Finding a Local

Further Info

This story was made on a five-day training workshop for staff from the City Museum and Industrial Museum, who aim to become digital storytelling workshop facilitators, led by Dani Landau, Liz Milner and Alison Farrar.

The course took place during Aug 2005 at the City Museum and Art Gallery and was supported by Bristol’s Museums, Galleries & Archives.

Transcript

When I moved to Bristol six months ago, I left my family and friends in the Midlands. I left everything I knew behind: the good pubs with real ale, friends to chat and watch films with… I didn’t know anyone or anywhere in Bristol.

With people I met at work, I began to look for familiar things. By my new home is the Orpheus Cinema with its four tiny screens, old-fashioned tickets and and change from a tenner for two with popcorn. My nearest pub, however, did not interest me: it’s a chain pub with mass-produced beer and a generic interior. You can find on of these in any town or city.

I tried the pub down the road. The beer was good but something was missing. I think it was that I never saw the same barman twice and that they all had trendy uniforms.

The good [????] beer guide led me to the Highbury Vaults near where I work. It’s a small pub with local beer and a fantastic beer garden.

Best of all it has a bar billiards table - a rare pub game, and my favourite one. It reminds me of the first pub I ever went to, except this table takes pound coins instead of sixpences.

Finally, The Shakespeare was reccommended to me, and now I go every Monday night to the pub quiz. I’ve been going to pub quizzes for six years, and it’s good to know they’re as fun now as they were when I was eighteen. I like doing the same things with new people and in a new place. One day we will win the beer and chocolate from Alice, Dave and Bob the dog.

[Sound of a dog barking]

It’s wonderful that, in looking for something familiar, I have found places that are uniquely Bristolian.

Credits

All media not otherwise credited created by the story author, or permission obtained, used under copyright licence.