What’s hospitable about a UK Hospitality industry that wants to bar us (sorry) from sitting at the bar?
But that’s what they’re proposing to the British Government postlockdown.
Many an hour (or day) I’ve spent sat on a stool getting to know the locals, and most importantly the barman in some foreign clime.
And these are just some of the bar stools where I’ve wedged my backside.
Now I’m aware that this column has been over this territory before https://www.google.ie/amp/s/jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2020/02/13/hungry-and-thursday-the-best-bar-none-on-my-travels/amp/.
But these selections aren’t marked on the best bars but the best bars if you see what I mean.
Bustin’ Boston
The Black Rose, Boston (https://www.blackroseboston.com): Norm Peterson is my all-time drinking hero (now my big pal Finlay has gone to the Great Saloon in the sky).
My friend Neily worked with the Cheers franchise on their carts (the exterior of the bar is the same but the interior was Hollywood) I worked at the Black Rose.
Where every night an Irish-American sang standards (and I can’t get The Black Velvet Band out my head) and at the end of play the boss gave the staff a couple pf pints.
See https://www.bostonusa.com.
I belong to Glasgow, mon
Glasgow’s Bar, Tobago Parlatuvier Bay, Tobago: Now Glasgow bars have improved since my childhood when there would be grills on the windows.
The common denominator here is that this is Karl Glasgow’s gaff where the locals, many of them workmen stop by to eat and drink at the bar and look out at this.
See https://www.visittobago.gov.tt and https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2eXQLwnehuQ.
Mary’s spirit
Mary’s Bar, Wicklow Street, Dublin (https://marysbar.ie): And this bar off the best shopping thoroughfare in the Irish capital. Grafton Street, has it all…
They have a quid pro quo relationship with WOWBURGER downstairs and you can take your beer, burger and chips up and sit at the bar.
Where you obviously wash it down with a stout. See www.visitdublin.com.
Do you want ice with that?
The Ice Bar, Jungraujoch, Switzerland: And good luck with keeping us away from the bar here – it’s only two or three deep.
Because it’s at the top of the Jungfrau in the Bernese Alps.
Still, there’s a curling rink and they serve Swhiskey… www.myswitzerland.com and Swhisskey on the rocks.
Home comforts
St Machar Bar, Aberdeen: They say ‘never go back’ and when I did Jim had gone so the doors weren’t thrown open at closing time.
Linda too, with her doorstep sandwiches.
I wouldn’t want to go to University these days…
MEET YOU IN THE BAR
