I feel a little unfair writing a review on this place as my experience there was SO unbelievably odd and probably entirely unreflective of the norm....but until I get down there again it will have to do.
So, we arrived my friend and I. It was a Friday night last year, about 8pm.
So far, everything in this story is going well isn't it? We were a little aware of a sudden drop in conversation as we walked in, tiny but perceptible, the calm before the storm.
I sauntered in my most lollopy and casual way possible up to the bar and ordered a pint of cider (for me) and a glass of red wine (for him). Because that's the way I roll People! And there is was again.....another little, tiny and yet weirdly distinct drop in the conversations, *plink* and down another notch it went. By this point my friend and I had started darting a little look to eachother and said probably a bit to loudly "Shall we pull up a pew?". And someone snorted. Yep. Snorted.
Strange.
So cautiously cautiously whilst trying very hard to look bigger and more impressive than we really are, we made for a corner and found a seat. Then *thud*. Not a little notch this time, a fully whacking silence. From everyone.
So we gulped, and we talked. Loudly, fast, full on Essex blathering whilst we drank as quickly as possible and then IT HAPPENED! A small and angry yet superbly camp young man got up from his seat and in the prevailing silence went and kicked a speaker over. Then the speaker's owner (I guess they were preparing for music later?) jumped up and the two of them had the most glorious slappy little hiss fight in front of everyone. It had clearly been brewing over the Babychams for some time, perhaps even YEARS!!!
At this point it all became too much and as factions rose up around the room, with adorable little squeaks of 'Oh stop it boys!" and "Everyone calm down PLEASE!" I spontaneously erupted into one of the loudest and most uncontrolled belly laughs I have ever experienced. I bawled with laughter. Tears streamed down my face taking great sludges of eyeliner with them. It was so overwhelming that it triggered other attacks around the room and as I staggered to the ladies hunched over shaking with hysterical laughter to calm down (and because, I'm not going to lie, I was literally about to piss myself) I was slapped gleefully on the back by an extremely butch lady who said "F**king brilliant love, we needed that, F**KING BRILLIANT.".
I chuckled back out from the ladies to find our table surrounded by laughing people, a fresh pint for me, a fresh glass for my friend and spent an extraordinary hour or so answering questions about who I was and what I did whilst, oh wonderful glory, the two original protagonists sat silently, alone at their tables, on opposite sides of the bar glowering at each other.
As I say, I really should go back but- let's be honest, how the HELL do you top that for an experience? read more