Coat lost (or stolen) in The Vale

[Keef]

Long shot, but on Friday night I ended up in The Vale (for the first time in several years), and whilst in there my coat went missing. Now the coat itself I'm not really bothered about as it was falling apart, but it did have various things in the pockets like my brand new freedom pass, the headphones for my new phone, and my bloody book that I was enjoying!.

I was hoping that maybe it was thrown in to a front garden or something, so if you have spotted a brown coat with a hood, and kind of stripey lining, please let me know.

Thanks

[Keef]

anyone?

[ladida]

Drunk eh Keef?

[Keef]

Absolutely. Doesn't mean I deserved to get robbed though.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Sorry to hear about it keef. So very annoying when that happens. I cant help tho. . . Sorry

[Keef]

Never mind, spent all afternoon today getting my travel pass replaced. Now just need to get new headphones, and reorder the book from Amazon...

Damned shame about the weed though, especially with Ideal being on tonight! :(

[Annasfield]

Oh Keef - I liked that coat. Will keep my eyes peeled for you as I walk to and from the train station.

[Ladygooner]

What book were you reading - someone might have a replacement for you that they have already read?

[Keef]

Thanks Anna :)

Book was just a thriller paperback, "The Final Detail" by Harlan Coben (same fella who wrote Tell no one), not that worried, there are only so many thrillers a guy can read!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I've just finished "No Second Chance" by Coben if you would like that as a replacement?

[Keef]

Cheers, I bought a bundle of his books so may have it, but if not I'd appreciate it, I do think he's very good in that genre.

[ladida]

Sorry Keef, I didn't mean to be flippant. I still miss my Barbor which was thieved two and a half years ago. I imagine your jacket might have been thrown into a hedge or something of the sorts. Have you tried looking in the charity shops? There may be a kindly soul who may have handed it in to one of them.

[Keef]

To be honest, the coat was in such a battered state, the shops probably wouldn't have taken it. It's more the irritation of loosing the stuff in the pockets that bothered me, but most of it is replaced now...

[ladida]

Hooray, but that coat did have your name slapped all over it if you know what I mean.

[Keef]

Just bringing this back up, as a bit annoyed.

I want to start by saying that when posting this, I had no issue with The Vale, and wasn't trying to blame them for the loss of my coat. I called them and popped in, and they were nice.

However, as I lost my freedom pass, I had to report it to the police in order to get a reference number to get it replaced.

On Tuesday I got a call from a police officer who said he'd called The Vale to ask about CCTV, and was told that "things don't get stolen from this bar!". The police officer suggested that things can get stolen from ther Ritz, and it makes no difference where you are, only for the manager to repeat "things don't get stolen from my bar". He then said the CCTV was recorded over every day, and that was that.

I really don't understand that guy, and I don't care if I'm having a go on the internet. The Police Officer said the guy couldn't have been more unhelpful, and was obviously defensive the second he said he was the police.

No one ever accused the vale of nicking my coat, but why be such a feckin prick!

[fish]

Some people, a?

[SeanMacGabhann]

I think most places the forum have been to have made me warm to them in one way or another - even if I liked them already. Can't say the same for the visit to the Vale on Friday

so - NTV once more?

[Asset]

what is the point of having CCTV and recording over it every day? That's rubbish, I would think keeping tape for a week would be sensible. Smacks of being too stingy to get another reel of tape.

[Keef]

I guess they only keep it it there is a big fight, or if they get robbed... No point keeping it otherwise, as nothing gets stolen from his bar! Obviously :-S

Shame, as the place isn't all bad, and I really like the outside area.

[bignumber5]

Keef - really sorry to hear your jacket went missing. Hope you manage to replace everything at minimum expense.

RE: CCTV, echos Asset - sod all point in taping it unless you keep it - plod are rarely there the same day for footage, so at least a week seems like common sense.

Also, twatty response from the landlord - is he seriously taking responsiblity for the moral code and actions of every single person that enters his bar?! He was a shirty little prick on the night, too. The glares and sneers he let out when someone dropped a pint on the floor were more than a tad OTT, and the "bouncers" had a go at Annaj and Lady MacGab for leaning against a plant and moving the plant pot by and inch or 2 in the process.

I'm with seanmac on NTV - they managed to make it seem like it was a real inconvenience to them that we (non vale-regulars) were there, yet it would have been tumble-weed empty without the forumites. If they aren't up for custom from their local community and being even vaguely helpful when someone loses something, then I propose a hoity, aloof posture (think French waiter) and taking our custom elsewhere. As the ED pubcrawl thread seems to have demonstrated adequately, we're not short of alternative venues!

[lozzyloz]

I think an upgrade to NTFV would be more appropriate.

Sorry to hear of your experience Keef, what a pain.

Re CCTV, these days the vast majority of venues use digital hard disc recorders on a minimum 5-7 day wipe over so I VERY much doubt NTFV only keep a 24 hour video tape. Complete tosh IMO.

[SeanMacGabhann]

What bothers me most about the Vale was they had a new manager (Darren?) come on a few months ago and try and solicit what people thought was wrong with the place - so I thought for once it might be worth giving it a fair crack of the whip

I should have been suspicious when Darren went quiet/got sacked/had had enough - whichever happened first - shortly after

[annaj]

the "bouncers" had a go at Annaj and Lady MacGab for leaning against a plant

Ahem.

As much as I hate to correct MrJ in public, I should say that the lovely Lady MacGabhann took no part in this offence. My accomplice in molesting the foliage was in fact Annasfield. ;-)

[HonaloochieB]

The place has gone right downhill since it was the Cherry Tree.

Keef sorry about losing your possessions, but the response you got from the bar initially and the response the police got are obviously at odds. Was it about the bar responding poorly to a call from the plod with the possible implications it might have come licensing time? The bar manager was defensive when the PO called? Hardly makes him unique, does it. I'm willing to wager there are some on this MB who might respond in the same way if contacted by the police.

On the basis of a third party report you're making some harsh criticisms of a local business without checking whether or not that everything you've been told by said PO is accurate and fair.

I'm not saying that the barkeep didn't say what he said. I'm not implying that the PO's version of events wasn't the truth the whole etc. But perhaps to be fair it might be good to find out what the Vale's version of the events are.

The place doesn't seem to meet with the general approval of the MB, but does that mean it shouldn't be afforded a fair hearing?

I mean, Magna Carta. Did she die in vain?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Honaloochie

We keep giving it a fair hearing and it keeps p***ing on our chips (metaphorically speaking)