Here's what we think is a unique picture of the White Horse pub in Brigg - now owned and operated by national company J D Wetherspoon.
It was taken some years ago from a loft vantage point - the old Sutton & Bean brewery tower on the other side of Wrawby Street - by Ken Harrison before Wetherspoon's acquired the property.
Back then the 18th century pub still had a range of outbuildings and car parking to the rear.
The area behind the pub was re-developed by Wetherspoon's to extend the hostelry, although the front and side walls of the building were retained.
A beer garden alongside Grammar School Road South was also added - a real sun-trap during the warmer months of the year.
The White Horse revamp was a major investment scheme in Brigg town centre which took many months to complete.
The pub/restaurant reopened under its present owners in January 2015 and soon became Brigg's most used hostelry.
Ken's picture also shows the A18 Barnard Avenue bus stop - very handy for customers after dark when Hornsby's use it rather than the one on Cary Lane.
In view of the weather it will be interesting to see the turn-out in Brigg pubs this weekend.
We should be seeing the start of the busy period leading up to Christmas and the New Year.
But today's cold conditions and biting wind might deter some less hardy fun-seekers from leaving their firesides.
We hope this will only apply in a few cases. But if you get too chilled on the walk into the town centre, try a whisky chaser with your pint!
It was thought at one time that a tot of spirit - ie brandy, or whisky promoted body warmth...hence the notion of a stranded mountaineer being given a strong alcoholic as a process to revival.
ReplyDeleteThis was debunked when it was realised that in cases of exposure, or hypothermia, giving such a drink actually can make the condition worse.
In cases of hypothermia, the body acts to protect the vital organs from severe cold, while the outer surface drops in temperature.
Giving alcohol dilates and relaxes the blood vessels and will both draw warm circulating blood from the body's inner core of vital organs and circulate the blood near the peripheral extremities of the body, thus depriving the vital core of warm oxygenated blood.
In normal safe conditions, this gives the sensation that a tot of brandy generates the feeling of warmth.....but were the victim is already suffering from hypothermia, a tot is dangerous.
I don't think a whisky-chased will greatly affect a normal healthy person who is celebrating in a warm environment and therefore, keeping warm....but never give a tot to an elderly person, found, for example, unconscious in a cold house in an attempt to warm them up.
In such circumstances, the victim should be warned slowly and evenly, to avoid a sudden rush of blood to a localised area...so no hot water bottles, or sitting someone in front of an electric fire...in extreme cases, it has been known to be beneficial to submerge someone fully clothed in a warm bath.
In my far off days in the RAF Mountain Rescue service, it was even recommended in isolated mountainside to put someone inside a sleeping bag and sharing the sleeping bag with one of the rescuers.
PS...the notion of a St Bernard dog wandering about the Alps with a barrel of brandy around it neck looking for distressed climbers is a total myth. It developed as a promotional idea to attract tourists to the Tyrol....although many folks now believe the myth as fact...
Enjoy a pint and a chase, but don't assume a tot will help to warm-up someone found confused/unconscious and cold person in a cold house, or elsewhere...
KH ex RAF Mountain and Desert Rescue Teams..