Friday night world cup football feedback from Nailsea

WHERE is everyone going to watch the next England game in the world cup?

Vote here at Nailsea People to find the favourite local viewing venue.

If you have any comments about the matches, own a vuvuzela or just want to sound off feel free to post your comments at the bottom of this story.

So far as a family we have watched games in three venues with more to go (especially if England gets to the quarter finals and beyond).

My husband Rob watched the first England match at the Ring o’Bells at St Mary’s Grove.

It is a real meeting of sports-minded mates and despite the appalling non score - thanks to the butter-fingered goalie - Rob really enjoyed himself.

The bar is festooned with flags and they served pasties and pies washed down with pitchers of ale.

The score of England 1 USA 1 was a bit of a shocker.

Yesterday, Friday, June 18, my brother Colin and his family ventured down to what was suppose to be a football-free zone at The Barn.

Thankfully It wasn’t and he watched the England versus Algeria game on an outside TV screen along with many others.

Last night my husband and I went to The Courtyard wine bar to watch the match and enjoy a barbecue.

I had intended to go walkabouts to the other town centre venues but after getting soaked on route to The Queens Head gave that up as a bad job.

Queens landlady Vikki Cottey was really busy serving when I popped in and bar was crowded with locals chatting football.

Meanwhile Rob nearly missed the match as the bus from Bristol was 90 minutes late getting to Nailsea.

A series of mishaps like a city centre jammed with traffic, the coach windscreen wipers stalling in the heavy rain and a new driver who lost his way.

All this didn’t faze the passengers from North Somerset Coaches and all the commuters got home eventually even if the final part of the journey was in a PS Travel mini bus.

But – and you couldn’t make it up - when we were all seated at the wine bar and really to watch the game its new TV screen froze.

A trained technophobe I shouted the immoral words ‘switch it off and switch it on again’ so loved by IT experts and then all was well at 7.29pm.

It has to be said the beef burgers in baps and the sausages in rolls were perhaps the best part of the evening because the football was *****.

One optimistic customer said: “At least we have a first-rate goalkeeper this time.”

But the presence of David James made no different to Fabio Capello's 11 men and it was a dismay showing.

So where to watch next?

For me it has to be the Royal Oak as publican Martin Spours has gone to so much trouble.

This final game in England’s scheduled matches on Wednesday, June 23, is versus Slovenia and kick-off is at 3pm.

I am checking with Nailsea School because I am not sure it is true that the pupils are being sent home early but good try lads.

The Royal Oak in the High Street is sporting 32 flags representing all the countries taking part in the competition across its 18th century Grade II-listed façade.

And I will try to pop across the road at half time to check out The Friendship where they are serving cocktails and canapés or is it beer and burgers?

At least you are assured of a friendly welcome, real ale and tasty food.

Landlord Russell Wragg has a large TV and red and white decor dotted around his newly refurbish pub which boasts a pool room and internet access.

The Sawyers Arms is spick-and-span after re-opening and landlord Martyn ‘Elvis’ Jacobs and his wife Toni are very welcoming but so far the usual suspects seem to have deserted the pub.

The popular White Lion is showing games in the snug and The Moorend Spout has on a wall-mounted TV in the top bar.

The Old Farmhouse off Trendewood Way is serving up food and football as are the landlords of The Rising Sun but Ruth and Shaun McLoughlin will be bidding farewell after the world cup and moving to pastures new.

Although the local sports and social centres like Mizzymead Recreation Centre, Nailsea Social Club (formerly Nailsea Comrades Club) and Nailsea & Backwell Rugby Club showing world cup games as private members clubs they aren’t in our poll.

But we hear it is The Grove Sports & Social Club that is leading the field as the family-friendly venue is packing them in for every game.