Stacey & Mike's Happy News: Mates Have Been Meeting Weekly For 56 Yrs

It's Thursday night in the White Swan and huddled around a table of half-full glasses of Stones beer and alcohol-free Guinness are Paul Haynes, Bill Munden, Ken King, Peter Thirlwall, Brian Ayres and Dick Cotton.

The group, all now in their early eighties, reckon they've scarcely missed two dozen meet-ups since 1968. None of them can imagine being anywhere else in the world right now, as Thursday night has been pub night every week for the last 56 years.

The pub trips started with then students Ken and Paul, who used to take advantage of free study periods to play golf and have a crafty pint afterwards.

The habit quickly morphed into an immovable tradition, with Ken joking that a school-style written note of absence is necessary for anyone who dares bail without good reason, although one member of the group is legitimately absent this week due to a holiday.

Even a global pandemic couldn't drive a wedge between them as Thursdays became a virtual pub night over Zoom for several months during 2020.


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