There Was Once This Pub Landlord

Bazza · April 12, 2005

...who decided to open a bar for people who loved Lager, but more specifically Belgian Lager. The only reason he opened the bar was because he had such a love for this particular beverage. He hadn't drank any other alcoholic drink for years. He soon found that quite a few others shared his passion for this beer. The bar got a bit busier so he employed some bar staff and some doormen. They too all loved Belgian Lager. A couple of the staff became close friends of his because they stuck around to clear the tables after hours, they worked more hours than they needed to, they came in early. He didn't ask them to. They did it because they loved Belgian Lager.

Soon the customer base really expanded. Word spread. People came from far n wide. The landlord needed to expand his pub but because it was a hobby, not a business he simply couldn't afford to do it. A local peanut manufacturer offered to help out with the costs so long as the landlord agreed to recommend his peanuts and stick up for the quality of his peanuts. The landlord was stuck. Get the bar closed down cos it was dangerous to have it too full, or agree to stick by this peanut supplier. The landlord checked out the peanut supplier. He found out that he supplied quality peanuts, at a good price, but his delivery schedule was a bit patchy cos he was so very, very busy. The landlord went for it. He got an extension built and welcomed the extra patrons.

As the bar got busier the landlord started socialising with the patrons more and found some of them to be really rather good people. He made friends and even started socialising with a couple of the customers outside of the bar. They went to football matches together, to nightclubs together and to each others homes.

When the bar had a 'lock in' the landlord invited these new friends to stay late, after the 'normal' customers had gone home.

Not long later the bar got even busier and the landlord realised he needed another new extension. A supplier of crisps approached him and said "Listen. I'm new to this crisp malarky but I'm an intelligent bloke and I will supply good crisps, at a good price, on time." The landlord took another risk and accepted money from the crisp supplier. He built another extension and managed not to turn away any customers. He also became even firmer friends with some of the customers.

Some of the customers who weren't part of that circle of close friends started whingeing.

Some of them started to feel left out even though they were receiving perfect service from the landlord.

Some of them didn't appreciate all of the efforts that the landlord had made to keep the bar open.

Some of them liked to moan in public when the peanut delivery was a couple of days late.

Some of them could only see other people being friends and they felt left out.

Some of the people weren't really mature enough to be in a bar.

Some of the people just didn't understand how real life works.

The landlord got fed up with all the whingeing and b1tching. He closed his bar. All his customers stood out on the street looking at their feet, wondering where to go. They knew that they had (mostly) done nothing wrong. They knew that a minority had forced the hand of the landlord and they also knew that the minority probably didn't really care about that particular bar cos they more than likely frequented several bars and didn't really have any loyalties. The people stood on the street wishing their favourite Belgian Lager bar was still open did have loyalties. They were p1ssed off and wished they had stood up to the minority earlier......

Just remember why we're all here folks