Pubs, bars and bad behaviour

My friend Peter retired from the nuclear energy industry last year, (and as he retired early) has been keen to find intellectual challenges that would keep him occupied.  One of which has been to become one of the Bath Lord Mayor's official guides (he walks tourists around Bath lecturing on its history).

He has been promising for ages to do a trip for his friends entitled  "Pubs, Bars and Bad Behaviour" and this afternoon we enjoyed this talk's first outing.  It was absolutely brilliant. It deals with the consumption of alcohol in Bath and other forms of bad behaviour(!)  Apparently at one stage there was a pub in Bath for ever 65 men women and children.  As you can guess Bath's history is not entirely a genteel as Jane Austen would have you believe. 

Who knew that the Bell Inn (a live music venue Walcott Street) recently purchased by a consortium of music lovers that included Peter Gabriel and Robert Plant, was in Victorian times notorious for "running" some 60 or so prostitutes? 

We visited the pub (the Full Moon) where a 2 year old heifer jumped over the bar - yes, the cow really did jump over the moon.  We visited the part of Bath where historically the police would not venture. We visited the sites of famous old pubs and coaching inns, as well as drinking in various pubs which can claim to be Bath's oldest pub.

We also walked past many, many pubs, having learned of their history and claim to fame, but without crossing their threshold. Probably just as well really ...

A truly fabulous day, and if ever Pete decides to offer this as one of his official tours, you would be mad not to choose this one!