Wardrobes

After leaving the Civil Service, I’d planned several projects. Some were actually completed before buying into the Schooner, but some important ones weren’t started.

Now that I’ve pulled out of the pub, one small project has been completed. Wardrobes in the spare room.

Of course, the room now needs to be decorated before I can start something else. Around 18 months later than planned, the kitchen’s next.

A stove and a man with a dog

It’s important not to make decisions when drinking wine. Unfortunately, I do that all too often.

The decision to buy a wood burner was actually a good one. The stove purchased might not have been my Best buy.

It arrived today and was duly deposited on the pavement outside the house. On a pallet. While attempting to separate the stove from its pallet, a man asked if I needed assistance.

He was walking his dog, on the other side of the road. I didn’t know him, although he looked vaguely familiar. I politely declined his kind offer, responding that help would be arriving soon.

I (barely) managed to get the stove only the pavement, but I couldn’t move it far. It’s very heavy.

Fortunately, my beloved soon arrived and the stove entered the house. While the stove’s great, it’s extremely heavy and not at all moveable.

And, so, it’s now in the living room until we come up with a way of moving it upstairs.

July

Probably an insane thing to do right now, but we have somewhat vague plans for a Micropub.

Our interim thoughts are of a July opening; however there are obvious dependencies.

15 months

I wouldn’t have thought it possible to pack so much into 15 months. 15 months ago, that is.

My time in the Schooner has been incredible. So much stress in the early days, but so much fun too. The hours/days/weeks were long, but the experience was like nothing I’d known before. I don’t regret it for a second; I’ve learned so much.

A huge thanks to my former partners. We went into this as friends and came out the same. No, we’re more than friends after everything we’ve been through.

I’m now going to do some work on our long neglected house, while researching the next venture.

I could never have imagined that retirement could be so crazy.

The Schooner

Well, I’ve just two more days as a part owner of the Schooner.

I’d not planned on getting into the pub business; it wasn’t a spur of the moment thing, but it wasn’t too far away from that.

I don’t regret my time with the pub, even though the early days were tough. I’ve become part of the fabric of the place and I’ll give up my time to help whenever and if ever I’m needed. I want the pub to succeed and I’m sure it will.

I’ve learned so much in such a short time; from Paul (basically everything) and Phil (everything to do with ale) in terms of managing a pub, but from Stew and Steve in running the bar (and top level customer service). And the rest of the team (too many to mention); I’ll miss them all.

The pub had inherited the second best bar in Gateshead strapline, but it’s easily the best.

I might be leaving, but a piece of me will be in the Schooner forever. I’ve so many life changing memories.

It’s a fantastic pub, with a lovely bunch of people. I shall be a loyal customer when COVID-19 regulations allow such things.

Meanwhile, I’ve work to do in the house and a new venture to plan.

So many memories, but here’s a handful.

It’s been a blast

I’ve been in the pub business for 14 months and it’s been tough. And fun.

After a lot of agonising, I’ve decide to sell my shares in the Schooner. I’ve learned so much in this short time, more than I could have imagined just a year ago.

I’m proud to have contributed to turning around a failing pub, making it a viable business.

While I’ll leave mid-January, I’ll be helping out informally until the end of the financial year.

After which I’ll take some well earned time off, do some work on the house, then explore my next project.

Which may be a pub of sorts.