I was meeting up with an old colleague at the Mermaid Tavern, in Wilson's Court, Belfast, today; so I ventured into Town a bit earlier in order to have a look at Best Vintage in Wellington Place. I wanted to see the Levi corduroy jeans; however, a little Harris Tweed jacket - on a tailor's dummy - caught my eye as I entered the shop. It was basically light grey with a herring-bone pattern; three-button fronted; and looked as if it could well fit self. It fitted me like a glove and they sold it to me for a twenty pound note.
I strolled around the corner and in to Queen Street, where I walked up the stairs and in to Café Renoir for a snack: one of their "gourmet toasties" and a pot of tea. I must say there was quite an agreeable sort of crowd lunching there. No rowdy types at any rate.
I met Tim at 12.45 and we enjoyed a modest drink or two.
How old is the Mermaid bar? 20 quid is ok for a jacket.
ReplyDeleteCafe Renoir was were I was told that I would never work in television again, that suited me, picking up litter, at least has self-respect attached to it.
It was quite a pleasant career end, I love, strong coffee and sweet stuff.
I did a used car advert in Oregon two weeks later, and it was better than half of the BBC drama we have today, it was a negative sell, they rarely do that in the states,
you want a X, are you sure?
A pensive sell, they don't do negative,
I must ask the publican about the Mermaid's history.
ReplyDeleteI know that the building contains fragments of what may be Belfast's oldest surviving domestic structure.
In 1860 it was known as the Rainbow Hotel and Tavern.