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I blame Brexit

A virtual pub for off topic, light hearted pub related banter and discussion. No trainers
simsqu
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I blame Brexit

#194893

Postby simsqu » January 19th, 2019, 6:01 pm

To Broadstairs for grand day out with extended family. Me, the memsahib, Brother in law, BIL’s wife, various offspring and partners. Lovely walk along beach to Ramsgate. Ramsgate a bit of a shithole but no matter. Twelve of us looking for lunch so inevitably, with such diverse tastes, ended up in largest Wetherspoons in the Local Galactic Group.

As we settled in (I asked for a table by the band; cue raised eyebrows all round), one (only one??) of the kids’ partners starts tapping away on his phone. Tap tap, tappity tap. Tappity tappity tap tap tap. Tappity…

We all start perusing menus except the one on his phone. Let’s call him Bill. That’s not his real name. His real name is Oscar. Anyway, we decide what we want: I plump for le plein petit dejeuner a L’Anglais avec le sauce au Maison de Parliament.

We all decide except Bill who hasn’t even opened the menu yet and is going to slow the whole ordering process down. Over comes the waitress, sticks the gum behind her multi-studded ear and takes our order. To my irritation, Bill is still on his damn phone. He’s going to hold us all up. The waitress takes eleven orders and then walks away, completely ignoring Bill, much to my satisfaction. Serves him right, I think.

Just as a self-satisfied smirk starts playing across my cruel lips, a plate of sausage egg chips beans and bubble, accompanied by a pint of John Smiths is plonked in front of Oscar and he tucks in, completely oblivious to everyone else, and to my outraged splutterings.

I turn to my daughter, “what the…how did he…letter to the Telegraph…?” who patiently explains that as soon as Oscar sat down, he logged on to the Wetherspoons app, perused the menu, placed his order, paid for it, and was located by the Wetherspoons GPS software as to his exact location in the UK down to the seat he was sitting in all in the space of thirty seconds and since then has been on Snapchat.

Unbelievable.

I blame Brexit.

I am looking forward to saying that a lot over the next thirty years if I'm spared.

Howyoudoin
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Re: I blame Brexit

#194894

Postby Howyoudoin » January 19th, 2019, 6:13 pm

simsqu wrote:To Broadstairs for grand day out with extended family. Me, the memsahib, Brother in law, BIL’s wife, various offspring and partners. Lovely walk along beach to Ramsgate. Ramsgate a bit of a shithole but no matter. Twelve of us looking for lunch so inevitably, with such diverse tastes, ended up in largest Wetherspoons in the Local Galactic Group.


Broadstairs is one of my favourite places in the World. Stuck in time? Yep and all the better for it. Fantastic beaches, some good pubs and restaurants, penny arcade, great harbour etc etc.

Image

And you decide to walk away from there to eat and drink in one of the chavviest towns in the UK?

Schoolboy error for anyone with a bit of local knowledge.

HYD


PS It could've been worse. If you walked far enough the other way you come to Margate. Broadstairs is a rare jewel.

Alaric
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Re: I blame Brexit

#194896

Postby Alaric » January 19th, 2019, 6:30 pm

simsqu wrote:and was located by the Wetherspoons GPS software as to his exact location in the UK down to the seat he was sitting in


I don't think it's that clever, it asks for your table number. I think it also asks you to confirm that you are actually in a Wetherspoons.

Lootman
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Re: I blame Brexit

#194897

Postby Lootman » January 19th, 2019, 6:32 pm

Howyoudoin wrote:Broadstairs is one of my favourite places in the World. Stuck in time? Yep and all the better for it. Fantastic beaches, some good pubs and restaurants, penny arcade, great harbour etc etc. Broadstairs is a rare jewel.

Do you subscribe to the view that the real Bleak House is in Broadstairs? Locals claim it is but, despite the time Dickens spent there, others dispute it.

Agree with your assessment in any event. My best childhood holiday was 2 weeks in a "Boarding House" there. There was a heatwave and it was in the 90's F - what are the odds?

The next year the parents dragged us to Bognor. From the sublime to the ridiculous. But no foreign holidays for us.

malkymoo
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Re: I blame Brexit

#194902

Postby malkymoo » January 19th, 2019, 6:58 pm

Mr Pooter's favourite holiday destination I seen to remember.

Leothebear
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Re: I blame Brexit

#194910

Postby Leothebear » January 19th, 2019, 7:43 pm

Oscar may be phone savvy, but any cred from that is wiped by the fact he drinks John Smiths.

ps Nice to hear from you again Simsqu.

Howyoudoin
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Re: I blame Brexit

#194915

Postby Howyoudoin » January 19th, 2019, 7:53 pm

Lootman wrote:
Howyoudoin wrote:Broadstairs is one of my favourite places in the World. Stuck in time? Yep and all the better for it. Fantastic beaches, some good pubs and restaurants, penny arcade, great harbour etc etc. Broadstairs is a rare jewel.

Do you subscribe to the view that the real Bleak House is in Broadstairs? Locals claim it is but, despite the time Dickens spent there, others dispute it.

Agree with your assessment in any event. My best childhood holiday was 2 weeks in a "Boarding House" there. There was a heatwave and it was in the 90's F - what are the odds?

The next year the parents dragged us to Bognor. From the sublime to the ridiculous. But no foreign holidays for us.


Who needs a foreign holiday when you have Broadstairs? Certainly they are my only memories of beach holidays until the age of 14, despite this photo evidence otherwise, showing me in Ibiza, aged two, with my Dad and my Nan. Mum is presumably taking the photo. :-o

Image

Regarding Dickens, there's no doubt that he enjoyed staying at Broadstairs, this is well documented. Whether he wrote any of his novels there - who knows? Most writers seem to say that they are at their best when they are relaxed so i'd be surprised if he didn't - or at least came up with ideas there.

HYD

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Re: I blame Brexit

#194921

Postby jfgw » January 19th, 2019, 8:44 pm

simsqu wrote:Over comes the waitress, sticks the gum behind her multi-studded ear and takes our order.


Over comes the waitress...and takes our order? In a Weatherspoon's?

Julian F. G. W.

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Re: I blame Brexit

#194924

Postby johnhemming » January 19th, 2019, 8:51 pm

I find the Wetherspoons app quite good, but you normally tell the app the table number. It can guess the pub, but not identify the table (I have used it in three pubs) I Also have never had waitress service and i opened one of the pubs. (pulling the first pint)

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Re: I blame Brexit

#194925

Postby AleisterCrowley » January 19th, 2019, 8:52 pm

T S Eliot wrote 'The Waste Land' in Margate...aptly
If you're interested in the literary psychogeography of Kent grab a copy of David Seabrook's 'All the Devils are Here'.. Looks like it's back in print again (my copy took a bit of finding)
It's the grimier, nastier mirror of WG Sebald's Sussex journey (Rings of Saturn)

simsqu
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Re: I blame Brexit

#194940

Postby simsqu » January 19th, 2019, 11:14 pm

johnhemming wrote: Also have never had waitress service


Someone definitely came over (maybe it was with the drinks). All I know is, Bill, oh ok Oscar, got his nosh before I even ordered mine. Maybe he had to give a table number: I might be overdoing the sophistication of the Wetherspoons app.

All I know is, Wetherspoons Thursday curry night of pint, papadum, curry and rice is stupendous value at £7.50

I blame brexit

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Re: I blame Brexit

#194942

Postby tjh290633 » January 19th, 2019, 11:19 pm

simsqu wrote:
johnhemming wrote: Also have never had waitress service


Someone definitely came over (maybe it was with the drinks). All I know is, Bill, oh ok Oscar, got his nosh before I even ordered mine. Maybe he had to give a table number: I might be overdoing the sophistication of the Wetherspoons app.

All I know is, Wetherspoons Thursday curry night of pint, papadum, curry and rice is stupendous value at £7.50

I blame brexit

Personally I replace the popadoms with plain Naan. It's also slightly cheaper than that, as the bill for two is under £15.

Try the sweet potato, chick pea and spinach curry. By far the best that they offer.

TJH

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Re: I blame Brexit

#194946

Postby csearle » January 19th, 2019, 11:41 pm

I was flying over Dover docks today (capturing a Portal for the Resistance) but could see Broadstairs, Ramsgate and, I believe, simsqu, in the distance. Chris

johnhemming
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Re: I blame Brexit

#194966

Postby johnhemming » January 20th, 2019, 8:47 am

simsqu wrote:Someone definitely came over (maybe it was with the drinks).

The weatherspoons app is good for ordering beer. If you are having a drink with someone it is a nuisance to queue up at the bar. If you order your drink on the app they pour it and bring it to you.

The bar can be slightly more flexible as to food orders. I almost always go to Weatherspoons for breakfast on school days (after dropping off the children I am normally there at about 8.10am) and could not order my breakfast on the app. Food, however, is normally ordered at the bar (If you are not using the app).

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Re: I blame Brexit

#194973

Postby swill453 » January 20th, 2019, 9:19 am

The problem for me with the app is that you can't order most of their real ales, just the standard ones like Doom Bar and Abbot Ale.

Scott.

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Re: I blame Brexit

#194984

Postby johnhemming » January 20th, 2019, 10:31 am

That's true as well, but I quite like Ruddles.

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Re: I blame Brexit

#195065

Postby maximan » January 20th, 2019, 4:03 pm

simsqu » January 19th, 2019, 6:01 pm
To Broadstairs for grand day out with extended family. Me, the memsahib, Brother in law, BIL’s wife, various offspring and partners. Lovely walk along beach to Ramsgate.

Hi simsqu

High tide at Ramsgate was 9.40am on Saturday so the beach walk would have been great. We have not always timed the tide that well and have ended finishing up at a jog.
Did you pay a visit to the Witches Cave? :twisted:

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Re: I blame Brexit

#195076

Postby jfgw » January 20th, 2019, 4:40 pm

Hi simsqu,

I suggest that you try to arrange a meeting with Tim Martin and have a friendly discussion about how you think that Brexit is adversely affecting the Wetherspoon experience.

Julian F. G. W.

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Re: I blame Brexit

#195135

Postby melonfool » January 20th, 2019, 9:02 pm

I can't go to Weatherspoons.

I object to the sticky carpets, dated decor, the dreadful food, the mediocre 'service', the fact you have to go and place your own order, lack of atmosphere, the clientele. But, more than any of that, I object to their vile owner and his Brexit coasters and leaflets!

I also wouldn't buy a Dyson.

Mel

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Re: I blame Brexit

#195138

Postby kiloran » January 20th, 2019, 9:07 pm

melonfool wrote:I can't go to Weatherspoons.

I object to the sticky carpets, dated decor, the dreadful food, the mediocre 'service', the fact you have to go and place your own order, lack of atmosphere, the clientele. But, more than any of that, I object to their vile owner and his Brexit coasters and leaflets!

Mel

Well, yes, that's true, but apart from that it's OK isn't it?

--kiloran


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