72. Pub with no beer

“A pub with no beer is a humorous country song” that originated from a poem written by an Irish guy named Dan Sheahan and was made famous by several country singers including Slim Dusty. Well would you believe it that this gold topping record which came out in 1957 is still valid almost half-a-century later. Such a pub is the Brewery Gate in Oxford which has large Real Ale signage adorning its frontage and guess what?  this boozer is next to the Morrells Brewery. On closer examination of the brewery building,  has now been converted into a group of up-market pads. Sadly Morrells which was the only and oldest brewery (1782) to be found in Oxford was sold in 2002 to the large pub and beer retailer Greene King. The company keeping the 132 pubs with the loss of about 70 jobs.

Greene King managed to create some fuss with its steamy ad campaign for IPA and Abbot Ale, featuring a woman tied to a bed having her toes licked and the slogan: "some things get better given longer". Lucky woman, lucky toes, lucky licker, shame about the beer though.