Download this newsletter as PDF (447 KB)    Download Acrobat Reader
NOTE: Some people have experienced difficulty in printing. Click here to view the PDF Print Settings. Also, ensure your printer properties are set to A4 and that you have A4 paper in your printer.

Welcome to the August Newsletter ...

Rev J. Steps into the Breach Again
Big thanks to the Reverend Janet Bromley for stepping up and helping behind the bar. Unfortunately Skye couldn't be with us but are hoping to get her pouring your favourite tipple next year. We are still selling Frocester t-shirts they are only £10 and available over the bar. Remember that all proceeds go to charity. Unfortunately we are officially unable to sell the t-shirts at the beer festival for reasons still unexplained.

The Battle at Saul Junction
The pub's first 'self-drive' canal boat trip went miraculously well. I say miraculous because I can't believe we all made it back in one piece - at the time it seemed like harmless fun but the photos over the following days say a very different picture! There is a good reason why people say alcohol and water don't mix (unless it's a good single malt obviously)! Never-the-less an excellent day, with 30 of you dressing up as cowboys, Vikings and the' superior' Romans. Gleevum boat hire didn't know what to make of it all, let alone the pubs we ended up in! The day was finished off with much dancing and merriment with Leon Daye finishing off the entertainment back at the pub.

Pub Dog hits the Pumps
We are pleased to announce a brand new beer available from Severn Vale Brewery. Called Pub Dog it is a tribute to our pub's very own pooch; Jack. We all decided that he is probably the most well known pub dog in the country! At present the only place you can get pub dog is in the Spot, but who knows it may go national!

Celebrity Chef
Big thanks to Tom Rolls for standing in as guest celebrity chef; a brilliant job was done with over 45 of you tucking into an Italian feast. A word of warning we need more amateur chefs to don there pinnies for the good of the community - we're running short so please come and put your name forward. See Steve for more info.

Names for the next Celebrity Chef Night are now being taken. Yours truly will be on the tiller steering a course through a Fish Mezze (a special selection of cold & hot starters & main fish dishes) with our good Jaques from over the pond supplying the fresh goodies and our larger than life brewery owner bringing it over! It's all going to cost about a tenner, and its happening on the 9th Sept, so get in early!

Meet the Brewer
Box Steam Brewery showed us all a great night when they came down in force for our Meet the Brewer night. We tried all six of their lovely brews, even the Vanilla Porter got rave reviews! Big thanks to Ruth for organising it at their end and even coming down on her 30th birthday!

Wye Valley is the next Meet the Brewer on the 22nd September - as always its only £5 and includes supper, tasting and good company. Names behind bar, please.

Is It That Time Already?
This is not going to sit well with a lot of people but Christmas menus are now done and are on line! Packs will be available from the pub from the beginning of September. We were really pleased with the response to last years menu so we have only made a few changes - we have even frozen the price as part of our campaign not to make things more difficult for you in these delicate financial times! On top of that, we have introduced a 'Early Bird' menu at £16.75. See here for more details.

Bookings are being taken, lunch and dinner for between 4-35 people up until the 22nd December, though please be mindful that Friday and Saturday nights fill up really quickly. Both our menus need a pre-order and a non-refundable deposit of £10 per person to confirm your booking. I also must stress that we would not be able to offer both menus to the same party - its either one or the other! As always special dietary requirements are happily catered for.

Who said we're all Middle-Aged with Beer-Bellies?
Some of you may not know but there are a lot of budding tennis players in the pub and we are always looking to swell our ranks. We play at Cam and Dursley Tennis Club and it offers excellent value. Winter membership costs less than £50 and there are flood lights and an excellent atmosphere ... and what's more, the beer tastes so much nicer after a couple of hours running around! Any interest please see Steve behind the bar or call Terry on 01453 547572.

The return cricket match against the Old Crown in Uley is now on the 13th September. Even if you're not playing just come along - we promise lots of entertainment (especially if I get to bowl again!)

Viv Jones (Viv), Graeme Robb (G) & (Fit-)Mark Richards

End to End - The Journey
Why is it ideas formulated in beer gardens often end up getting you in to situations you are unable to get out of? As we finally set off for JOG, cycling 1000 miles suddenly seemed like an incredibly long way maybe due to nerves but mainly due to the fact that it is.

So, how to put our trip in to words ...
Firstly, the guys. For ANYONE who doubted G and Mark's physical prowess- IN YOUR FACE! These guys not only have the stamina of anyone who can remain interested when listening to me when I am drunk but they also have thighs of steel.

