Saturday October 22, 1983

 The Why Not, Hemlington

Marie is stunned by the way the brewery have failed to support us . Margaret MacMahon should have gone because without her disruptive influence the others would have obeyed us. Frost. We awoke to a crisp frost and an equally frosty letter from Fran O'Brien telling us to correct our stock deficiency and asking us to contact him should we require any assistance. This was posted yesterday when we were in the middle of the staff crisis and he knew then that were attempting, on his advice, to solve the problem. It proved too much for Ally who sat propped up in bed crying with the crumpled letter upon her baby bump. I was white with rage and threatening to resign before suffering such a blow again. F.O'B now goes off on holiday for a week and so we decide to phone David Tyne on Monday to seek an audience of him to tell him our problems. We worked alone 11-3:30. We drove to Linthorpe for fish and chips and ate them in Mandy. We took a loaf of bread with us to make sandwiches. Called on Roy at 5:30 who gave us tea and a lecture. He asked us to play it cool and to resign before they have the opportunity to sack us, should it come to it. He was very good. We bought change from him for the bar. As we left he looked at Ally and called 'a proud little thing'.

Hemlington really is a God forsaken place.

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Friday October 21, 1983

 Why Not, Hemlington

We arranged a staff meeting to which all our pathetic bar staff came to disrupt and create chaos. The meeting began at 10:30, and as we suspected Cath C withdrew her resignation and was sacked. Others followed and within minutes we had no staff and I was left to work alone in a busy bar. The girls, looking every inch like Leyland activists, arranged a meeting in the lounge bar and phoned the press. They were all outside posing for a press photograph beneath the Why Not sign. Ally was upstairs handing out dismissal notices like Margaret Thatcher & when she came downstairs she looked taut and washed out. We then barred all our former staff from the premises and took the phone off the hook to prevent them speaking to the News of the World. 

Shock. Horror. Fran O'Brien phoned like a timid New Zealand White rabbit saying they, the powers that be at the brewery, have had a re-think and 'can you please re-instate all those who have been sacked.' A complete U-turn, and we have only ever acted on the advice of Sam Smith's. I went down the road to see Brenda who was wailing on her settee. Ally phoned Chris Potton, where all the others were gathered for a war council, and the cheers went up as they took victory. This evening they were all back and we were thoroughly humiliated and feeling very let down by the brewery.

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Thursday October 20, 1983

 Why Not, Hemlington

Ally phoned the brewery to enquire about the procedure for sacking staff. She got through to David Tyne who, in the absence of Fran O'Brien, put her on to a Mr Brown in personnel. He said he would ring back, but didn't, and therefor our viper arrived for work this evening and we did nothing. Ally gave Cath C a warning and she immediately said she will tend her resignation tomorrow. Good. The little Welsh punter Taffy (ex army?) chatted about large spiders in the desert. Apparently he's eaten snake stew. He gave me some Wilbur Smith novels. A horrible atmosphere of suspicion and hate hangs over the place. The place was electric. Ally went to see Dr Ruffett and all is going extremely well. No high blood pressure. Baby is in the correct position and is the correct size. Ally remains under 9st. She made another appointment for next month, but just where we'll be  I shall not hazard a guess.

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Wednesday October 19, 1983

 Why Not, Hemlington

Wet, but bright. Late last night a large paving stone was hurled through the lounge window. Fortunately, it came through the glass panel that was cracked in the last serious fracas, and the brewery had it fixed today. A strong wind blew. We phoned Marie who came at 10 to discuss the staff/stock. Our bad apple is obviously ________. Marie agreed to come back at 2pm and spy on the staff whilst we go to Thornaby and the bank. This she did. However, both she and Mags were recognised by Dave the baker, who told Margaret MacMahon, and it created a terrible, dismal atmosphere. All eyes were fixed on Marie and her large Bacardi. We came back to find a busy pub, an angry barmaid, and a builder putting in a new window. Sat with Marie and Mags afterwards and M advised us to sack Margaret tomorrow before she starts work and rouses the others to disaffection. _______. More warnings were given out tonight.

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Tuesday October 18, 1983

 Why Not, Hemlington

Alison has taken to giggling hopelessly and helplessly like I've never heard or seen before. It must be a combination of the pregnancy and this mad house. So charming to see her throbbing on top of the bed like a hippopotamus. Our cheerfulness was quashed by Fran O'Brien this afternoon who, having heard of our stock result, phoned and asked us what we are going to do about it. I told him we'd give the staff the hard word and this evening as they arrived Ally took them aside and gave each one a verbal warning. Margaret MacMahon flew into a temper, Brenda Brook appeared baffled and expressed sorrow to us, and Christine Potton was her usual blank self. I'm trying to work out which one Agatha Christie would make the villain. Ally always good in these instances. Later I brawled with a drunken Irishman who tried to floor me, unsuccessfully.

# Brenda, Chris and Margaret - verbal warnings.

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Monday October 17, 1983

The Linthorpe.

