Branding the Brant Inn
Re-reading David Peace’s Miner’s Strike novel GB84* the other day, this little vignette jumped out at me:
The Mercedes leaves the M1 at Junction 21.
‘These are our people, Neil. These are their places.’
Neil Fontaine follows the police cars to the Brant Inn at Groby … The Jew takes off his aviator sunglasses. He says, ‘What a charming little place, Neil.’
Neil Fontaine nods. He opens the saloon door of the Brant Inn – (p.34).
The Brant Inn, Groby. A mile down the road from my parents’ house. Once the scene of semi-regular family Sunday lunches, many of them during the Miner’s Strike. In the novel, Stephen Sweet – ‘the Jew’ – and Neil Fontaine are going flat out to undermine - so to speak - striking miners. Was I one of their people? Not deliberately. Not at age 14.
The Brant couldn’t seem to decide on the interior décor – medieval or Brideshead Revisited? Hindsight suggests it also conformed to the template for pretty much every other suburban pub with a car park and restaurant I’ve been to since. No idea what it’s like these days, but I probably won’t be using the word ‘charming’.
*
PS. Schools invited to open their own Universities? Whatever next?
The Mercedes leaves the M1 at Junction 21.
‘These are our people, Neil. These are their places.’
Neil Fontaine follows the police cars to the Brant Inn at Groby … The Jew takes off his aviator sunglasses. He says, ‘What a charming little place, Neil.’
Neil Fontaine nods. He opens the saloon door of the Brant Inn – (p.34).
The Brant Inn, Groby. A mile down the road from my parents’ house. Once the scene of semi-regular family Sunday lunches, many of them during the Miner’s Strike. In the novel, Stephen Sweet – ‘the Jew’ – and Neil Fontaine are going flat out to undermine - so to speak - striking miners. Was I one of their people? Not deliberately. Not at age 14.
The Brant couldn’t seem to decide on the interior décor – medieval or Brideshead Revisited? Hindsight suggests it also conformed to the template for pretty much every other suburban pub with a car park and restaurant I’ve been to since. No idea what it’s like these days, but I probably won’t be using the word ‘charming’.
*
PS. Schools invited to open their own Universities? Whatever next?
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