8-Bits and Bobs

ramblings on pubs, video games and other matters

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  • When the Pillars Crumble

    When the Pillars Crumble

    Community provision, not alcohol dispension, is the most imporant function of a good pub. So it is any surprise that our capitalist government are doing next to nothing to stop the tide of pub closures all over the UK?

    Michael Deakin

    1st Feb 2024
    Pubs/Beer
    Anti-Capitalist, Beer, Community, Craft Beer, Politics, Pubs, Real Ale
  • Don’t Look Down

    Don’t Look Down

    When your work demands that you shift between several different versions of yourself every day, how do you remember which version is really you when it comes to spending time away from the bar?

    Michael Deakin

    1st Nov 2025
    Pubs/Beer, Uncategorized
    Bartending, Hospitality, Hospitality Work, Identity, Pubs, Real Ale
  • The Session #148 – The Ultimate Pub Quiz

    The Session #148 – The Ultimate Pub Quiz

    The Ultimate Pub Quiz, is the one that has been foreseen.

    Michael Deakin

    27th Jun 2025
    Pubs/Beer
    Beer, Craft Beer, Pub Quiz, Pubs, Real Ale, The Session
  • Ye Olde (First and Last) Trip

    Ye Olde (First and Last) Trip

    Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem is a perfect distillation of everything that is wrong with big pub groups like Greene King. In the palm of their hand they had something so utterly unique and brimming with character, but they closed their hulking fist and moulded it until it fit neatly and undistinguishable amongst all of…

    Michael Deakin

    29th May 2025
    Pubs/Beer
    8bitsandbobs, Beer, Craft Beer, Greene King, Nottingham, Pubs, Real Ale
  • Addiction to Anonymity

    Addiction to Anonymity

    People are best observed from the perspective of the stranger. I sit in a pub that is foreign to me, relishing the morsels of humanity offered to me, which are vanishingly rare in many other aspects of modern life.

    Michael Deakin

    7th Apr 2025
    Pubs/Beer
    8bitsandbobs, Anonymity, Anti-Capitalist, Community, Politics, Pubs, Social Commentary, Solo Drinking
  • We Don’t Need Another Hero

    We Don’t Need Another Hero

    The culture of the hospitality, and specifically the pub, industry needs to change if we are going to have any chance of surviving the threat posed by late stage capitalism.

    Michael Deakin

    12th Mar 2025
    Pubs/Beer
    Anti-Capitalist, Beer, Community, Craft Beer, Hospitality, Politics, Pubs, Real Ale
  • The Session: The Best Beer You Can Drink At Home Right Now

    The Session: The Best Beer You Can Drink At Home Right Now

    The best beer you can drink at home right now…is a beer in the bath.

    Michael Deakin

    28th Feb 2025
    Pubs/Beer
    Beer, Belgian Beer, Craft Beer, The Session
  • The Best Seat in the House

    The Best Seat in the House

    As I sit in The Free Trade Inn, Newcastle, glancing enviously at the couple on the stools a few feet away from me, I wonder what is in the making of the best pub seats and how do we attribute value to different forms of comfort?

    Michael Deakin

    29th Jan 2025
    Pubs/Beer
    Beer, Craft Beer, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Pubs, Real Ale, Travel
  • Closed For Christmas

    Closed For Christmas

    The “closing for Christmas” conversation can cause friction between service workers and customers, but neither are to blame for the situation we are in, we must look to capitalism’s unsutainable obsession with availability and convenience to identify the real issue.

    Michael Deakin

    19th Dec 2024
    Pubs/Beer
    Anti-Capitalist, Beer, Community, Craft Beer, Hospitality, Politics, Pubs, Real Ale
  • Starfield: In Space There’s Nowhere to Hide (The Flaws)

    Starfield: In Space There’s Nowhere to Hide (The Flaws)

    Starfield, Bethesda’s first new IP in 25 years, faced high expectations following Fallout 76. The game, set in space, struggles with its vast scope, featuring numerous unremarkable, procedurally generated worlds. Character development is lacking, with uninspiring followers and disconnected factions. The focus on exploration overshadows deeper storytelling, leaving players craving more cohesive and engaging experiences.

    Michael Deakin

    25th Jan 2024
    Video Games
    8bitsandbobs, Bethesda, Game Review, Starfield
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