So taken with her was Bobby that he used the secret compartment on his arrers shirt to reveal a bit too much of 'Booby' George to the crowd and his opponent. You had to be there… actually, probably best if you weren't.
Tonight with Les O'Connor
Still with the awards and Rob Jones, the man who gets much of the credit for helping transform George Bateman and Son from sleepy backwater brewery into a Publican Award winner, thoroughly milked his moment, and quite right too. He lapped it up, waving to the crowds and pointing his Pubco of the Year gong towards the Batemans table in a Kevin Pietersen stylee. The moment of triumph was only slightly marred when host Des O'Connor escorted him from the stage with the words: "Great stuff, well done George".
Winners... and losers
Still with the awards - come on, they only happen once a year - Peach Pub Company boss Hamish Stoddart realised he'd mislaid his gong for the group's well-deserved victory in the Multiple Operator 2 to 19 outlets category. Yours truly was on hand to rescue the glass block in question from where Stoddart had left it, in the darts room at the awards' after-show party, and return it to its rightful owner. I bet Kate Winslet remembered to hang on to her bleedin' Oscar…
Czech the label
Lastly, spotted drinking competitor beer Pilsner Urquell at the Publican Awards were Budvar UK's Tony Jennings and Neville Hall. They drink Czech beer as a matter of principle so, where their own products aren't available, needs must, they told me. Fair do's…
Remote border control
We all know CCTV is a contentious issue but the US authorities are relying on people checking images of the country's border with Mexico online to highlight illegal immigrants hopping over the fence, so to speak. Apparently the border people got an email from punters in an Australian pub saying they'd been keeping an eye on things. This could catch on over here methinks, but with what sort of consequences?
The kids of today
According to a survey conducted by the London Jewish Cultural Centre, two per cent of the UK's 4.5 million 11 to 16-year-olds - that's 90,000 of the little darlings - think that the word 'Auschwitz' refers to a beer brand, rather than the infamous extermination camp built to murder people on an industrial scale during WWII. I know that in spite of countless history lessons and access to t'internet my own pups have the awareness and knowledge accumulation skills of a fruitbat, but this really takes the biscuit.
