ALL-NIGHT BAR

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 447, 1 June 1937, Page 7

ALL-NIGHT BAR

DRINK SOLD OPENLY Excise Receipt Given London,, May 15. Buying a drink after hours in. London’s West End is simple. It is not a matter of dubious clube j or bottle parties. You can buy your drink openly, feeling assured that 1 you are still a respectable, law-abid-ing citizen, doing nothing for which either you or anyone else can get into trouble. Describing a vj.sjt to an all-nigW. bar, a representative of the Sunday Referee writes: A sandwich-man with a hopefullooking message on hie board, .caught, my eye. He was one of eight or nine parading the West End—directing people with a late thirst to one o r London’s all-night bars. The bar is not a .particularly easy place to find, but there is nothing in the least secretive about it. I know, because when 1 sought the bar shortly after 11 p.m and found I had gone astray, I asked .... a. policen I ,n! “All-night bar? Centainly, Sir—l’ll show you the way,” he said nt once. In company with another policeman, he piloted my car to Newburgh Street, off Regent Street, W. • I expected a certain amount of formality before I got my drink. There was none. I was not asked to sign a book, pay for admission, or produce any guarantee of my bonia-fldes. I was shown into a pleasant lounge with an atmospnere of comfort and a welcome that might have belonged to a country hotel. There was a cheerful open fire and a number of deep_seated, comfortable armchairs. _ Here I was l offered—just as I might, be in any other bar in licensed hours —my choice, of whisky, brandy or gin. The charge for spirits was just the same as that at the average West End bar in "official” drinking hours. The only difference was that I had to buy my spirits two gallons at a time. sounds an alarming wa y of ordering a ‘quick one,” but I was told: By selling liquor wholesale in this way We are absolutely within the law. '-nd so are our patrons'. But you are not obliged to take delivery , o f the whole two gallons. You merely take, and pay for, so many fleths to the total quantity, and w.e are at liberty to dispose of what you do not want elsewhere.” Brandy and Gin. I ordered brandy and gin, and wfj,s served in small bottles each containing 1-96'th of a gallon. I was then given a “wholesale invoice” on which these quantities were stated. My 1.96 th of a gallon of brandy cost me 3/-, and a similar quantity of gin was 2/6. With the invoice I was given a Government Excise certificate “for the removal Of duty-paid spirits," on which was’ stamped the exact time of my order.