Blaise Tapp: Raise a glass to a welcome return of an old favourite

Even if you are unmoved by the PR-driven Blue Monday narrative, lousy weather and dark, long nights mean that many of us have sought a variety of ways to avoid the seasonal gloom.

I haven’t had to try too hard, following the BBC’s decision to finally rerun the brilliant sitcom, Early Doors, a 21st Century classic, that is set in an unremarkable Greater Manchester pub.

Over the coming weeks, wise old Auntie will continue to broadcast two episodes on BBC4 every Saturday night, and they will also sit on the iPlayer.

In my opinion, I can’t think of a series funnier than this one in the last two decades and I implore anybody that hasn’t seen it before to seek it out because each episode is 30 beautifully crafted minutes of gentle, yet side splitting comedy.

For its relatively small, but fiercely loyal, army of fans, Early Doors has long been regarded as the most underrated of television comedies, with its appeal coming from the fact that, crooked coppers aside, we instantly recognise the characters from the show.

Although I still get out for the occasional pint or three, I am not a particularly loyal punter and haven’t found somewhere as welcoming as the programme’s fictional pub The Grapes or, for that matter, a couple of cosy hostelries that I used to frequent in my 20s.

What I miss the most is the banter between locals. Back in the late ‘90s, at least three times a week I would visit my rural local and, even if I ventured in on my own, I would be engaged in conversation within seconds of walking through the door. I became a sometime member of the skittles team, where fellow players would sing the Dambusters’ theme tune, whenever one of my balls bounced its way down the alley. It was a frequent occurrence.

I also miss the warmth and generosity of the pub community, something which is often reflected in Early Doors.

Although I haven’t yet discovered a pub I can call my local, I am certain there are still many such places up and down the country.