South Shields Sanddancers Forum

my first pub drink was in the Balancing eel in 1973.

My first pub drink in Shields was in 1959 in back room of the Nunnerie in the market with Gags Uncle when I was 13.

I'm not sure if it was my first underage pint, but the side room at The Britannia oppositie the town hall was popular.
It was more a case of the bigger, older looking lads bringing drinks over for us novices and hoping we wouldn't get chucked out.
The manager (I think his name was Gudgeon or Dundgeon) was a big fat fella who always looked fierce and not one to tackle.

The back room at The Albemarle was another favourite for first pint lads but was often full of old fellas who probably thought
seeing us young uns reminded them of their early drinking days and for the most part were good company for conversation.

Upstairs in the County drank cider thinking it was non alcohloic was sick as a dog and never touched cider since. It was 1964, I had been to a pub before but not in Shields.

malaymac wrote:I'm not sure if it was my first underage pint, but the side room at The Britannia oppositie the town hall was popular.
It was more a case of the bigger, older looking lads bringing drinks over for us novices and hoping we wouldn't get chucked out.
The manager (I think his name was Gudgeon or Dundgeon) was a big fat fella who always looked fierce and not one to tackle.

The back room at The Albemarle was another favourite for first pint lads but was often full of old fellas who probably thought
seeing us young uns reminded them of their early drinking days and for the most part were good company for conversation.

Was it not his son that murdered a young lass at the back of the middle club?

MIne was when I was 17 and was in Oscars with the girls and then nearly every pub and finished in Escape or The Venue, cant remember which one!!

Thats the very one Pete mate.

cheers.

gag.

My first underage drink at 14 was in the Red Duster in 1970 when Dot and Jim Clark were the landlord and landlady, first one down street was in the Brig managaress and manager were Terri and Steve happy days

Jarrow Pete wrote:

malaymac wrote:I'm not sure if it was my first underage pint, but the side room at The Britannia oppositie the town hall was popular.
It was more a case of the bigger, older looking lads bringing drinks over for us novices and hoping we wouldn't get chucked out.
The manager (I think his name was Gudgeon or Dundgeon) was a big fat fella who always looked fierce and not one to tackle.

Was it not his son that murdered a young lass at the back of the middle club?

Hi Pete, hi Gag. I had completely forgotten about that.
Errrr, not quite sure how to respond here without heading off to the Dark Zone.
If the rumours are true, that fella, alledgely, choked the young lass by sticking something so far down her throat, she choked.

As I say, I'm really not sure if that is true or not, but it was a big rumour at the time.

Yes Mac thats my recollection of it as well. I could be wrong but I seem to remember he killed someone else when he was released.

anna wrote:I hear the fountain is closeing down ..??
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Champ ..your not included..

the fountain inn was never the same after its heart was ripped out by trendy moderinsers making it open plan ,the same happened to the black prince at the nook dunno what its called now but that was a canny bar in its day

anna whats the picky doing these days ? last time i was in i got a pint of stones and it was watered down the bstards !!!

Fenella wrote: the fountain inn was never the same after its heart was ripped out by trendy moderinsers making it open plan ,the same happened to the black prince at the nook dunno what its called now but that was a canny bar in its day. whats the picky doing these days ? last time i was in i got a pint of stones and it was watered down the bstards !!!

Similar story at the Stags Head in Fowler Street. I was so used to the old look, I just didn't like the revamped version at all and I used to love
the pint of Stones in there, but could do without being squashed in like sardines, alongwith the pint in The County - both back in the 80's.