Bar Man: Jeff Hoyle says people should stop stealing glasses from pubs - even Jeremy Clarkson’s

In his weekly column, Bar Man Jeff Hoyle discusses what he did with leftover beer and glass theft figures...

When we realised that we had a few bottles of beer left over from our beer judging sessions in the summer, we thought it would be a nice idea to invite round our distributors of Norfolk Nips, the local CAMRA magazine to help finish them off.

The Bar Wife prepared a few snacks, and a good time was had by all. My role in this was to organise the beer, and while that was no problem, there were the glasses to consider.

It was time for a good clear out of the cupboards and I found plenty. Some were from beer festivals past. A common ploy from the organisers is to charge a deposit for the special branded and often sponsored glass in the hope that the punters will take it away as a souvenir.

This reduces the need for washing up and means that there are fewer glasses left to store or dispose of at the end of the event.

I usually try to cash mine in, but inevitably, over the years a few have come home with me. Some others have been part of gift sets.

You have probably seen the special packs with a couple of bottles of ale and a glass perfect for a Christmas present. There were some that were prizes.

Was it really over 30 years ago that we won the Sunday night quiz league? According to the engraving on the glasses it was.

One or two were sourced from breweries, with my particular favourite being a memory of a great trip we had around the Norfolk Brewhouse, home of the excellent Moon Gazer beers.

Then there was one that came from a pub in Gloucestershire back in 1975, I think the only one that I have acquired without permission.

I still felt a bit guilty – we were on a weekend rally from university, and I think I wandered out of the pub with the glass half full and never got round to returning it when we left.

It’s probably a bit late now. It seems that many others are less worried about taking pub glasses. The latest to complain is Jeremy Clarkson, who has had a batch produced for his pub to complement his Hawkstone lager.

It is not often I have much sympathy for him, but when he has a reported 104 missing in the course of a single day, I can understand his anger.

A flash poll on the Morning Advertiser indicates that 77% of operators suffer glass losses, and research from catering equipment supplier Nisbets carried out in 2023 suggests that 4 million Brits steal glasses or tableware from a pub, bar or restaurant at least once a week.

Extrapolating their figures reveals that 37 million people have stolen glasses (I guess including yours truly, with my 1975 mug) and 17 million people admit to stealing tableware.

I hope, like me, that most of them are now reformed. Shortly after my incident of shame, a group of us were in Beverly and after a visit to a long-closed Darley’s pub called the Mariners, one of the group was showing off an ashtray he had taken while exiting.

I am pleased to say that we made him return it. Maybe I should do the same with my glass. I have just checked, and the pub is still open, so next time we are down that way I can call in.

Meanwhile, if I do need extra tableware, there is plenty in charity shops. Let’s leave the pubs alone. Times are hard enough for them without pinching their glasses. Even Jeremy’s.

bar.man@btinterent.com