1000 miles of road stretched ahead of the freewheeling threesome. For many, the challenge seemed beyond them but these finely honed athletes would proved even the most doubting Thomas (pick any one) wrong!

Their chariots, shining beacons of hope, would become ergonomically welded to certain regions of their body over the next 16 days. Their saviour, minty arse lard, would be applied liberally but rules dictated in the planning meeting ensured no cross spreading would take place!

Each have their own style, G the seemingly aloof, brooding strong leader. Conversation before noon, not an option the guy is in the zone (well mainly the zone of convincing his head that the pints last night were an acceptable power drink for cyclists) Funny, calm, some may say to the point of horizontal, practical, nice arse but most of all our steely glorious leader! He held the crack team together as the landscape turned to townscape. Through the car crash crisis of Shrewsbury, never have so many nearly given so much, through the torturous, unrelenting slopes of Shap Pass, through the treacherous, tantrum inducing A30 the unit trudged on with the speed of the puma.

Mark, where to start? At the beginning of the trip as the only girl I had concerns over annoying the boys with my jibberjabber. Here, I have met my match! The major difference is that Mark's jibberjabber will have you crying, no, weeping with laughter. The guy is a comedy genius who should have his own TV series. Mix in to that a tendency for throwing bikes in to verges when having a teenage strop and you have ...the boys! As an aside, Wheel Rimmer Richards, now the fastest innertube changer in the World, kept spirits high with glimpses of his comedy genius world.

The terrain was harsh, endless hills sapped every ounce of strength from their physiques. The danger of losing the squidgy'est arse in Dursley, nay, the world was ever present. Could it survive the gruelling schedule and was it inherited from a man of the cloth?

Cabin fever hit days 3 and 4 for two of the crew. Support member Richardson applied salmon pasta, wine and Ben & Jerry's liberally which seemed to ease the condition.

OK, so behind every great team is great support, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the stars in cars who, quite literally folks, risked their lives to carry our bags from one B&B to the next.

And so the end, ah the end. In sight and within our reach. The finishing line with familiar faces raced nearer. The lycra-clad figures crossed the line together, 1000 miles of road now behind the Freewheeling Threesome, job done!

It's hard to sum up what tales a trip of 1000 miles holds or indeed what it does to you as a person. In place of fully formed sentences here follows a list of outstanding words from 16 days of cycling ...

Hills, wine, beers, lochs, headwind, lorries, Cockhedge, smell of death, new saddle, handcuffs, hills, rain, sun, hills, 80's eyeliner, burning thighs, unitard, drugs, deep heat, roadkill, hills, A30, more hills.

A major, major thanks to all those who supported and cooked for us so well through the trip. To those who donated and cheered us on, we thank you. To the organisers of the surprise party, thank you. And to the guys, I thank you for getting me through what appears to have been a rather remarkable achievement!
Right what's next ...
Viv

For further information on the charities supported, or to donate some more please see last month's newsletter.

What's On at the Spot

- Forthcoming Events . . .

August
:: Fri 14 - Sun 16		The Old Spot Summer Beer Festival	- - -
:: Sun 30	3.30pm	Frocester Chill Out.	- - -
September
:: Wed 9	7.30pm	Celebrity Chef: "Fish Mezze" with the Landlord.	£10.00
:: Sun 13	T.B.A.	Return Cricket Match - Old Spot v Old Crown	- - -
:: Sun 22	7.30pm	Meet the Brewer:- Wye Valley. Tasting & supper	£5.00

Cheers!
Steve Herbert
August 2009THE OLD SPOT INN

T: 01453 542870
E:


Some Addresses for your favourites
NOTE: If you're using Internet Explorer, you can click the icon below to add them to your favourites, or click the link to go to the page.

	www.oldspotinn.co.uk	Main site
	news.oldspotinn.co.uk	Newsletters and Newspaper Articles Index
	ads.oldspotinn.co.uk	Your 'Old Spot Inn' Locals Classifieds
	forum.oldspotinn.co.uk	An online discussion forum for your after hours chat
	ricsainty.oldspotinn.co.uk	A tribute site dedicated to Old Ric

Don't forget to check out the What's On page for more stuff.

For the Newsletter Achive including PDF downloads, go to:
news.oldspotinn.co.uk

 Download this newsletter as PDF (447 KB)    Download Acrobat Reader

::  Why not add this site to your favourites.