The Golden Lion Pub

[Michael Gallagher]

It is a fact that QE2 lost regular passengers when the Golden Lion Pub was built (1994 'Project Lifestyle') as they thought Cunard had simply gone too far...

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

It is a fact that QE2 lost regular passengers when the Golden Lion Pub was built (1994 'Project Lifestyle') as they thought Cunard had simply gone too far...

Thank you for the photo, Michael!

Yes, the pub was rather different, and we never went near it... except for the World Cup football, when it was quite an amusing place to be (we never got all that excited ourselves, but used to enjoy watching other people's excitement). There were free crisps and peanuts on such occasions too.

[cunardqueen]

   It is a fact that QE2 lost regular passengers when the Golden Lion Pub was built (1994 'Project Lifestyle') as they thought Cunard had simply gone too far... 

I agree, l hated the place and avoided it, where ever possible . and god help us when a football match was being played.  Basils Bistro in the Day time was ok, But why eat there when the Mauretania was only a few feet away. l only ever ate there twice, and once was given a pint of lager in one of those dreadful old fashioned heavy beer glasses .
I had the great misfortune with other table guests to leave The Mauretania one night after dinner to be faced with a beer swiling crowd of football fans watching some game, l made the great mistake to ask a passerby "Oh whos playing" . The only good thing was there were some hot pies being served.. But Oh dear What were Cunard thinking...

The the Final Eastbound crossing  The Chief Engineers table host one night, with the previous nights host invited dragged a fellow guest and myself to The Pub for a drink  , it had been a fun table, and they had sussed us out, and we were on pints, l protested to them that i didnt do pints for the simple reason after one pint im under the table, after two lm generally under the host and after three , who cares. They found it funny and a good time was had by all

And l got my Chief Engineers boilersuit, but thats really a bit off topic here   

Now The Theatre Bar......that was nice...     

[Andy Holloway]

You must be in the minority of Engineers who disliked The golden Lion then.

I seem to remember it was THE place where the Engineers would congregate, especially when it was Karaoke, now 'who' was it that used to sing 'Puff the Magic Dragon'!!!!

Also the nights when Jim Bowen and his band were performing in there it was standing room only, mind you a lot of the 'overseas' [mainly US] passengers were left scratching their heads at Jim's humour swept straight over the top of them.

[Pete Hamill]

I've been in the Golden Lion on several nights when Jim Bowen and the Hot Rhythm Orchestra were playing - fantastic!

[Thomas Hypher]

We avoided the Golden Lion too, as it wasn't my parents thing...the Chartroom being much more to their taste for example. Would be interesting to experience it in Dubai with expats on a special occasion such as a Royal Wedding (not that there will be one for years yet).

[Trevor Harris]

It is a fact that QE2 lost regular passengers when the Golden Lion Pub was built (1994 'Project Lifestyle') as they thought Cunard had simply gone too far...

I thought it looked tacky and honestly I dislike it.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I thought it looked tacky and honestly I dislike it.

I didn't really think it was tacky, it was operated with the same high standards of service and cleanliness as the rest of the ship. Proper cotton napkins and good cutlery too. If you felt like it, you could enjoy English-style "pub grub" there, which may have been an attraction for the non-English passengers. And the views were good too.

It was just not my style, just as the Casino was not my style either. But the ship was big enough to accommodate all sorts of tastes and styles, and there were always people there enjoying it. Karaoke in the evenings might have been an additional attraction.

[Barumfox]

I liked the Golden Lion and have a couple of specifically good memories:

On the first night out on a 16 day Mediterranean Cruise in October 2005 sitting quietly with a pint and a book whilst a Jazz band was playing (can't remember which band), contemplating the next couple of weeks and realising there was no other place in the world I would rather be at that moment - not the only occasion this would have been the case on QE2 but actually realising and savouring the moment at the time.

