The Marmion Tavern, Southsea
The Marmion Tavern, Southsea
Customers get to experience the tastes of an English takeaway when they step inside The Marmion Tavern.
Every Friday evening the Southsea pub becomes a chippy and home-made fish and chips are cooked to order.
And while you’re waiting for your food you can have a pint of real ale to keep you going.
And according to the pub’s landlords, ‘chip shop Friday’ has gone down a storm with the locals.
Paul Eldred, who has run the pub with his partner Gail Laurence since last year, said: ‘When we first took over the first thing we thought was, “there’s no decent chippy around here.”
‘So we decided to have a go at doing a chippy-themed night.
‘We wrap up the fish and chips in paper and we sell Pukka pies and home-made fishcakes too. We try to make the place feel like a proper chippy.’
Paul, 46, also likes to put on a weekly raffle with a difference at the pub, which is on Marmion Road.
The winner gets a bar tab and its value depends on the number of people who enter the draw.
Gail said: ‘It gives customers something to talk about.
‘It generates good feeling and that makes for a great atmosphere.’
The Victorian pub will hold a beer festival over the Easter weekend.
Nine real ales and one real cider will be on offer and local bands will take to a stage inside the bar on Easter Sunday.
Paul said: ‘We’ve never done a beer festival before.
‘Organising it has been a real learning curve.
‘But I’m looking forward to it.
‘I love real ale so I’ve always thought about doing one.
‘It’s about getting our customers to try out different and unusual tasting beers.’
Every Tuesday a men’s darts team gets together at the pub and on the first Monday of the month locals are treated to a quiz evening.
And from the beginning of February all of the six nations rugby matches will be televised in the bar.
Martin Brightman, 53, has been a regular at The Marmion Tavern for 20 years.
Mr Brightman, a self-employed bricklayer who lives next door to the pub, said: ‘It’s the people that make this pub what it is.
‘There are people that come here who I have known for decades. It’s a fantastic meeting place.
‘People talk about their lives and their work.
‘Thanks to Paul and Gail the pub has been turned around. It’s a real local’s local now.’
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Friday 25 May 2012
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