We popped down to The Ship tonight, out local in the village of Uphill. It’s a grand pub, with a very good restaurant, and we are fortunate to have it in our village. We tend to go down to the pub late, say an hour before closing time, just for a couple of drinks and to see what’s going on and maybe catch up with some pals – or make new ones, as happened tonight!
We sloped down and arrived about 9:45 and ordered a couple of pints of Otter at the bar. Otter is a great beer, brewed not far away in Devon, and in fact we went on a visit to the brewery several years ago which was not only interesting, but refreshing (if you get my drift! Although we know a lot of people you are regulars at the Ship, we don’t as yet have our little gang who we might meet and regulatory sit with. It matters not, it’s early days. We have always liked the Ship, and have enjoyed going there, but our regular haunt was another pub which has now in effect closed. So we are loyal Ship-mates these days!!
As we arrived, Nigel and his mates were just leaving but we had a quick conversation with one of them who is an Everton supporter. Now it so happens that a cousin-in-law also supports Everton Football Club so we had a bit of a chat with him. We sat on the bench seats beside the windows and I was reminded again of the first time I visited the pub when I was sixteen years old. Yes, I know the legal age was eighteen, but we had only just moved to the area and four of our friends had come down to stay with us. We somehow squashed into a Volkswagen Beetle belonging to one of them and driven to Uphill. At that time, The Ship was divided into several small bars, separated by walls and we were sitting in one of them chatting with our friends and catching up with all the news. We were no doubt well-behaved and although no doubt laughing and chatting away, were patently no trouble at all. One of the staff passed by, stopped and looked at us – at my sister in particular. She was fourteen at the time, and much more into fashion and make-up than me, and more worldly although she was two years younger. He stopped and asked how old she was – “I’m eighteen!” she exclaimed, straight-faced. Considering that one of our friends was at least twenty, it must have been obvious that she was very much younger, but her confidence, and no doubt our good behaviour, persuaded him to let it go. We finished our drinks and quietly left
The Ship has changed much since then – all the small bars have been knocked into a more open-plan space, but it is as good a pub and as well run as ever, but each time i go in, I remember my sister.
Lois Elsden 