So we are now a week into December and my former rant about not wanting to get into the festive spirit too early has become void. With the exception of being festively plump, (an attribute I have been working on all year), I am not really feeling the Christmas fuzzies at all just yet. The supermarkets seem to have lost the absolute plot this year. I've spotted Santa-shaped cheeses, Rudolph charcuterie boards, Candy Cane flavoured toothpaste, even edible Christmas cards for dogs! Who knew there was a large enough market to cater for animals that have the cultural predisposition to celebrate the birth of Christ?! ...My dog can't even read! Admittedly, I am rather partial to the over indulgent items that also seem to have popped up on every aisle: Bailey's infused custard, port drenched carrots and everything served with lashings of double cream and a side of camembert! But even my cardiac-pending gluttony would be far more enjoyable if it didn't involve being tortured by the constant warbling's of Cliff Richard and Mariah Carey.
The Christmas avoidance has now been completely over-ridden by the Christmas-Trepidation: The feeling that this is the calm before the storm, and soon, all of us that are late to the party will be fighting over the last sherry trifle and glazed ham in the shops, whilst the Love Island-watching public don festive jumpers and go for their annual knees up, to the annoyance of music-loving p*ssheads everywhere. But we will cross that tinsel-clad bridge when we get to it! For now I have Christmas trees to purchase, cider to mull and oodles of fantastic events to be getting on with!
Last week was an absolute belter, with Castle Comedy Night and live music from Tiptoe Apollo, The Machine Rages On and Mad Mods and Englishmen. And we still have loads more to come before the end of this year!
Our Christmas Hours are fairly straight forward...
We are open usual hours up until Christmas Day.
We are closed Christmas Day, (because apart from anything else, it is a Monday)!
Then we are closed until Tuesday 9th January, with only 3 exceptions:
New Years Eve, we are open from 8pm for an EPIC gig with The Informers (tickets on sale from our website),
Jan 02nd we are opening the bar from 7pm (to accommodate league pool) and
Jan 06th we are open from 8pm for our Crooked Crow Panto!!!
On Tuesday 9th Jan, normal hours will resume.
Tonight we had our Blockbuster Film Club screening of Gremlins! There is one more Blockbuster Film Club special before the end of 2023, at our Crow Christmas Event on Sunday 17th December...
Join us for an afternoon of Christmas Carolling (with The Leighton Buzzard Philharmonic Marching Band), followed by a screening of the ultimate, (contentious) Christmas film... Die Hard!
Boozy hot chocolates, hot spiced apple, popcorn and mince pies available! After all, Christmas is not just for kids!!!!
Indoors - so we'll be nice and toasty!
Film introduction from Van Connor.
2pm-6pm.
18+ only
Entry just £5 adv
Still to come this week:
Friday 8th, 9pm: BAD HOMBRE
Those local heroes, Bad Hombre are back to start the party at The Crooked Crow Bar. Playing more cracking hits than you could wave your dancing shoes at!!! Everything from The Fratellis to The Jam!!!
Free Entry. 18+
Saturday 9th, 12-6pm: BRING YOUR OWN VINYL
Great decks and sound system, friendly atmosphere, no pre-booking needed, all genres welcome.
Free Entry. 18+
Saturday 9th, 9pm: THE ZEROES
It wouldn't be Christmas without a fantastic gig from The Zeroes! Playing alt 80s and 90s and plenty of party hits PLUS a few originals, all with a Latino Twist.
Free Entry. 18+
Sunday 10th, 12-4pm: SUNDAY VIBES
Join us for boozy hot chocolates, locally roasted coffee, great beer and of course, great tunes! Pool table, darts and board games available to play. Dogs welcome.
Free Entry. 18+
Then... They're back!!!
Talkin' Loud will be here from 5pm, playing soul, funk and disco classics, perfect to heat things up on the dance floor!
Last few tickets remaining (tickets just £5).
Doors: 5pm. 18+
Fancy doing something wonderful this Christmas? Why not come and take part in our GIVING TREE. (Deadline to get your gifts dropped off to The CCB is 12th December).
How it works: 1. Pop into The Crooked Crow Bar and choose a tree-shaped gift tag from our wall 2. Check the back of the tag and see the name and age of a child and the gift they have requested 3. Purchase that gift and attach the tree tag (please don't wrap). 4. Bring the gift to the Crow before the 12TH DECEMBER and hand to bar staff for safekeeping 5. We will deliver to KidsOut by their deadline 6. KidsOut ensure the gifts get to the children for Christmas
The recipients are children in the UK who have escaped domestic violence, being forced to flee their homes quickly and leave all possessions behind, as well as children who are living in the highest areas of deprivation in the country and are living with a disability, serious illness or life-limiting conditions.
If you would like to take part, but don't have time to shop, you can scan the QR code on the back of each tag and buy the gift via KidsOut direct.
There's not many tickets left for this years New Year's Eve Party, so don't miss out!!!
A quick reminder that on Saturday 6th January, 8pm, we will have our Crow Panto: The Tale of Robin Hood. It's free entry on a 1st come basis, and if our previous panto's are anything to go by, we recommend you arrive early to ensure entry! This is a standing event and whilst this isn't strictly an 'Adult Pantomime' there is bound to be a lot of foul language and drunken carnage, so it will be over 18's only. The show will be followed by an after-panto disco, so bring your dancing shoes.
For details and ticket links for more fantastic events, visit our website: