Out With The Old ...

So we come to the end of another year - the sixth that this blog has operated in - full of highs and lows in equal measure.

On a personal and business level, this year has been the most challenging and troublesome that I can ever remember so I'm ecstatic to see the back of it. Fortunately, 2014 promises (at this very early stage) to be far more rosy, fingers crossed. It is these work pressures which have led to fewer articles being posted here than in previous years, though it's very heartening that there has been an increase in readers nonetheless; this year attracting more traffic than any previously and July in particular setting a new record for the number of unique visitors in a month.

As far as matters concerning us here, though, the announcement that plain packs was being shelved back in May stands out as a Champagne moment, as does the scrapping of minimum alcohol pricing - only to be countered by facepalm strokes of stupidity such as the spineless (or politically inspired, as some believe) decision by the coalition to re-consider the former, and the transparently pathetic war against e-cigs by the EU and MHRA.

However, one thing has become crystal clear during 2013 in my humble opinion, and that is that the tax-leeching public health industry's accelerating extremism is increasingly being recognised - by a wide variety of previously uninterested people - as being a threat to the public's calm enjoyment of little pleasures in life and also as having little to do with health. That, I think you'll agree, is entirely a good thing for those of us on the side of the angels, and a mood-swing that I hope continues in 2014.

Tonight the Puddlecotes are off out to an old-fashioned house party - kids all collected upstairs with their new Christmas gadgets, adults enjoying a raucous smokey-drinky downstairs, floating towards midnight on a river of beer, spirits, wine and cocktails. And it's only up the road so a mere tenner cab fare there and back. I can't think of a better way of ringing in the new or - in my case - sticking two fingers up to the old.

Thanks to everyone who has swung by this corner of the internet this year, a Happy New Year to all of you from Puddlecoteville. Have a great evening!

Saying No To Tax And Silliness

It's been a busy week at Puddlecote Inc. but it ended on a high with a most satisfying Friday.

Some may remember previous articles where I touch upon taxation, and how I'm buggered if I'm letting those Westminster chimps get any more than is absolutely necessary. Hey, I didn't start this. Blame Nick. Well, we signed off our accounts today and our accountant saved us, legally, double his original estimate in the first year.

A result like this must, of course, be followed with a celebratory smokey-drinky, which is where I'm off to very soon. It was a Ruby and Sancerre on Wednesday, so perhaps Chinese and Elegant Frog tonight.

Talking of alcohol, you will notice I have a new widget in the sidebar.


It is rather self-explanatory, but the Pub Curmudgeon points out that the corresponding e-petition isn't gaining much traction. I'm sure we could add a few signatures to it, especially if the link is spread around a bit. The logo and HTML can be found here if you'd like to join in on a blog or other medium.

The interesting thing about this is that it perfectly confirms the futility of the e-petitions site. There is much grumbling about how the petition to amend the smoking ban had attracted far less support than expected considering the widespread dissatisfaction we all know exists, and anti-smokers took this as proof there wasn't dissent at all.

The minimum alcohol petition shows this to be misguided. It was crystal clear when Cameron announced the daft idea, that minimum pricing was derided by a huge majority of the country, from all political backgrounds. If the e-petitions initiative was working, we'd see the numbers sky-rocketing.

The lack of signatures on these petitions doesn't prove they are not valid campaigns, merely that no-one trusts the process itself; that no-one trusts the government to act on public opinion; and that merely harvesting public opinion from online sources is deeply flawed.

The campaigns aren't failing - politicians are. Probably purposely.

And Now, The End Is Near ...

So here we are, out with the old crap and in with the new as we touched on the other day.

But while our gormless governors have been increasingly plotting to fill our lives full of gloom and misery, 2011 has been a quite superb year for me personally.

On the business front, we signed off our figures with our accountants on the last day before Christmas showing increased profit but, masterfully, they ensured that we will be paying circa £30k less tax. The exchequor won't be too out of pocket though, seeing as our growth means that we employ 20 more people now than we did on New Year's Eve 2010.

Additionally this year, my football team was promoted; my cricket team won just about everything; I enjoyed a first ever Park Lane black tie slap up 'do'; gave a speech in front of 250 people alongside an MP; made a first radio appearance; and, top of the pile, got married to the wonderful Mrs P.

And just to tie it all up with a pretty bow, we jewel robbers enjoyed two successes out of two by humbling Herr Bartlett and installing our esteemed mascot as Parliamentarian of the Year.

That'll take some topping in 2012, eh? We can but try, though - the next twelve months already threaten to unleash plenty to get our teeth into, sadly.

However, this is my lot for 2011 as I'm off to a smokey-drinky tonight, swiftly following on from a messy one last night which broke up around 3am this morning. Suitably refreshed after nodding off at the cinema with the little Ps during Sherlock Holmes this afternoon, all is set up nicely tonight for more behaviour which the state finds appalling.

I'll wish a hugely successful and Happy New Year to all who have passed by here in 2011, and hope you keep the words of Norman Stanley Fletcher closely in mind in 2012 ... "don't let the bastards grind you down".

Beer And Ice Cream

Could be a late one tonight. With friends, we've had a smokey-drinky planned for a while but, under the prevailing weather conditions, it looks like we'll be taking it al fresco.

On gathering supplies from the local Co-op earlier, it would seem that customers at the pub on the corner are of the same mindset. There are a lot more of them than usually spied through the large curtainless windows, and all outside.

It's almost as if - like ice cream sales - the fortunes of the hospitality industry are now inextricably linked to the appearance of the sun.

How on Earth did that happen?

Mr P's First Official Smoky-Drinky Night

Although Puddlecote Towers has been the venue for a few impromptu gatherings in the past three years, post-event affairs mostly (weddings, birthday meals etc), no smoky-drinky night has ever been specifically organised ... till tonight.

The nuts, tortillas, dips etc are nearly ready for our six guests' arrival in around 30 minutes. It almost feels like I'm back in the pub business. Well, it was Mr Puddlecote Senior's business actually, from 1984 to 1992, but - although I left 'home' in '89 - we ran it together during all of that time (yes, I 'shockingly' started bar work before my 18th birthday).

Specifically, it's like being in the trade on Christmas Day but without the tinsel and crappy sweaters. That was when the pub was still licensed to operate even though officially closed, but in the evening we opened the side door and let the regulars, and their families, in for what was always a genuinely warm and pleasant night of friendship and conversation. A small portable was balanced on top of the fruitie so no-one missed 'Fools and Horses' and the till was opened for everyone to serve themselves. Christmas Day wasn't a day for work, just for enjoyment.

I'm hoping it's going to have that feel tonight. Relaxation away from the righteous, the nannies, the rules, licensing hours, the crush vast expanse at the bar, those who irritate and, of course, no-one having to move from their chair whatever it is that they are consuming.

What's more, all the cigs and tobacco derives from outside of this country, along with a fair chunk of the beer and all of the wine and spirits. Our government is getting almost nothing out us tonight.

I don't have a clue what we shall be talking about for most of the night - as was always the way in the pre-nanny state pub full of regulars - but I do know that we will be drawing up a rota at some point. There's no agenda, but even before a glass has been poured, we kinda know we're going to be doing this again. Regularly.

Right, gotta go and prepare the hummus now (remove packaging and peel back foil lid), don't expect anything to appear here till well after lunch tomorrow.