Pay me in beer

It does feel like along time ago but I have great memories of being a student in Leicester in the early nineties.

This was still the time before student loans, getting a grant from the local government instead. It wasn’t a lot, but as soon as it was in the account it was straight to the pub! In my first year I topped up my income by painting a few pubs and also did some illustrations for a restaurant menu or two.

I remember this one pub where I convinced the landlord he would like a painting to hang in the pub, and I said I didn’t want any money, but could he pay me in beer instead. That was Thursday. On Sunday I finished the painting and handed it over. I was far from sober. I had been there for three days, drinking and eating some lovely food on the house. Perfect student survival tactics.