• In another round of "throw some shit and see what sticks", the pub now has to close at 22:00. As well as robbing me of a couple of hours of wage a week, it won't make any difference to the pox. Particularly if everyone is milling the streets looking for taxis at the same time, it may encourage take-up. Maybe that's what the Government wants so they can bump off a few pensioners/benefit claimers and save a few quid. Cynical me, no?
• Took a day trip out to Newark. The usual round of Castle Barge, Just Beer, Prince Rupert, Just Beer again, and the Arse Doctor. Richard introduced me to the concept of beer cocktails, learnt from the landlady of the Trafalgar Bay in York. One of these was the 'Black Forest Gateaux' - consisting of one part Samuel Smith Chocolate Stout and one part Samuel Smith Cherry Beer. We clocked that Just Beer stocked the Chocolate Stout and made a subsitution of Lindeman's Kriek for the cherry component. Works extremely well.
• The Derby car club electric cars, which were of the Renault Zoe variety, have been replaced with new BMW i3 models. They have the benefit of a greater range (160-200 miles compared to the 60-80 miles of the Renault); but the interiors are made of the world's cheapest plastic and they drive like a dodgem. The brakes automatically apply when the accelerator is released, whereas the Renault coasts when you come off the gas which is more akin to the behaviour of a fossil fuel motor. I'll probably get used to it over time.
• Some person on the internet may have revealed how to get an ordinary current account with a private bank. Despite my recent slimming down, I may have drunkenly opened an account using said method.