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Posted by A King Disher on 16-03-2011 19:29

Wait for it ! ! ! !

THE OAKIE COKIES 8 - 2 THE BETTER HALFS.

I have to say that we were well and truely smashed up by a quality side but on a table that they knew best how to play.
The table had more rolls than Greg the Baker, Cue ball rolling off it's direction and a massive tear in the jaw of one of the pockets. The pub itself is dimly lit and the lights over the table were not adequate, leaving the playing area very dull. If this was'nt enough, the table is placed right in front of the entry door to the pub and infront of the bar and cues had to be jacked or butts removed to play certain shots. Further more if things were'nt bad enough, the big match was on yesterday and on the pubs big screen. Can you imagine how difficult it was to play a competitive match with sooooo many people in such a small area and especially over crowding the bar where we were trying to play from.
Anyways, putting all of that aside, well played to the Oakies and best of luck for the remainder of the season.

Posted by Shaggy on 16-03-2011 20:29

The Pawleyne Arms. My local, used to hate the place but like mould it grows on you. I played for several years from the Pawleyne in the Summer, and against them since the late 80's. The walls have never moved, neither has the bar, they have always been the obstacles that you have faced playing there. It is a real pub in a real pub league, and that I am afraid will bring such issues. I wouldn;t personally want it any other way.

Last year I played for the Oakie Coakies in the Summer. They had to move from the Oak (another bad table, but with room) as the pub had closed. Their are very few options in the Penge area, their aren't any clubs to go to, and in fairness that theam like pubs! The Pawleyne was pretty much the only option that would take a team with no notice.

The Pawleyne is strange, it is one of the few pubs I have been in where the table is used all the time. Not by league players, but by regulars. In reality having a team there or not will make very little influence on the pubs income.

That said the table will get sorted. Yes it is extremely poor given the continuous use by a variety of standard of player in reent times. In additon it has not been given as much TLCl as other venues because their hasn't been a team form the pub in the league for 2 year, and two drunken paddys (yes that is what pubs are for!) don;t care it the ball rolls off, or if the cushions are dead.

Despite the 'charm' of the cramped consitions I for one welcome a normal pub into the league of Rileys clone, freebie wannabees.

Edited by Shaggy on 16-03-2011 20:36

Posted by A King Disher on 16-03-2011 21:36

Paul, I agree with all that you've said and I too have been a regular visitor to the Pawleyne Arms over the years, stretching back as far as the 80's and when it was renamed Kelly's Bar for a while. The pub in itself is nice and so to was the Guiness at an incredible price of just ?2.75.
I too am a very big supporter of keeping as many pubs as possible in this league but as we are all aware, they are dropping one by one. So I do support the pubs that are still with us and including my own, The Two Halfs.
We had a similar problem a few seasons back whereby the management moved the table to the front of the pub in front of the doorway and adjacent to the bar so it can be viewed from the street and hopefully bring in more people. We encountered the same problems then as we did last night in the Pawleyne although our table was of a much better standard. I managed to persuade them to move it back to the rear of the pub which as you know as a lot more space and a much kinder playing enviornment. Pubs are never going to have the quality of tables that the clubs do but they can be good if given a little tlc every now and again. I look after the tables in The Two Halfs and regularly level and iron them to keep them in the best condition possible. Of course I cannot control the reclothing of them. I have done the same for many pubs in this and other leagues in aid of helping them to keep their teams within rather than them moving on due to poor table condition and the pub itself begining to suffer.
I would be more than happy to help with the Pawleyne's table if required but it will definately need reclothing and it does'nt cost much to change the dim table bulbs to 11 watt energy saving bulbs.
Back to The Pawleyne Arms itself. We all have to change with the times and so to does the Pawleyne I think. Nothing as changed since I was going there as a teenager. The venue is nice and of large size but smallish on the entrance where the table is situated. Might it not be a good idea if furnishing is rearranged a little i.e the pool table moved to the huge space at the rear of the bar and then use the front space where the table now stands for a seated area for those who wish to sit, drink and watch the big screen. Thus there will be ample space at the back for the pool table, a seating & table area and ample room for teams and those spectating.
I will be very interested to hear yours and Seans comments to the above.

Posted by Shaggy on 16-03-2011 22:58

7 blokes in a pool team will not change the behaviour of the pub.

For 7 days a week regulars go in that pub, for either horse racing, football, gaelic football, even crib and dominoes. Its there pub, not the pool teams.

As a person who has used the pub for only 6 years or so as a regular I would not have the nerve to try to dictate to those that have been using the pub in its current guise for 30-40 years, which there are many. And even though Pat redmond is in his 60's I have no desire to be on the receiving end of his hammer of a left hook!

It is what it is I am afraid.