cavers taking the piss at Draenen

[pete_the_caver]

On Saturday, I took a couple of Kiwi cavers on a round trip of Draenen; nothing special about that.  However later that day I felt rather embarrassed when my group, one out of the five teams in the cave that day, was the only one to visit the Lamb & Fox.  What made it even more embarrassing was that at least one group parked in the pub car park and did no see fit to by a pint!

This is taking the piss!

It is bad enough that cavers regularly go in there and order only a pint of water and a packet of crisps before leaving or worse ,making a point of leaving so that they can get to the chippy in Blaenafon before it closes even though the Lamb does very good food.

If you don't intend to spend money in the pub don't park in its car park and don't walk over the land owned by the pub.

Try arranging for everyone to arrive in one vehicle so that you can have one designated driver and then make an evening of it or at least, order a pint of Coke, faggot Peas and Chips (a ?5.00 meal) or something similar

The Lamb is part of the Draenen experience and if we don't support the pub we'll loose it

 

[Alex]

It is not true we where there and we did buy a pint and crisps they were however not serving food when we arrived so we went elsewhere to eat, maybe if they started serving food earlier?

We were un-aware that if you park nearby you have to eat in the pub? does the old concrete quarry carpark belong to the pub? There was also another group (unless that was you (if so you didnt order any food either)) who were using the pub, so that statement just is not true.

I do agree if your not going to stop by then you shouldent really use the pub carpark (does the carpark on the left count?) But you cant expect to force us cavers to go out of our way to stay there all night as well it is not up to you really and is asking a bit too much. This is a democracy and no matter what you or others think people are allowed to spend there money where they want and I would fight tooth and nail for that right!.

Maybe the Lamb and Fox should put on cheap accomdation as the way forward? This will encourage more people to stay.

 

[Clive G]

. . .

does the old concrete quarry carpark belong to the pub?

. . .

No, the pub car park is immediately outside and adjacent to the Lamb & Fox Inn. The concrete base on the opposite side of the road, as far as I know, belongs to Walters Group Ltd.

 

[pete_the_caver]

The point I am trying to make is that cavers should support the Lamb and Fox.  My group drank a few pints each but the profit from that would not have paid for the two bags of coal that went on the fire.

My comments about cavers ordering a pint of water and a packet of crisps was not referring about the cavers present on Saturday but rather cavers in general over the past few years and there have been many instances of cavers leaving to visit the chippy when food was available in the Lamb and to be honest the food sold by the chippies in Blaenafon is not as good as what the pub has to offer.  Locals will tell you, the pub will usually feed you, if you just ask

There were cavers parked at the pub and they did not come in. That was taking the piss. 

I will also defend your right to spend your money where you want to, but with the politics the way they are at the moment in Pwll Du area, I would suggest that spending some time and money in this pub would be a good investment. I don't want to loose another one of my local pubs

 

[dudley bug]

We left the cave at 6pm, I think you had left at that point, your car was not there. We went into the Lamb and Fox, there was one group in there drinking when we arrived. While we were drinking, two people came in, I assume that Alex was in this party.

That is 4 out of the five groups I know went into the pub and the fifth group was still underground when we left!

If the pub served food earlier at least two of the groups would have eaten there aswell.

To ask people to support the pub is one thing but to moan about the people who are is really taking the piss! :spank:

 

[owd git]

I have nothing at-all to do with this incident/ non incident.
However all power to Pete for his sentiment. we can't simply expect a pub to magically be there at our behest should we deign to patronise one, they need our support. God knows i do my bit!
and hopefully will manage to do so a while yet.
If only the money spew-ed into the banks was put into the economy via consumers the economy would be more bouyant now. come on call me Mick
OwdGit.

 

[Alex]

My comments about cavers ordering a pint of water and a packet of crisps was not referring about the cavers present on Saturday but rather cavers in general over the past few years and there have been many instances of cavers leaving to visit the chippy when food was available in the Lamb and to be honest the food sold by the chippies in Blaenafon is not as good as what the pub has to offer.

Not what I read from your opening statement...

