The cost of visiting the pub – and wearing lipstick goes up

Published: 1 April, 2010

• LIKE most men after a hard week’s work I normally make a bee-line to the pub for a couple of pints on the way home on Fridays.
It’s a great way to wind down, reflect on the week, and plan something interesting for the weekend ahead.
Despite my disapproval of our current Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, again hiking-up the duty on alcohol, I was rather amused to see a notice in one of Camden Town’s most prominent pubs; the Camden Eye (formerly the Halfway House) displaying a “No Lipstick” notice clearly in the bar.
Being aware that this pub frequently hosts live entertainment, wrongly, I asked if “No Lipstick” was a new group or cabaret act.
How wrong was I to be…
The server behind the bar very politely and civilly explained that the pub does not serve ladies (or anyone else for that matter) wearing lipstick since it finds it far too difficult to wash the glasses that have deposits of lipstick on them.
I asked the server how they overcome the problem and was told that such customers are told to wipe it off before their drink is poured; no wipe, no drink.
Having been a publican in the 1980s (Blue Anchor, Portsmouth) I, too, had customers wearing lipstick.
Indeed, in a naval town when the ships were ashore and the sailors were at large, flocks of ladies appeared from nowhere; dolled up to the nines, but never did I or my staff experience any problems in glass-washing.
Yes, I used to lose a few of my branded glasses and bar towels as souvenirs but never did I have any customers complain that, after being served, they saw lipstick on the one in which they were served their victuals.
Doubtless the management of the Camden Eye currently have little time for Mr Darling since his actions will obviously have hit their level of trade.
Likewise I guess that those lipstick-wearing darlings who enjoy imbibing at this popular watering hole are feeling as well and truly cheesed-off at having to remove their glam as I am at having to pay even more for my cider.
JOHN P GRAHAM
Holford Road, NW3