Disappearing pubs mean disappearing pub games like cribbage
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Bow Geezers’ Where’s My Boozer Gone? Calendar to save local pubs

Bow Geezers stripping off to highlight plight of disappearing pubs

The OAP Geezers club in E3, aka the Bow Geezers, are launching a cheeky nude calendar to raise awareness of disappearing pubs in East London.

In true Calendar Girls style features a nude member of the Geezers club each month enjoying traditional pub pursuits.

While the calendar is guaranteed to raise a smile or three, it’s main mission is to raise awareness of the plight of disappearing local boozers.

Over the last 20 years the boys calculate that they have lost a staggering 92 pubs in their local community of Bow, E3 alone. Chief Geezer Ray Gipson says, “It’s not just about the booze – we’re losing our heritage; the architecture and decor, the traditional games and sports played in pubs and the local history that has been passed down through the generations.” Gipson comments on the social consequences for communities and highlights the plight of many elderly citizens who are becoming increasingly estranged in their local neighbourhoods.

Last year Bow Geezers teamed up with Roman Road Cass students to launch Where’s My Boozer Gone?, an initiative to collect images and memories of old pubs.The Bow Geezers brought their black cab to the Roman Road Festival to drum up more support and awareness. Now the Geezers have teamed up with artist Louise Gridley to create a calendar that will highlight the loss of community heritage and social integration. The calendar boys include Ted Lewis, former boxer and Billingsgate fish porter, and Ray Gipson, former liberal councilor, previously featured in Georgia Patsouraki’s beautiful Humans of Roman Road.

All proceeds from the calendar will be re-invested in their community projects to support the elderly.

A staggering 29 pubs nationwide are closing each week. If you have a pub near you that needs protecting, you can list it with it with you local council as an Asset of Community Value and visit the Campaign for Real Ale website, an independent, voluntary organisation campaigning for real ale, community pubs and consumer rights.

The calendar is due for release on Monday 9th November with a launch event at The Eleanor on Old Ford Road, one of Bow’s much loved traditional boozers run by Frankie who loves nothing better than bringing out traditional pub games and getting everyone dancing together at his famous ‘non-disco disco’ Minestrone of Sound.

The calendar costs £8 and is available to buy at Amazon.

Comfort blanket made up of beer mats
Comfort blanket made up of beer mats
Two nude old men playing cribbage in British pub
Disappearing pubs mean disappearing pub games like cribbage
Two nude men playing cribbage in pub
A revealing shot of cribbage
Bottle of beer with Geezer Power Beer label
The Geezers teamed up with Truman brewery to make their own beer

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Tabitha Stapely

Tabitha Stapely is the founder of Social Streets C.I.C, a not-for-profit media company using journalism to strengthen communities, particularly those in disadvantaged or neglected areas. Prior, Stapely was a writer and editor for national titles including The Telegraph Saturday Magazine, Elle and Red magazines.

4 thoughts on “Bow Geezers’ Where’s My Boozer Gone? Calendar to save local pubs

  • brilluant idea, too many pubs have been turned into flats – go Bow Geezers ??

    Reply
  • great to see people trying to stop pub closures like bay tree,earl of Ellesmere, the earl of Abberdeen and loads of others how do we get a calender and how much thank you

    Reply
  • Well done Ray, what an inspired idea mate. Keep up the good work. Best wishes, Pete and Bev.

    Reply
  • It really is So easy to see the cause of the Demise of the East – End ‘s Pubs !!! And, the decline of Pubs nation – wide , the Pub Land Lord was bled Dry by the Greed of the Brewery Owners. the Greed of the Government in both Income Tax And Business Rates, All this putting the price of a daily visit to your Local , out of the reach of an average working man , who now found it embarrassingly Expensive to cover his round of drinks when Among friends !!!!! Also, the Pub Land -Lord had the further Problem , of a new arrivals in the locality that by religion were Non- Drinkers ! How on earth could these Publicans be Expected to pay their over-heads —– Let Alone Make a Profit , But , just like the price of a packet of Cigarettes are Now about £10 , the Government ‘s , both Labour and Conservative , Would NEVER LISTEN to the Publicans Problems and Woes , !!!!!!! Because these Ministers Have NO idea what its Like to run a Business , OR Actually Have to Work for a LIVING !!!!!!1

    Reply

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