Working Mens Clubs

black cat in france said:
They were good for the local music scene years back, Doggy club Thursday and Sunday night, Wheatley hill, Thornley, Southern Club Aycliffe etc etc, had some good nights listening to local bands.
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My Dad was a member at Wheatley Hill, did a bit of singing there too. Used to talk about it regularly when i was a kid, all the names (generally nicknames like big hoss etc.) of his mates and the oddballs that used to get in. Shotton colliery welfare was another he’d mention on occasion too. After he passed me and my two Brothers went for a pint before the match, we were brought up in Donny so weren’t familiar with it. Was dead but was nice to finally see the place he reminisced about so often.
 


Only been in a few. Back in the late 70's aged around 7, at christmas, going to Plainsy club and getting a selection box. Then onto a bus to the Odeon cinema to watch Snow white.
Sometimes used to go and see my mate Fez (rip) and his band when they played Steels or Farringdon (church) clubs.
Been in Millview early millenia. Just remember it was some lasses 18th. Pretty busy and pints were canny.
Comrades in town one sat afternoon about 4 years ago. Nowt good on the bar apart from Guinness.
Absolutely nowt against them and hope they continue on with the younger lot.
Do any sell craft beers by the way or just the usual Fosters,Carling stuff
 
dangermows said:
Full on brawls when the committee won't turn the heating up and one of the blokes missus is freezing her tits off in the lounge :lol:
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Opposite in our club - heating on full blast all the time.

Sitting there sweating like a truck driver's @rse crack all the time.

Open a window to let a bit cool air in and there's hell on.
 
See the steward at Grangetwon workmans club got the bullet, Terry, lots of dodgy things going on, including comitee men caught red handed raiding the safe.

You know who you are, and the money wasn't to buy new teeth, pity.
 
Cheese n Ipa said:
Absolutely nowt against them and hope they continue on with the younger lot.
Do any sell craft beers by the way or just the usual Fosters,Carling stuff
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Canny few young 'uns getting into our local WMC now - helps that there's a pool table for them, as well as the obligatory snooker tables, and sport 24/7 on the many tellies in the bar.

Sells stuff like Double Maxim and a few random IPAs in bottle but there's no craft or hand-pulled ales. Do a nice pint of Staropramen for £3.95 though.
 
Wonder if any start selling alcohol free beers?. I'm currently on them for a month. Trying all kinds, but only ones half decent so far are Guinness and Budvar (not yer USA budweiser muck).
 
Sunderland Til I Cry said:
My Dad was a member at Wheatley Hill, did a bit of singing there too. Used to talk about it regularly when i was a kid, all the names (generally nicknames like big hoss etc.) of his mates and the oddballs that used to get in. Shotton colliery welfare was another he’d mention on occasion too. After he passed me and my two Brothers went for a pint before the match, we were brought up in Donny so weren’t familiar with it. Was dead but was nice to finally see the place he reminisced about so often.
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One Sunday night in the concert end seen a cowboy saloon fight break out there, chairs flying, women punching just as hard as the men, mad.
Couldn't get the gear off the stage quick enough.
 
WillInSpain said:
See the steward at Grangetwon workmans club got the bullet, Terry, lots of dodgy things going on, including comitee men caught red handed raiding the safe.

You know who you are, and the money wasn't to buy new teeth, pity.
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I spoke to him when I got my membership and he said he knew that sort of stuff was going on.

Was he involved or just got the bullet as it happened on his watch?
 
Seaham Towny said:
I spoke to him when I got my membership and he said he knew that sort of stuff was going on.

Was he involved or just got the bullet as it happened on his watch?
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He was sacked for other misdemeaners, but he knew a lot more about the corrupt comitee than he let on. He was also a staunch Mag and denied it though was seen at St James in the crowd.

Imagine if you will, covid forcing you to close, you had the opportunity to close and still get paid, and also claim for staff wages. If you were unscrupulous you could take advantage of this. Not that I'm insinuating it went on here, but i mkes you think.
 
Jap Stammer said:
It's fairly easy if you have the right 'key' for the barrels.

Iirc, S&N barrels needed a key that fitted over the top of the valve at the top of the barrel - a bit like a massive socket. Vaux barrels needed a 'male' fitting with two pins that fitted into the top of the valve.

Stewards and landlords used to get them from the draymen or get a mate in the 'yards to make them one.

The Auditors (weights and measures) who visited on a regular basis would also have them so they could access the barrels to properly check the gravity of the contents.
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I worked for Bass at Wadsley Bridge for 17 yrs,the custom and excise officers used to call in about 3 nights a week checking on the beer gravity. They said it was possible for no more than 6 pints of water can be added to a keg or barrel (36 gallon) before the gravity specified gravity dropped. One of the biggest sellers of Stones beer which we brewed was the Old Blue Ball Hillsborough at 48 barrels a week not including lager. The landlord at the time was eventually cought out by a customs officer on a visit.
 
30 plus years ago now. I was at university in Birmingham and had a job working a few hours on a Sunday lunchtime at Weoley Castle WMC behind the bar. You got paid the going rate with benefits.

At opening time there was a mad rush for pints. Every pint came with a 10p tip for the bar staff. Then they all sat down and the strippers came on. Bar staff just stood and watched.

Then they came back for another mad rush on pints and 10p tips. Then they had some food and so did we. Then more pints and then the strippers came back on and then when they were done, everyone went home to their families for Sunday lunch.

10p x a billion pints plus food, and wages and strippers. Was a great job.
 

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