Islington Tribune - News: Going for a song

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 2 May 2008

Pub regular Alan Barrett and his barmaid wife Mary with the pub piano that’s up for grabs

Going for a song… the pub piano

ONCE upon a time the old Joanna was a central feature of most pubs and regulars would gather around it for a jolly sing-song.
Not any more – at least not at the Auld Triangle pub in Finsbury Park which has decided to give its piano away to a charity.
The upright Hopkinson tucked away in a corner of the saloon at the pub in St Thomas Road has been neglected in recent years as fewer customers fancied a song.
Regular Alan Barrett, an occasional piano player, said: “Part of the problem is that when one or two people are singing you can’t always hear yourself talk or think.
“But I think karaoke has taken over in many pubs and perhaps it’s old fashioned to sing around a piano these days. It’s sad that it is dying out because people used to enjoy themselves.
“We have Irish music in the other bar on Sunday but we don’t need a piano for that.”
Pub owner Martin Joyce said the slightly-out-of-tune piano could be re-tuned and would suit a charity or an old people’s home, where people still like a good sing-song.
Anyone interested should contact the pub and try out the piano. Mr Joyce added: “We don’t want any money for the instrument but people will be expected to provide their own transport to take it away.”

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