黑洞社区

黑洞社区 is regularly invited to slick and shiny central London bars for a pint. Don鈥檛 have a problem with that, but for our outing with engineering firm Crofton, we braved new territory. The Roxy Bar and Screen sits near Borough tube station in south London, in the shadow of the Shard. As the name implies, it鈥檚 got a
cinema at the back. I鈥檓 told it shows 鈥渇oreign films鈥� now and again. It鈥檚 all very cultural.

But Crofton are engineers, and so naturally they do sport as well as art. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a decent screen for watching the rugby,鈥� says Richard, on a rather practical note. Steve had recently ordered some tickets for the Olympics, and the Games seem to be draining as much money out of the construction industry as they put in. He鈥檚 spent an unrepeatable amount of money on just four events for the family. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be thousands of pounds for any event with Usain Bolt in,鈥� fears Emile.

Bikes are always an engineer鈥檚 favourite as well, and Crofton have their fair share of cycling nuts - but sometimes the nuttiness goes a bit too far. 鈥淚 fell off my bike cycling in the Dolomites,鈥� Steve says. 鈥淚 cracked the bike frame. There was blood everywhere,鈥� he adds, almost with relish. 鈥淚 still cycled for 10 miles down the mountain.鈥�

锘緽ikes are always an engineer鈥檚 favourite as well, and Crofton have their fair share of cycling nuts

Richard was also on this madcap ride. 鈥淚 almost fell off the mountain at 40mph,鈥� he reminisces. 鈥淚 just grazed the edge.鈥�

The conversation moves from our cyclists to their equipment. Barry thinks the future of bikes might be in super-light bamboo. An endurance sport with a structural bent - the engineers鈥� dream?

One clue to why Steve fell off his bike comes when he admits that he is 鈥渟lightly inbred鈥�. 鈥淏ut not genetically,鈥� he hastens to add. 鈥淭wo of my relatives are related - not by blood - and met without realising. They suddenly realised they were related at a family event.鈥� Awkward. This less-than-perfect engineer theme continues when Barry admits that despite an intake of quality graduates this year, the firm may have had a lucky escape with one prospective employee. 鈥淥ne intern said he was an undergraduate, but it turned out he hadn鈥檛 passed his degree, and had stopped paying his student fees.鈥�

锘縒e are all a bit annoyed that the people the 鈥檚horeditch twat鈥� drink is attempting to mock probably don鈥檛 take offence

Meanwhile, Katie, James and I talk in a slightly baffled way about the watering holes of East London. James was particularly amazed by a drink he came across called the 鈥淪horeditch twat鈥�. We decide we are all a bit annoyed that the people the drink is attempting to mock probably don鈥檛 take offence. 鈥淭hey just seem to have such tight jeans!鈥� is James鈥� outraged response.

So foreign films, sport, and self-deprecating cocktails: a pretty impressive spread. And the first Pint held south of the river. Before you know it, 黑洞社区 will be buying people drinks outside of London.