First Pub you ever bought your own drink in (and related tales)

Station on Harrogate Road aged 15. I think it was Tetleys Mild.

 

About 16 years old stood in the vestibule of the Malt Kiln at Undercliffe daring each other to go in and buy a beer, amazing sense of satisfaction when we went in and got served.

 

This guy wears his school uniform and no one questions him about his age.

 

Bingley Workingmen's Club. I was about15/16. Bloke running it at the time knew full well we were underage but did a runner 6 moths later so was happy to take the cash before he did. Actually showed us which door to go out of in case the Police came in.

 

I think pub landlords when I was a teenager in the late 70!s generally turned a blind eye to under age customers, as long as they didnt get lairy.

 

I'm 28 so in my case wasn't so distant in the past. Totally corrupt from top to bottom haha.

 

1st pint was probably in the Smiling Mule with my dad but don't really remember it. First drink I ever had out was in Maestro's at Universe.

 

Smiling Mule that brings back some great memories, when we were kids a Saturday night treat (if weather was good) was a couple of hours in the beer garden at the back, vimto and a packet of Seabrooks crisps with the little blue salt bag.

 

The Smiling Mule was one of the only pubs, back in the day, where you could actually take kids and have a drink, as you certainly couldn't take them inside.
Beer gardens were so rare then, I can't think of many other places that had one.

 

I think they had some swings in the garden, then call at the chippy on the way home and 6 penneth of chips salt & vingager eaten out of the T&A .

 

The Manor was always a favourite because of the beer garden.

 

I passed one of my youthful (early 70's) drinking spots the other day, The Belfry on Bolton Rd, amazed to see it being demolished (without planning according to a local).
More rabbit hutch sized flats no doubt.

 

Are you going back to when it was Berni steak house (I think) or Chaplins!

 

Yes, it had several bars and a restaurant, not sure if it was a Berni, we were regulars in the cellar bar, the beer was Cameron's, absolutely disgusting stuff.
Not sure if that was before or after Chaplins, it hasn't been a pub for years, it was converted into a nursing home and has been closed for ages.