September 2003
Pub landlord, Pete Beletzan |
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| Pub landlord : Pete Beletzan |
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Pete Beletzan, originally
from Newark, has lived in Bridgford since childhood. He has worked
in pubs across the county but is presently the landlord of the Royal
Children.
Interview by Joe Sinclair |
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| SEE ALSO
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Notts people:
Window
cleaner , Hendrix Dead Boy
Fruit
trader, Tony Gordon
Pub
landlord, Pete Beletzan
Blues
man, Sam Lindo
Mr
Gay Nottingham
Miss
Nottingham
Ms
Lesbian Nottingham
Ebony
Gilbert, actress
Rachel
Grant, actress
Andrea
Lowe, actress
Micaiah
Dring, actress
Michael
Dawson, footballer
Chris
Cooke, director
Samantha
Thompson, student
Kate
Rowley-Jones, actress
Carl
Froch, boxer |
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| FACTS |
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Pete is originally from Newark but has lived
in Bridgford since childhood
He started working in pubs at the age of 17 and has worked
all over Nottingham:
The Castle
Nico's
The Coach and Horses
The Happy Return
Beatroot Nightclub
The Lizard Lounge
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I started behind the bar at the Trent Bridge Inn
when I was 17. So IÂ’ve been doing this pretty much since I was
a kid. IÂ’ve worked all over Nottingham. IÂ’ve been pub landlord
here for four months.
This pub is called The Royal Children. Apparently the children
here used to play with the children from the castle - Queen AnneÂ’s
kids - so thatÂ’s why itÂ’s called The Royal Children.
ItÂ’s got the only whale bone sign in
the country. We used to sell whale products, I think. WeÂ’ve
brought the sign in now ‘cause it’s rotting away but it
used to hang outside the front door.
It's one of them jobs where you do end up having a drink
quite a lot of the time.  |
| Pete Beletzan, pub landlord |
WeÂ’ve still got the only valid license in
the country to sell whale products. We no longer actually use
it but, you know, weÂ’ve got oneÂ… somewhere.
We get some interesting characters in here, yeah. HeÂ’s
a character [gestures towards window cleaner]. We get a real cross-mixture
of people.
I love it, yeah, itÂ’s great. ItÂ’s a social job. It
changes all the time. I meet people all day long. ItÂ’s one of
those jobs I get paid for just sitting around talking to people, having
a drink. Generally, you know, itÂ’s just like going out and working
and getting paid at the same time.
It can be stressful. ItÂ’s hard
work sometimes. You do get a lot of characters but you get problems
with people drinking as well. Obviously you get drunks. You get a
lot of people coming in who are generally, well you know, crazy, if
you know what I mean.
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| Entrance to the Royal Children, home of Pete
Beletzan |
ThereÂ’s a lot of people who have suddenly come into the city
begging and stuff. And people sleeping on the streets has generally
gone up. You just get random people walking in who are obviously not
quite right. Plus you get the normal drunks.
ThereÂ’s been loads of changes. A lot of moneyÂ’s poured
in. ThereÂ’s people moving back into the city, which there never
was before. I love it, yeah, itÂ’s great, itÂ’s a lot better.
I try and keep relatively fit but itÂ’s difficult. ItÂ’s
one of them jobs where you do end up having a drink quite a lot of
the time. Generally my social life is the same as my work life.
I do dragon boat racing once a week but its hard to get away.
I do a bit of running now and again if I can get out. I do a bit of
weight training. ThatÂ’s my only real getaway from the pub scene
really.
I try and treat people as they treat me.
If people are nice and polite then IÂ’m nice and polite back.
I expect people to come in here and treat this place with a bit of
respect. And generally they do. I try and give people what they give
me. ThatÂ’s it really. |
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