The Publican
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A Taree (or possibly Chatham) hotel
Dear Sir
You possibly know this correspondent as a semi-regular visitor to your establishment. Usually we’re found sitting on or about the area known as ‘the spur wall.’
Now, as you are no doubt aware, we’re a patron of generally sober habits, which is a bit of an oxymoron, we agree. We ask for little apart from the occasional drink and a kind word from your staff.
However, one of our favoured moments of the week happens on Sundays from 4pm. It is at this time we watch the NRL match of the day – always on Fox Sports’ rugby league channel, for we long ago sent Channel Nine to the sin bin.
Usually we view the footy in relative peace and, as is our wont, we also keep an eye on the first try scorers from each team to assist with the doubles competition run by your hostelry.
We must report all this was going sensationally until a recent Sunday. Here the tranquility was shattered by a group of 80 or so young party goers. Now, there was a time, some 100 or so years ago, when this correspondent enjoyed a ‘party’ as much as the next reveler. We have no problem with youngsters – and some of these people were still in their 40s! In fact, that may have been the reason for celebration, a 40th birthday. Forty! Are they even old enough to be in the hotel at 40?
And a rowdy lot they were as well as the bacchanalian feast raged on. Just to make matters even more dire, the Roosters were predictably putting the West Tigers to the sword. Yet we were being continually distracted by these 40 somethings.
“Haven’t seen you for years,’’ one said.
“Good. You can wait another 38 minutes,’’ we somewhat grumpily replied just after the kick off of the second half when the match was still in the balance.
And on and on it went. Your bar staff did a commendable job in difficult circumstances. The young party goers were attended to in a professional manner. We’re fully aware from long experience that Sunday afternoon/evenings aren’t usually the busiest time in the main bar. It’s not unusual, as Tom Jones once noted, for staff members to pop out for an hour long ‘cigarette break’ which is hard to understand considering they don’t smoke.
Mr publican, we don’t expect you to knock back business just to ensure this correspondent can enjoy a Sunday in peace. However, in the future could we suggest a birthday luncheon, where all the formalities are well and truly dusted by the 4pm kickoff. And to appease we elder folk, perhaps 40-year-olds should be accompanied by responsible adults.
Just a suggestion
Yours in hospitality
MB McDonald
Struggle Street
Taree