The Viaduct

I have known my mate Jonathan for a quarter of a century and I have revelled in football related banter with him as we are at opposite ends of Birmingham's football divide. Distance has meant that we only occasionally see each other these days but we both enjoy catching up over a few beers.

He had suggested that we meet up in a pub called The Viaduct, a venue literally across the road from the Old Bailey and what a fine establishment it was. On the site of a debtors jail The Viaduct is a former gin palace and still specialises in serving the drink that is often described as being mother's ruin. The pub still keeps many of the building's original features including the booth from where the landlady would exchange gin tokens for use at the bar..

I had picked up my beer tokens from the cashpoint round the corner and exchanged them for a fine pint of Butcombe Pale Ale but at £4.15 maybe the landlord should have been up in front of the judge at the adjacent courtroom !!

I sat down and tried to not make myself look too conspicuous in the venue that undoubtedly included lawyers, barristers and stock brokers. I looked round to see if I recognised anyone from Krackers bar in Brean Sands !!

Jonathan was as late as a Fabian Delph tackle so he got he beers in by way of an apology when he arrived. He's a bit greyer these days (then again aren't we all?!!) though I'm not sure whether this is due to him working in the city in a highly pressurised job or a result of his spending fruitless hours following his team round the country.

Come to think of it the cause of any recent greyness could be down to the fact that he is now the proud father of his first child, a six month old little girl, and quite surprisingly (as my memories of him revolve around drink, football and cricket) he is very much the doting Dad.

After the initial pleasantries it wasn't long before we got onto football though the banter is much more sedate these days than it ever used to be, maybe we've both mellowed !!

The pints were going down at a good midweek pace however I was conscious that I needed to leave the pub no later than 7.45 in order for me to make my 8.30 train. Working in the city for as long as he has must have given him some out of the box thinking powers as his suggestion of an extra pint and a cab (rather than two tubes) was a great one !!

Cheers Jon. Up The Blues !!