I told you about the Victorian government putting the squeeze on the Tote. Blasted fools! What a way to treat a good pub!

Anyhow, I’ve made myself a bit vocal about the local.

(You can hear one of my quieter tirades here)

Somebody has to stand up for the Tote!

It’s not just a place for young people, you know, and it’s not just about the music that’s been part of Melbourne for so long either.

It’s about high-handed bureaucrats sitting at their dinky little desks with pencils behind their dinky little ears searching for ways to wring out every last drop of blood from liquor licenses across the city.

Anyone would think the government was broke for crissake.

It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if a big club consortium from the nasty end of town rolled up to take over the license from the Tote. I wonder about our Premier too. Not that I’m inferring Brumby gets kickbacks from the King St Cosa Nostra, I merely make a slight insinuation, you must forgive my verbal wanderings. I’m getting on after all.

Sometimes when I add up his (alleged) directorships on overseas companies and bits and pieces of that nature, my dredging up of two and two adds to five. Or maybe it is four. You better ask the Premier yourself.

I think I’m wandering again. I set out today to tell you that the Tote has a big message on their wall for me

They’re such nice people, and so kind to an old lady.

You can’t help but belt out “It’s a long way to top if you want to rock and roll!” when you stroll past.

It’s going to be a lot longer to the top now.

The Tote Hotel has nurtured our musicians. It’s supported the newer groups, giving them exposure and gaining them fans. As these musos continued to charm audiences, their skills were sharpened and their talent blossomed. It’s hardly a surprise that Melbourne has been the Mecca for rock music since 1960.

Our live music venues have been the envy of other cities.

But knuckle-headed decision-making is out to wipe live music venues from Melbourne.

The Tote has to go. It’s been deemed ‘high risk’.

In thirty years of live bands the highest risk has been the inability to get to the bar for a drink. I speak as a former patron whose greatest horror was being trapped in the beer garden and having to walk around to the main bar via the street to avoid the hand-clapping crowd.

OK. I understand that alcohol and violence can go hand in hand. This puerile behaviour is considered par for the course in some of the city central nightclubs, much of it perpetrated by the security hoons.

Just because I’m an old age pensioner doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten how young men behave when they throw down grog.

Violence is a serious issue, but one that has nothing to do with the Tote.

My Opinion

I had my say on the ABC about the Tote.

You can hear my comments here at ‘Long term Local defends the Tote’

What’s your opinion?

Sheep in England, where a cold snap has blanketed the country in snow. I shouldn’t really describe it as a cold snap, the weather is extreme and dangerous. People under 40 haven’t experienced these heavy snowfalls and extreme sub-zero temperatures before and it’s life-threatening.

It’s a little different in Australia where we see snow only in the high mountains and the High Country winter resorts employ snow-making machines in our coldest months.

Sheep in Australia, where we still lie in this long, long drought. People under 40 haven’t experienced any other weather but this. Like me, they can’t begin to imagine water falling from the sky in clumps.

Surely to goodness in these days of space rockets, satellites and sliced bread, something could be done about the imbalance?

Snow, after all, is just dirty water. A few of those container ships packed with snow would be a godsend Downunder.