On Saturday, I took a couple of Kiwi cavers on a round trip of Draenen; nothing special about that.  However later that day I felt rather embarrassed when my group, one out of the five teams in the cave that day, was the only one to visit the Lamb & Fox.  What made it even more embarrassing was that at least one group parked in the pub car park and did no see fit to by a pint!

This is taking the piss!

I was actually a little offended by your original post to tell you the truth but restrained my self and edited down my reply from what it originally said. Please if you need to make a point, don't use false accusations to make that point because you will only be met with hostilities.

 

[restingcaver]

Hi Pete the Caver
I was at the Lamb and Fox drinking on Saturday night; and Friday night too! I may even have been the naked caver to whom an antipodean spoke as they exited the pub, as I was also parked in the Pub Car Park, (yes and I was changing after caving, not just for the thrill of it!). There were also at least 3 other cavers cars in the pub car park as there is cheap accommodation at the Lamb and Fox in the shed around the back of the pub, and they were staying there.

However, although I and the other cavers parked in the pub car park spent money in the pub on both nights (including after the antipodean party left at around 5pm), the special circumstances on Saturday were that there was a PDCMG meeting being held in Blaenafon that night, and many cavers returned to the Lamb and Fox after the meeting finished and added to the takings of the pub, and were most grateful for the hospitality! There were also quite a few cavers there after the meeting who had not been in the cave that day. So good support for the pub all round I think.

I think a good proportion of the caving community in South Wales very much appreciate both the location of the pub and the support the owners of the pub give us, as they also own the land on which the cave entrance is located. I support your sentiments. Just don't jump to too many premature conclusions Pete.
Cheers!
Tim

 

[tony from suffolk]

I'll just point out that not all of us drink alcohol, and the prices charged for soft drinks in most pubs is prohibitive.

 

[Daz_of_caving]

So its not enough you want to argue about the cave itself but argue about the carpark/pub near the cave... 

This is really putting me off Wales caving at the moment  :thumbsdown:

Daz

 

[jasonbirder]

I misread the thread title - and thought it was another conservation related thread...
I read it as Cavers taking a piss at Draenen

 

[Alex]

It seems to be just Dreanen, for some reason no where else in Wales is so... contraversal, I mean even I was drawn into this one.

 

[Andy Sparrow]

I misread the thread title - and thought it was another conservation related thread...
I read it as Cavers taking a piss at Draenen

I misunderstood the thread title too - I thought it was about the new access procedures for Draenen

 

[Daz_of_caving]

It seems to be just Dreanen, for some reason no where else in Wales is so... contraversal, I mean even I was drawn into this one.

and that mine which has recently been closed  :-\

 

[Cavegod]

all well and good going in the pub but if you live 200 miles away and don't drink i know where i would be heading after a trip in Draenen.

 

[dunc]

I misread the thread title - and thought it was another conservation related thread...
I read it as Cavers taking a piss at Draenen

I misunderstood the thread title too - I thought it was about the new access procedures for Draenen

Perhaps if we got enough cavers to take a piss near Draenen we could wash enough surface crap to expose another entrance through natural processes - would that be acceptable?  :-\
Anyway, moving swiftly on..
Not everyone can support pubs all the time, I usually try and have a drink after caving if possible but with family commitments it's not as easy as it once was, I'm sure other people have commitments sometimes too.
And if you have to drive (or don't drink) then as TFS points out 'soft' drinks are over-priced in most pubs!

 

[Jams]

I'll just point out that not all of us drink alcohol, and the prices charged for soft drinks in most pubs is prohibitive.

So are prices for a pint, again at most pubs. Although it may be expensive, isnt it worth it for the atmosphere? Having a chat with fellow cavers?

 

[Elaine]

I am not very good at interfering in other people's conversations, (usually get ignored or annoy others!) but I thought that the point was that if you want to park in the pub car park then you ought to patronise the pub. You don't have to park there. I have only been to this cave once, and we didn't park at the pub.

 

[graham]

I am not very good at interfering in other people's conversations, (usually get ignored or annoy others!) but I thought that the point was that if you want to park in the pub car park then you ought to patronise the pub. You don't have to park there. I have only been to this cave once, and we didn't park at the pub.

 

[caving_fox]

I don't think I've ever parked at the pub - but I've certainly patronised it after draenen trips. I think all caves should have such a convenient pub located near the entrance.