As Soon As This Pub Closes
Its over 20 years since Alex Glasgow, probably most commonly associated with When The Boat Comes In, died but a song he wrote for the Alan Plater play Close the Coalhouse Door seems relevant today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Glasgow
Perhaps the key point of the song is that while socialist politics is often discussed in pubs- and historically in coffee houses- the actual organising of socialist activity is best done before a visit. As the SpyCops inquiry has underlined the political police also frequented pubs where socialists drank keen to discover and sometimes influence what had been organised
Even so Alex Glasgow’s message (last line aside) still seems relevant
As Soon As This Pub Closes
I could have done it yesterday if I hadn’t a cold,
But since I’ve put this pint away I’ve never felt so bold.
So as soon as this pub closes, as soon as this pub closes,
As soon as this pub closes, the revolution starts
I’ll shoot the aristocracy and confiscate their brass,
Create a fine democracy that’s truly working class.
As soon as this pub closes, as soon as this pub closes,
As soon as this pub closes, I’ll raise the banner high
I’ll fight the nasty racialists and scrap the colour bar,
And all fascist dictatorships and every commissar.
As soon as this pub closes, as soon as this pub closes,
As soon as this pub closes, I’ll man the barricades
So raise your glasses, everyone, for everything is planned,
And each and every mother’s son will see the Promised Land.
As soon as this pub closes, as soon as this pub closes,
As soon as this pub closes … I think I’m going to be sick
I seem to recall the SWP in Britain moving branch meetings from pubs to other venues such as community centres in the mid 1990s (quite rightly, as pubs can be unwelcome venues to many people.for various reasons). Strangely the branches of their sister organisation in Ireland still meet in pubs in 2023, however this tells us more about the lack of publicly available venues for political meetings in Ireland than anything else. When I mention the SWP policy of not meeting in pubs, I am treated with disbelief, incredulity and bemusement. It is probably my advanced age. 😦