Back of the NET
Building a public transport network in any major city is clearly meant to facilitate one thing and one thing only. People might argue that this is easing commuters into work, or consumers to shops, or kids to schools, but really it's drinkers to pubs.

Needless to say, this very fact is advertised on the Tram Company's website, and has been given the approval of those nice bearded men at CAMRA.

Seeing as so many people had gone to so much trouble it seemed rude not to put their hard work to our use, and consequently together with fellow bloggers Ben and Lisa, and non-blogger Steve, I found myself in The Green Dragon in Hucknall at 12.30pm on Saturday.

By the time we had consumed a couple of halves, and moved on a couple of pubs, our number had swollen to 12 and things were in full swing.

Pubs and trams came and went as we worked our way steadily back towards the city centre. Notable highlights included the offer of stickers by the charming lady in The Newstead Abbey, and the opportunity to witness animal instincts in full flow outside a Greggs in Bulwell. Lowlights were limited to the fact that trams were not running up the extra limb of the line and prevented us from getting to the two pubs out there; and the incredibly long hike to reach The Oxford – a pub that really was not worth the effort.

By the time we reached the Vernon Arms, at least one of our number was feeling so remarkably well that she suggested adding shots of vodka to the round, but thankfully sense prevailed and her attempt to undermine our remaining sobriety was halted.

By the time we left the Bell Inn, 17 pubs down the line from where we started, things that were already blurry disappeared into an even murkier haze. I remember having another drink in The Dragon – not a pub on our list, but considered by all to be better than Weatherspoons. Unfortunately this decision was not fully communicated to the group, with half our party heading off in an altogether different direction and with our numbers halved things rather dwindled away.

An attempt was made by some to carry on, but the queue outside Lloyds, and the lure of Thai food proved the final nail in the coffin of our crawl, and so it was that I found myself eating noodles and drinking a lot of water before staggering to the bus stop and lolling on the back seat of the bus all the way home.

Unsurprisingly both NET and CAMRA suggest that the crawl should be attempted over two days, and it was our own sense of recklessness and bravura that prompted us to attempt a feat which ultimately just proved beyond us. However, for a mere £2.20 to travel the tram all day, and (by drinking halves) the pub crawl becomes far less painful on the wallet (or at least seems that way) and proved to be an excellent way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
- posted by Paul @ 1:38 pm