In case you weren’t aware I’m 42. When I was 22 drinking in the daytime was actually I thing I could do without having a nap afterwards. Nowadays it’s unlikely to happen because a) I’m normally busy with the family and b) I’m not daft.

On Saturday we had been attempting to have a relaxing spa afternoon but for some reason groups of 5 are now no longer welcome at our favourite local venue. I can’t think why. I mean how many people are drunk and problematic in a spa at ten in the morning? How can group behaviour get that bad? Goading each other to have a more outlandish colour of nail varnish perhaps, or being so engrossed in conversation they stay in the sauna too long and have to rehydrate more than usual?

Anyway, as an alternative I proposed roller skating, but for some reason that didn’t seem popular. Instead we went with cocktails, pizza and ping pong.

Despite my reservations there are of course real positive to drinking in the afternoon.

1. The pubs aren’t busy, which means that
2. ordering a cocktail does not make the bar staff take a deep sigh as they look up at the queue at the bar and
3. you get to sit down (I did say I was 42).

We plumped for Abbeydale Road for our afternoon out, intending to take in a couple of vintage shops and an art exhibition. We ended up talking constantly and not managing either of these.

We had cocktails in the Broadfield, gin in the Gin Bar, and cocktails and pizza in Picture House Social. That means you could technically call it a pub crawl, and I haven’t been on one of them in years. I was also wearing shiny shoes and a top with a unicorn on it, and spent an hour playing ping pong. If this is a midlife crisis I like it.

I can’t imagine I’ll be repeating the experience often despite having a really wonderful time, not least because afterwards I needed a little sleep, three mugs of tea and half a packet of digestive biscuits to bring myself round.

I’m not saying I recommend afternoon drinking – stumbling up the stairs into broad daylight makes you feel decidedly odd – but cocktails with good friends and a giggle with a table tennis bat is hard to beat. Top stuff.