By Jill Stocks
We’re all missing the pubs and clubs for different reasons. Some of us like a good quiz, you might be missing the club turn on a Saturday night or a midweek game of bingo.
Well one Kirkstall man is on a mission to try and keep us all entertained, bringing us together to do all of these things and more via social media.
John McCabe runs his own entertainments business, JMC Entertainment, which has obviously had its activities curtailed dramatically in the last couple of months.
But in an effort to keep us in good cheer John has been bringing us live DJ sets, pub quizzes and bingo, all via Facebook and Skype, to enjoy at home.
There is also a daily lockdown joke accompanied by the hashtag #theshowmustgoon, designed to bring a smile to people’s faces in these difficult times.
And not content with all that John is also production manager of Mulligans Virtual Bar, a national group on Facebook set up by Pat Mulligan, a wedding host and DJ based in Bradford with 30 years’ experience in the UK nightlife industry.
The group was launched on 3 April and now has more than 26,000 members.
There’s all sorts on offer, from tribute acts to slots from established pub and club DJ’s and performers, all performing from their own homes directly to ours. A full listing is produced each week, with something for all ages and tastes.
Pat said:
“The goal with Mulligans Virtual Bar is to keep the feeling of community and connectivity alive for the British people, while at the same time offering a new hub for professional artists to perform and stay connected to their audiences they have worked so hard to cultivate.”
The bar is open Sunday to Thursday 6pm to 12am and Friday and Saturday 6pm to 2am and entry is free.
John’s own programme of entertainments includes bingo on Monday evenings and a pub quiz, via the Salt Cellar facebook page, every Thursday evening, with a bottle of Prosecco up for grabs.
His activities have helped to bring people together and combat loneliness in what are challenging times for us.
You can follow John on Facebook.