Coventry Pubs

You're very welcome Tonys. I am glad you enjoyed thanks. Colin

I have some fond memories of the Radford pub on the Radford road just up from the Savoy cinema. The pub culture has changed so much now and as the pubs are demolished or re-vamped, to the younger generation I don't suppose it means a lot to them. But for us old'uns well it brings back good and maybe bad memories. As for me, sitting on an cold marble step drinking drinking a glass of pop and eating a bag of Robinson crisps (don't eat the blue bag) and being told by almost every man who entered the pub "don't sit on that cold floor son you will get piles". Wish I had a £1 for every time they said that, if I had I would be writing this from my home in the south of France. I remember the smoke filled bar and the stale cheese and onion batches, as we called them . The batches were in a glass cabinet on the end of the bar. It was a very social event and everyone who came out were very merry. Lol. I remember my dad coming out of hospital and on the way home the bus stopped outside the Radford pub. He said I must just nip in and see my doctor. "Doctor?" I said. He replied "yes, Doctor Atkinson" - took me ages to work it out. Not many drinking pubs about now, not too sure if that's a bad thing? Sign of the times and to be fair on the old drinking culture they were not privy to some of the entertainment as we have today. The pub was the 46" television and pcs that we take for granted today. The internet is the equivalent of propping up the bar. On a final note, when we were kids and Bonfire night came round we used to make a Guy and sit outside the pub, (yes you have guessed it) instead of pennies (as in rhyme) "spare a penny for the guy if you ain't got a penny then a halfpenny will do and if you ain't got half a penny then God Bless you" pennies turned into sixpence and all sorts. We were well rich, then off the next day to buy some bangers, bangers as in the exploding variety. All good fun. Colin

Hi Colin I so enjoyed the depth of your feelings with your memories of good times from the past. Thank you so much.

Philip's so right - thanks for the memories, Colin

Thanks Philip and MR, I am so glad for the remarks, it's nice to know you enjoy my inane chatter. Joking apart it makes it all worthwhile to know you enjoy, and if you can put up with me I will try to keep you amused. Thanks again, Colin. I hope you overlook the odd grammar mistake.

Hello from downunder Radford kid. I think quite a few of us can relate to your remarks above, especially about smoke filled bars and eating the 'blue ones' in the Smith's crisps. Mum always made me wear my wellies on bonfire night and I was so dismayed if it ever rained. Now they were the good old days were they not ?

Dreamtime, good day mate, thanks for the response, just wondered about you being dismayed if it rained on Bonfire night? It always rained on Bonfire night. lol. Just kidding. But you were right it did put a damper on things if it rained (pardon the pun) we would build the Bonfire many days before but keep the dry tinder and paper at home until the big night. I wonder if you have looked at my posting about Bonfire night under the heading Burglar Bill? It may make you smile. That's all for now. Colin

Good morning Colin, sorry did I wake you? Well you sound as if you were a right tearaway when in short pants. However, my husband told me he and his mates used to put the 'bangers' in neighbours' dustbins, as many as they could all at the same time just to see how many people came out to see what was going on. Can't see girls ever doing that!!

I must admit Dreamtime it does come across like that, yes I was a bit of a lad, just glad I made it through my childhood. I always tried to keep within the law. I stood on the fringe a few times but that's growing up I guess, I have turned out to be a nice bloke now, I think? Lol. As for bangers, well we made a few, this bit is a bit sad, have to say. I was always messing with fireworks and pyrotechnics, I used to make my own fillings (for want of a better word). I will not go into how I made the said item, may be open to abuse. Having made a few they became very popular with the local kids. Now, this is the sad bit and a regret I have had a long time - having showed a close friend of mine how to make them, he had a go to make one himself. Bottom line, he blew his hand off, the hammer he was holding then flew across the garden and hit his younger brother on the head rendering him unconscious. Although they both came through ok, can you imagine how I felt? On a lighter note we were still mates. Hope I am not boring you? As for putting fireworks in water butts, well this will make you smile. Using one of my home made bangers, we placed it in my friend's dad's water butt (the water butt was made from corrugated steel riveted down one side). "This will make a big splash" I said. It sure did make a big splash, it split the side of the butt wide open and instead of the water going up as planned it came out sideways emptying its contents over the paved area at the rear of the house. The kitchen door was open and the water poured in. I got into trouble for that one, don't know why? Lol. I hope I have not bored you? Have fun down under. Colin A footnote for the moderators, if you feel you need to edit or remove this posting because of its content then please do so. Thanks.

Shouldn't laugh, but.....

I agree !

Thanks to you both, MR and TonyS, I take it the posting is ok? See made ya laff again. Must say though I think I should have put it under another title, nothing to do with pubs really, thanks again. Colin.

And me. Enough, enough, back to the pubs.

Hi Radford Kid, Your stories of growing up are so like tales my husband tells. He was also from Radford - near the Pilot, maybe there was something in the water in that area. Keep your stories coming - life's too short to be miserable, it's great to have a laugh.

The Pilot was my grandfather's local. He liked it a bit too much because the demon drink did for him at an early age. I remember The Radford as a kid in the 50s, it had a large, very well kept garden and I think I remember a bowling green. It was a really peaceful spot on a warm summer evening. The Market Tavern was heaving at weekends in the 60s. It was the place to see and be seen if you were a Mod. Is the Grapes, just off the Radford Road, still going?