Also - as a big football fan - on the last day of the January 2007 westbound crossing to New York when in a pea soup fog it was announced over the tannoy that a satellite link had been established and a Chelsea - Liverpool FA Cup match would be shown on the screens in the Golden Lion. There was  a healthy attendance to start with but this grew substantially as the match progressed - it was amusing to match a married couple arrive from the direction of the Grand Lounge and the man would see the TVs, a hurried hushed discussion would follow and then the attendance was increased - usually just by one. In the end there were people sitting on the deck as well as leaning against pillars - I have never seen a more overcrowded room on board a ship.

The Golden Lion was also very handily situated for getting a pint after second sitting before going either in to the show in the Lounge or up the stairs to the Theatre balcony to watch a film. I also liked the Chartroom and the Yacht Club very much - the Crystal Bar never really appealed to me in the evening probably because I did not usually have a pre-dinner drink - normally dashing up the stairs to the Mauretania at 8.29 pm after using first sitting as gym / shower/ changing time.

It was good however that there was a selection of bars with different attributes, ambiences and atmospheres - something for everyone.

Gary

[skilly56]

Myles,

That can not be a chief engineer's boiler suit!
No C/E would risk his ticket by getting a boiler suit that dirty!

Skilly
(ex-C/E, 13 different ships over 49 years).

[Andy Holloway]

Myles,

That can not be a chief engineer's boiler suit!
No C/E would risk his ticket by getting a boiler suit that dirty!

Skilly
(ex-C/E, 13 different ships over 49 years).

Exactly,

Some didn't even know they had boilers suits!

[cunardqueen]

  Myles,

That can not be a chief engineer's boiler suit!
No C/E would risk his ticket by getting a boiler suit that dirty!   

I had asked one of our Junior hosts about getting my hands on a boilersuit..Thats what he came up with. I asked no more questions, and gladly neither did he.

[John Plews]

One of the reasons the QE2 was special was the huge variety of rooms/bars/activities all in one ship. The Golden Lion reflected a particular slice of English culture as the ship travelled the world. The late and very sadly missed Jim Bowen made many friends from his appearances  especially when he travelled with Colin Bryant's Hot Rhythm Orchestra. Jim's humour and trumpet playing was the highlight of many a voyage! Thank goodness the QM2 has carried on the tradition......the only bar at sea with a permanent dartboard!!

[Andy Holloway]

One of the reasons the QE2 was special was the huge variety of rooms/bars/activities all in one ship. The Golden Lion reflected a particular slice of English culture as the ship travelled the world. The late and very sadly missed Jim Bowen made many friends from his appearances  especially when he travelled with Colin Bryant's Hot Rhythm Orchestra. Jim's humour and trumpet playing was the highlight of many a voyage! Thank goodness the QM2 has carried on the tradition......the only bar at sea with a permanent dartboard!!

When Jim was sailing, usually S'ton originated cruises, he was always guaranteed to fill The Lion plus it was standing room only anywhere you could get a glimpse in The Lion from. What 'foreigners' thought of his style of entertainment i can but guess but, with the Brits he was very popular and epitomised 'British Pub' entertainers.
I certainly made a point of going down to watch him at every opportunity.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I've been in the Golden Lion on several nights when Jim Bowen and the Hot Rhythm Orchestra were playing - fantastic!

Some weeks ago, we received the following email from Ken Ames :

Dear All, I wrote this song "Cruising" a while back when working aboard QE2 . I was the guitarist in the  Hot Rhythm Orchestra ( jazz showband ) between 1983 and 2000.   Great nights with  guest comedian Jim Bowen mainly in the Golden Lion . The attached may be of interest to your readers. Pics include Barron Knights. Jack Tinker Best Wishes. Ken Ames

The photos are attached below, and the final attachment is the song "Cruising", written for QE2!

Thank you, Ken, for sharing your memories with us .

And by the way, one of our members, Mike White, has posted that his father was the drummer in the Hot Rhythm Orchestra :

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php?topic=1066.msg11464#msg11464