🍻Drinking in the Rain: A Story of Pints, Pals & Pandemics

by Tara Wicking

Having to risk the crazy British weather for a drink in a beer garden, or lunch on a terrace, is finally a thing of the past and given the hail, wind and rain we’ve been experiencing, what a relief! Let’s get cosy by the fire, with friends, this weekend.

But before closing that chapter, it’s worth just taking a breath and reflecting on the last couple of weeks, when, against all odds, people came out in droves to enjoy a pint with pals, no matter the weather.

Lockdown has had such a big impact on us all. Not having the freedom to socialise with friends or see family members for that long-awaited hug has taken its toll on our wellbeing and mental health, so really it’s no surprise that torrential rain hasn’t dampened our spirits as we finally return to normality and escape from our own four walls.

I’ve heard multiple anecdotes that are testament to this: in the town of Cranbrook in Devon, for example, a group of pub-goers were captured huddled together under umbrellas whilst they braved the pouring rain for a pint at The Cranberry Farm. In Dulwich, I hear, locals were fully kitted out in wetsuits: they were not going to let some pesky British downpour ruin their fun.

But it’s not just about having a good time, it also truly reflects our commitment to supporting local independent pubs, alongside all our other great little neighbourhood businesses, come rain or shine!

Along the river in Chiswick, pubs have had signs out that read “recruiting customers, no experience needed” and people are responding: from the Tolbooth Bar in Glasgow, where a group of friends decided to endure the elements and visit their favourite local with umbrellas in hand, to Nottingham where, after a socially distanced game of football, my sister, Madison and some team-mates made their way to the pub, only to find that the weather didn’t want to play ball. ‘My jeans got soaked through, but it was well worth it for that refreshing pint of beer and a chat after a long evening of training,’ she told me.

There’s something slightly comical about these scenes, but they demonstrate how through the chaos of the past year, people have missed their local independents and are going out of their way to support them.

Bimblers are keen out and abouters and through lockdown they’ve been busy making Bimbles of local independent places they love through the app, reminiscing and planning for better times. Well now those times are HERE! So, if you’re planning a masked pub crawl, or a meal out every night to make up for lost time, make a Bimble of all the places on your radar and share it with your friends.

Click here to find a Bimble of the pubs mentioned in this article, as well as other great little finds worth checking out!