Tuesday, 20 January 2015

Live From the Velodrome


Well it is all getting there. Setting up a big beer festival like Manchester Beer and Cider Festival - see links  in previous post - is a marathon rather than a sprint. When you expect over 12,000 people, there is a huge logistical operation.  In fact serving the customers is the relatively straightforward bit. Getting a few thousand pieces of kit to click together really isn't straightforward at all.

There is always something new too, just to throw you a bit. This year we have to contend with, for example, the new laws on allergen advice.  Given that no-one is an actual expert on the 14 different categories, we have to do our best to get it right. And we will, but it is just one more thing sent to try us.  Today is (nearly) final set up and then we have to tidy away all the boxes, spares and other gubbins we don't need or need later. Bar Managers will make final adjustments, stalls will stock up, coolers will be checked and a million other things. I'll be doing the Health and Safety check later today and again tomorrow to finally ensure we are safe to go.

The good fun starts tomorrow with the trade session which to me is the best of all simply because it is a chance to meet up with old friends from the trade and have a natter and a pint.

I'll hopefully keep you all informed.

 I really do recommend it and it will be great fun.
at

21 comments:

  1. ShadowHider20 January 2015 at 14:41

    See you tomorrow TM. I'm on the judging panel for the Porters.
    :-))

    ReplyDelete
  2. Erlangernick20 January 2015 at 15:29

    Damn. May have to check last-minute flights to MAN!

    [...checks flights...]

    Damn. Bit skint after the holidays.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dave20 January 2015 at 17:03

    "I really do recommend it"

    I'm sure "it" is lovely, but it's hard to take up your recommendation without a least a clue as to what event you're actually talking about.

    ReplyDelete
  4. John Clarke20 January 2015 at 17:49

    Dave - - guessing wildly I'd assume it's the Manchester Beer & Cider Festival mentioned by Tanders in his previous post...

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  5. Tandleman20 January 2015 at 17:51

    Indeed but duly amended. Fair point.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Rocket20 January 2015 at 19:09

    Hope it's a improvement on last year's ,very poor selection of beer choice left on the Friday night . Decided to do a salford pub crawl this year instead.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Paul Bailey20 January 2015 at 20:48

    "Allergen advice." Does this mean packets of peanuts are off the menu? And will you have to provide gluten free beer for coeliacs?

    It sounds like a bar manager's lot is not a happy one, in today's 'elf n' safety, litigation-crazy world; so best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous20 January 2015 at 21:13

    The only people who continually push the notion of frivolous litigation are the large companies who deserve to be sued. Watch what myths from the right wing press you perpetuate in order to get cheap Clarksonesque chuckles Paul, we have already lost Legal Aid.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Paul Bailey20 January 2015 at 22:34

    I like the phrase “Clarksonesque” anonymous, but my point about over the top Health & Safety, and litigious lawyers was not made in order to get a few cheap laughs. Instead it was put forward as a sad indictment of today’s Nanny-State society and thus has nothing to do with any newspaper; right wing or otherwise!

    BTW I am well aware that apart for most people Legal Aid is a thing of the past, but what has this got to do with a beer festival?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous21 January 2015 at 22:17

    Your tee shirt says it all mate. Keep reading whatever papers or blogs that conform and confirm your world view. Just stop borrowing all the boring hyperbole language. Plus, how is health and safety over the top, you should visit the HSE web site and find out what they actually do and not what guys with comedy shirts who use the phrase, elf n safety think they do.
    People are litigious not lawyers. You perhaps should watch Hot Coffee and then think about the phrase frivolous law suit.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Professor Pie-Tin22 January 2015 at 04:46

    @Paul Bailey
    The whole allergen warning thing has just come into law here in Ireland too so I guess this is another piece of bureaucratic nonsense from the busted flush that is the EU.
    As usual it's impossible to implement properly and in reality it just means another pointless warning sign to scare the witless.
    Vote Ukip - you know Nige is the only party leader who would actually enjoy mingling with the flat caps the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous22 January 2015 at 19:19

    @ pie tin, you are a typical bog trotter. Go chase an orange dwarf.

    PS. nige still wants to demolish the NHS and get the rich to pay less tax. Busted belly buster, as you like poker so much.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Paul Bailey22 January 2015 at 20:38

    Anonymous, it is very easy to hide behind a cloak of anonymity whilst throwing brick-bats at others. You have never met me and yet you seek to judge me by the T-shirt I was wearing when my photo was taken. Surely you are mature enough to know never judge a book by its cover!

    My world view has been formed over many years, and from working in many different fields. I do not need newspapers or other journals to confirm or reinforce what I think of the world, as I am more than capable at making my own mind up about things. You obviously failed to read my reply of the 20th January; otherwise you would have known this.

    One last point; I am not your mate and have no intention of being yours, so kindly don’t refer to me as such!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous26 January 2015 at 00:10

      I only call the most contemptible people, mate - mate. What's that got to do with beer.

      Delete
  14. John Clarke23 January 2015 at 09:04

    Anonymous trolls - don't you just love 'em?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous25 January 2015 at 18:42

      Don't you just hate fat middle aged, Middle of the road comedy t-shirt wearers who constantly bring right wing political commentary to beer blogs and then run away shouting, "WHAT THIS GOT TO DO WITH BEER", which is what Paul Bailey does. Hth

      Delete
  15. Professor Pie-Tin23 January 2015 at 11:29

    @Anonymous.
    Of all the things I've been called as an Englishman living in Ireland and trust me there have been many bog-trotter is not one of them.Around here some folk wear it as a badge of pride.
    As for Nige, come back to me in May when he's picked up 20+ seats and formed a coalition with Dave.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Cooking Lager23 January 2015 at 13:16

    Well thanks to 'elf & safety I quite enjoyed your beery bash and managed not to die whilst doing so, so well done!

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  17. Paul Bailey2 February 2015 at 22:54

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Paul Bailey2 February 2015 at 23:11

    "Anonymous users are encouraged to register a name or to at least display one."

    ReplyDelete

Anonymous users are encouraged to register a name or to at least display one.