Busk For Socialism

The Globe – a friendly, welcoming pub in Leicester

Just got back from a drink at The Globe, where I had a lovely pint of Tiger and a Titanic Plum Porter – well worth seeking out if you happen to be in Leicester. The Tiger was well kept, the usual balance of hops and malt. The Plum Porter (4.8% from Titanic Brewery) was very unusual – a fruity taste, with a lot of body and roasted malt flavours.

What’s all this? This is usually a blog about politics, with a bit of poetry thrown in. I didn’t come here to read about real ale or pubs.

The reason I went along to support a local pub, was that it has been the subject of threats from the far right. As a member of the Socialist Party, I felt it important that we stand up to their bullying tactics – and it was a good excuse for a pint!

A far-right blog (I’m not going to give them the satisfaction of mentioning it by name) has made threats against the staff, and accused the pub of refusing to serve service personnel, because of causing offence to the Muslim population of Leicester. Nothing could be further from the truth – while I was in the pub, a member of a charity for ex-servicemen who have been left homeless, dropped by to leave some leaflets.

The site put up a completely bogus photograph of a different pub, in Knutsford – about 75 miles away in Cheshire. The staff at the pub received a phone call threatening to harm them as they left work, so naturally the landlord called in security staff. In response, the blog then had the cheek to claim that the extra security was to turn away servicemen trying to enter the pub. “You can’t win”, was my comment.

The blog even turned on the Leicester Mercury, displaying a picture of the editor wearing a red tie (obviously a Communist Party member then), saying that the paper was full of communist sympathisers for daring to run an article pointing out the truth.

This sad farce shows the depths to which far-right, racist, moronic keyboard warriors will stoop. I hope the publicity (the pub has been on regional news) actually improves custom. The staff have been brave in keeping the place open through what must have been a difficult time.