We aim to please.

Its been another long season. Lots of good fun. Lots of hard work. So, as the season begins to slowly wind down for another year, now's probably a good time to reflect on things, and say a big thanks to one and all; our customers for helping keep the bank manager from pestering us all the time (and boy, does he want to at the moment!), and our staff, for working so hard and helping to make it all happen.

We don't do it for the thanks. Its more to do with the cash actually. But when we get a bit of positive feedback, although it doesn't pay the leccy bill, it does kind of make us feel all warm inside. Nice then to receive this on the email last week...

----------

Hi there,

Just wanted to let you know that after lots of visits to Fort William over the years and numerous evenings in disappointing venues, I finally stumbled into the right pub on Saturday night.

Having just spent a wet week tramping and camping the West Highland Way, myself and my two brothers wandered, tired and footsore, into The Grog and Gruel. It was immediately obvious why the place was packed out. One look at the beers available at the bar and the food people with shovelling down and there was no chance we were going anywhere else.

Happily wrapped in a warm and comfortable proper pub, we indulged in excellent and well kept real ales in the bar as well as hearty food in the restaurant. The atmosphere was spot on and all of the staff were very friendly, helpful and welcoming. The girl running the restaurant on Saturday night was also entirely lovely in every way by the way,and had great taste in beers, which helps a lot.

Anyway, thanks for providing a great pub in a town that deserves at least one! Won't be long before I'm back - and when I am, I know where I'll be headed after a tiring day. I also know exactly where I'll be recommending to all my friends.

Cheers

David Forbes

Bristol

---------

Thanks, David!

What's wrong with Daddy...?

Another Ben Nevis Race over! If you haven't run one then you might not understand the feeling. But you might have a good guess. Regardless of how much training and preparation you put in before hand (usually nowhere near enough in my case), the pressure of race day just gets to you. Maybe its the thought of the finish line. Invariably, flat out on the grass writhing about with cramp shooting through the legs, feeling like you've just done 10 rounds with a sumo wrestler, with your hands tied behind your back. Blindfolded. No wonder my children are now banned from the finish line. Too many, "What's wrong with daddy? Why is his face all green?" questions.


But not so this year. I actually had quite a good race, feeling vaguely human even at the end. Near perfect conditions for 2008 and a record number taking to the hill.

Still, another year over. And seems that I wasn't the only one who enjoyed the weekend. The restaurant at The Grog & Gruel was packed on Friday night with demand for Adam's homemade pasta reported to be high (worked for me!) and the Alehouse was jumping on Saturday evening with the Ben Race Ale lasting till very nearly the end of the session.