Squatters rights and other annoyances

Topical2009 · Post by **Topical2009** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 9:35 pm

I played a Paragon in a big Spoons the other day; one of those with a handy little shelf by the machines where you can rest your pint. While I was playing, an old geezer (of the sort who represent a massive proportion of JDW's daytime trade) came over, put his pint on the shelf by mine, then dragged a stool across so he could sit there. At first I thought he was a player and was getting antsy that I was on his turf, but it soon became clear he couldn't have cared less about my game in particular or the machine in general. Once I'd finished, I went to sit down and finish my drink, whereupon the old boy moved his stool even further across, so he was right up against the machine - though he still had no interest in playing it - and settled in for the afternoon in what was clearly His Spot, though there were two dozen other places he could have sat in comfort, rather than this one which is clearly not meant to be a place to sit at all. If I'd turned up at this point intending to play, I'd have been a bit put off!

So, have any other readers been disproportionately annoyed by gormless old codgers lately? Has the pub bore invaded your personal space and offered to help you out with his expert knowledge of Pointless? Have you had to disperse a crowd who are using a machine as a leaning post with no intention of playing it? It's bad enough when people put the machines at the end of the bar so all the locals end up standing in front of it, but this is somehow more annoying.

P.S. Spotters badge to anyone who names that Spoons.

Mike25 · Post by **Mike25** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 10:38 pm

It's well known that the old codgers go to spoons to save on the heating bill. A prime spot like this with a beer ledge AND the extra warmth of two machines is undeniably worth maintaining through the summer months. Oh, and I'll guess the Regal in Gloucester.

mendez · Post by **mendez** » Sun Jun 21, 2015 11:44 pm

From the angle I'd assumed he was perving at the barmaids though perhaps that says more about me...

I concur with the Regal. Does anyone know if there's one in the place next door that has a lot of fruit machines? I couldn't spot one but it looks the kind of place there should be one.

JG · Post by JG » Mon Jun 22, 2015 12:14 am

I think Chambers had a quizzer last time I was there.

muddle · Post by **muddle** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 12:41 am

Yes,that's annoyed me in the past - people sitting right in front of the machine when there's no need.I have also noticed that in a few pubs the machine is now either right next to the pool table or there's a table and chairs so close to it that if anyone's sitting there,there's no room to play on it.Just one more reason for casual players to decide not to have a play!
No idea which Wetherspoons that is though it sounds like the smart money is on Gloucester!

Sloach · Post by **Sloach** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 4:25 am

Reminds me of Twickenham, just a bit brighter?
The thing is, even the ledges in some wetherspoons have numbers on them so that encourages people to sit there even when the place is dead.

Topical2009 · Post by **Topical2009** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:17 am

The Regal in Gloucester is correct. And no, there's nothing in the place next door. It's one of those pubs where you feel the need to walk around twice to check you haven't missed anything because it looks so much like the sort of place that ought to have a quiz machine (probably once did, I bet) but now gets by with just the five or six fruits.

SoccerHQ · Post by **SoccerHQ** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 8:28 pm

The annoying one is when you're actually playing a quizzer and there's a big screen to the side of you so you're effectively blocking the line of vision for people sitting and watching the match which could cause an issue or two.

I was playing in Brum Walkabout a few months back when I think Man. City were playing so a reasonable crowd. Now of course Walkabout had more than one screen showing the match but one person did have to insist on watching it on the big screen either with a clear smaller plasma screen directly to his right! Anyway I decided to be fair and play the machine from the side, just enough space to reach the questions.

As soon as the final whistle went I took great delight in immediately springing back and blocking his view and he promptly got up and left at that point!

bubbles · Post by **bubbles** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 10:23 pm

Well quizzers these things are alot worse for fruit players imo? seriously walking past a fiver raise that will be there forever can't hurt that much can it?! so the machine doesn't take a coin all Saturday, does it make much difference? if someone else wins that fiver will they be all over every machine in a 30 mile radius for 6 months? if you take on the machine that hasn't taken a coin can you potentially get 600 involved, no you still make a quid?! fuck knows how half of you can be even arsed to go out and play, especially if you have money banked, there's no way i would! lol

bubbles · Post by **bubbles** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 10:25 pm

and of course that's exactly what alot of successful people would say to me about fruit machines! (even if chance of more money being involved)

muddle · Post by **muddle** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 10:55 pm

Yeah,I guess it's all relative bubbles - I'm still doing okayish (i.e. it's still worth doing it) but not as well as I used to.I think all quizzy players realise that there's no divine right to be able to do this,but what's a bit irritating is that a major reason that it's struggling seems to be how hopeless the manufacturers are.Is that not happening with the bandits? Or are there issues there too? You were talking about getting involved to the tune of 600 - certainly unwise on a quizzy with a 20 quid float! Are the bandits always floated properly or do you sometimes have problems there too?

bubbles · Post by **bubbles** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 11:36 pm

with fruits you never know more than what the immediate future holds! rarely are fruits not floated properly but it is VERY irritating when you have a great fruit in a rower's paradise and the notey has been out for a month! was 150 into something last month and coin mech error - game over on that then, hurt more than the money! Wonder what Gordon Ramsay's assessment would be if he spent a week with any of us?! lol

AG35 · Post by **AG35** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:03 am

companies like sceptre are shocking for not floating fruits, float once a fortnight, and if they or the landlord dont have the coin to fill it up full, it stays low, no notes within the first day, switched off for IOU by the weekend... absolute joke, there are some smaller companies by me that are worse than that, giving landlords the option to rent cheaply then they can keep the keys float up whatever the fk they want, usually leaving it empty just so when you do come and rag theyre bandit your always the guy who comes in once or twice a week, a non regular and your raving the place up by walking up to the bar after you have IOUed it again.

But then again if it werent for the shit companies we wouldnt be playing the good old fruits occasionally when they get hold of them.