 Phoned Roy at breakfast time and arranged to go to the Linthorpe at 10:15 for my first managers liaison committee meeting. Fran O'Brien presided. Those present included Roy, lowering the tone of the place, Jim Brown , big and bear-like from the Cambridge, a bearded young man from Eston's who is Roy's trainee, and a youth who has the Brunton Arms. Talked about sanatizing the post-mix and the showers in managers accommodation, &c. All good fun. Tim didn't come from the Master Cooper because of his stocktake. I didn't let the stocktake today stop me. Ally collected me at 12:30 and the stocktaker was waiting for us with grim news. We have a £140 defecit since the last stocktake - obviously due to theft. Our future with Sam Smith's is now at stake. Such a bloody shame. A holding relief in a good, little pub would have set us right. We refuse to be depressed though. Ally very angry that we are being fiddled so.

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Sunday October 16, 1983

 20th Sunday after Trinity

The Why Not, Hemlington

The sabbath. We cleaned the beer lines and had buckets everywhere. Ally looking like a giant baby in her red dungarees. We put out cheese and biscuits on the bar on Sundays. We stood at the bar watching our thieving staff at work. Who should walk in but Rose Skitt, Peter Broom and Ron Perry. I said someone must have dared them to come here from the Linthorpe. They stood with us furtively eyeing the mob who now seem quite tame to us. Are we sinking to the level of our customers without knowing? The staff had gone by 2:30 and we sat in a corner and had a small 'stoppy back'. They left at 5. Later, a chicken roast.  Ally went to bed after dinner and remained in that horizontal posture for the duration. Busy in the pub tonight. Taffy likens the Cecil Parkinson situation to Lloyd George, but was LG ever found out?

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Saturday October 15, 1983

 Why Not, Hemlington

The Daily Telegraph is full of the Parkinson Affair. Mrs T should not have back him so. It shows a lack of judgement. People won't stand for the top brass getting involved in sexual scrapes. It's perfectly acceptable for the local social worker or college lecturer to be caught trousers down, but it's simply not on when you're the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Send L. Gledhill a creeping letter asking to be given the Cheshire Midland. We now have to wait and see. Ally went off in driving rain to post the letter. We are very surprised that Fran O'Brien hasn't phoned about the stocktake. Perhaps he is letting us stew for a while. Ray Davis sneaked in again and I had him ejected by the law. (I have been told to always phone the police at the slightest sign of trouble. It's such a well known, violent hostelry). As Davis was leaving he informed the uniformed constable that nobody beneath the rank of inspector had the right to remove a citizen from a public house. Otherwise, a quiet night.

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Friday October 14, 1983

 Why Not, Hemlington

Phoned Les Gledhill and told him we are interested in the Cheshire Midland. He told me to put something in writing . He is a soft spoken individual. Phoned Horton and told Mum and Dad about our visit to Hale. Auntie Mabel was there with them and I had a quick word with her too. It is really awful that the police found it necessary to contact the brewery. It is now a black mark against our name and coupled with the disastrous stocktake it paints a gloomy picture. Ally is furious about the defecit and until another stocktake is carried out (Monday) we cannot tell whether it really is as bad as it seems to be. Phoned Roy to let him know the Hale situation. He says the stocktake result is 'the last thing' we need. I hope it doesn't go against us with L. Gledhill. News: the awful, foolish Cecil Parkinson has thrown in the towel and resigned. This is good. I saw him as a possible future PM but this Sara Keays incident has put paid to that. We are a Puritan nation.

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Thursday October 13, 1983

 Why Not, Hemlington

Dismal day. The result of last weeks stocktake has arrived showing a defecit of £136.49. This is hideous. We have a viper in the nest and now have to take action accordingly. The very idea that someone comes behind our bar and gives away, privately sells, and steals our stock sends me into paroxysms of rage. I have very great doubts about two members of staff. They do a lot of whispering with the roughnecks. Fran O'Brien phoned to say Emmerson has spoken to him about the poor way I run the Why Not. We called the police again tonight when an estranged wife found her hubby in the bar and smashed a pint of lager over his shiny, bald head. He dragged her out by the hair, in true caveman style and attempted to drown her in a puddle in the car park. Ally watched from an upstairs window as the aggrieved husband dragged the screaming woman into the housing estate.

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Wednesday October 12, 1983

 The Why Not, Hemlington

The Cheshire Midland.

Up at dawn and out at 9 leaving the cleaners who almost certainly will sit with Tequila Sunrises and Hamlet cigars as our car disappears from view. Down the  M1 and then the M62 to Manchester and to Altrincham, pleasant with posh shops. Hale is nearby. We were impressed by the place. The pub, white and Georgian in appearance sits close to the railway, but is not spoiled by this. It's the type of railway station one sees on old films. You almost expect to see Celia Johnson coming through the mist on the platform. The place was empty at 12 and we sat eyeing the place over. Had delicious beef sandwiches.The pub had been recently decorated and was pleasant. We walked around looking at the shops and then went back to confront the relief manager who took us on a hurried guided tour of the place with another couple who trained at the Cambridge. At 3 we went away impressed and called on Dave G and Lily at Edgeley (10 miles away). Dave was of course in bed but came down when he heard our voices. They think that if we're taking £3,000 a week at the Why Not then it's busy. We left Stockport at 5 and got to Middlesbrough for 7. Brenda and Jeannie were in the bar. No incidents. I went upstairs at 10, and later some CID chaps collared me when I came down to eject everyone at 10:40. They had been in the pub watching, and the bar staff had not rung 'time'. One copper, Emmerson I think, accused me of trying to hide something when I went to close the curtains. 'The only thing I'm hiding is the windows', said I. Pigs. They say they will inform the brewery
. Picking on me because of my youth. Ally was very upset.

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