@ spitfire - I remember b/stoke before the London hordes arrived - it was a peaceful town of many pubs and the barge Inn was famous the barges used to once running alongside it in former days - but it was one of our ancient watering holes and there were plenty more that have long disappeared - reputed to have the highest number of pubs in the south towns? and then modernization came l it was never the same again - we sorta got used to it - had to really but the accents changed and the fighting got tougher!