I’ll translate the title of this post: “I’ve been to the Pit,” meaning of course that we visited the famous Pit and Pendulum Pub in Nottingham. My sister and her partner wanted to go there and it’s a bit of a local classic.

It’s a Gothic themed public house serving alcohol, food, and ambience. A particular charm is the fact that the toilets are literally through a secret door designed to look like a bookcase. If you’ve never been, it’s worth a visit.

Gargoyles and other weird carvings loom from the walls. There are artefacts of arcane significance embedded in the tables. And, yes, this pub attracts a fair number of Emo and Goth folk (if that’s still the kind of label that’s appropriate).

Sitting there this evening, I was struck by how much I miss the ambience of location with my gaming. Surely this would be a great venue for playing the Call of Cthulhu and other horror-themed games? It’s something you just don’t get playing online.

How much does the location add to a game experience? I suspect it’s more than we usually realise and it’s one of the biggest things I miss from the pre-pandemic face-to-face social encounters I used to enjoy. I’m glad we visited.

Game on!