As you are no doubt very much aware, here at Freaky Trigger we are:
A. very much in favour of the pub
B. quite partial to a festival every now and then
So, hey, what could POSSIBLY GO WRONG with Pub In The Park? I, I don’t really know where to start…
I know we’ve had our issues with the GBBF over the years, but at least you know where you are with it. It’s a very big room full of people drinking good, mainly UK produce and getting (nicely, socially, happily) drunk, and CAMRA, quite rightly, does little to hide this. PITP seems to be doing everything it can to get away from the idea that pubs are places of drinking, but rather places where karaoke, pool, darts and battle of the bands competitions are the most important thing, not welcoming places where Unorganised Fun is the key to a cracking night.
Given that there’s more space given over on the website to cocktail making than what beers they’ll have on (there is no link here for a reason), I’m a little confused by what they mean by “pub” anyway, and this list of Pub Cos and brewers and their endorsements doesn’t really help (not to mention that all bar two of the spokes are middle-age, white males. Good representation of the community, there, chaps). I mean, I know they’re speaking to the trade not to punters but really:
This initiative gives every operator the chance to engage with Pub in the Park and at the same time drive custom through the business.
really? It’s a bad state of affairs when the bloke from Mitchell & Butler sounds the most normal…
I understand why a trade event, where suppliers and publicans can meet and do business is a good idea, but I don’t understand why you’d want to open this up to the public, and, even worse charge EIGHTEEN POUNDS SEVENTY FIVE PENCE (or twice the cost of GBBF) and then make people buy tokens for food and drink rather than just letting them spend normal money. That seems to be really not what what The Pub is like at all…