Stars And Bars Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sir Ian McKellan

Originally called The Bunch of Grapes, a pub has stood on this site since 1583 and this is the very pub, hardly disguised at all, which Charles Dickens mentions in "Our Mutual Friend" (1865).
Sir Ian, who had long been a regular at the pub, bought it with friends film director Sean Mathias, and Evgeny Lebedev, publisher of the Evening Standard newspaper, in 2011 as he feared it may be bought by a national chain and lose its identity.
The Monday night quiz at the Grapes has attracted patrons from far and wide, as Gandalf himself has acted as quizmaster when his schedule permits.

Answer: Guy Ritchie and Madonna

Music superstar Madonna and her film director husband, Guy Ritchie, known for "Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels" (1998) bought this pub while still married. When the pair divorced later that same year, Ritchie gained ownership of Madonna's share of the pub, which had featured in her 2005 documentary, "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret".
In a 2009 charity auction, one "lucky" drinker paid £2,214.12 to have a pint with Ritchie at The Punchbowl, before Ritchie sold the pub in 2013 to a national chain.

Answer: Michael Parkinson

Michael Parkinson bought the Royal Oak in 2001, with his son Nick, a trained chef, as an investment, and it certainly paid off as the pub scooped a Michelin star in 2010. The pub also attracted rave reviews, for, of all things, its Scotch egg, which was a quail's egg, lightly boiled for exactly two minutes and 15 seconds, then covered with a crisp crust of Japanese panko crumbs. Apparently, any less than two minutes and 15 seconds and the egg can't be peeled properly, and any longer means that the egg won't run when you bite into it. In 2019, after 18 years of serving pints to world leaders, celebrities and locals, the Parkinsons put the pub up for sale, in order to allow Nick to concentrate on other interests.

Answer: Idris Elba

The Parrot, which Elba, along with brothers Lee and Nicky Caulfield, opened in 2018 is no ordinary cocktail bar. To start with, once their reservation is confirmed, guests are collected and then dropped off later in a chauffeur-driven Aston Martin. Each of the bar's signature cocktails takes its name from a type of parrot, of which there are 350 in the world, so plenty of choice available, and finally the bar offers live entertainment every night, which often includes a DJ set from Mr. Elba. Elba is famous for his roles as Stringer Bell in "The Wire" (2002-04), Detective John Luther in the BBC drama, "Luther" (2010-19) and Nelson Mandela in the 2013 film, "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom".

Answer: Neil Morrissey

Morrisey, best known on UK TV screens for his role as Tony in "Men Behaving Badly" (1992-99) first started his publican career at the New Three Mariners pub in Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, Wales in 2004. He later became a co-owner of Ye Olde Punch Bowl Inn in Marton, North Yorkshire, but financial difficulties meant that by 2009, he was no longer involved with either business.

In order to avoid bankruptcy, Morrissey took the role of Raymond Babbitt in a touring stage show production of the hit movie "Rain Man" (1988) and successfully paid back all money owed to creditors.

His company, "With Neil Morrissey" took control of The Plume of Feathers in Barlaston in 2016, and hit upon a winning formula, including brewing their own beers, and in 2018, added the Old Bramshall Inn in Uttoxeter to their portfolio.

Answer: Chris Evans

Evans made his name as a DJ on GLR Radio, Radio One and Virgin Radio before branching into TV where he had success with shows such as "The Big Breakfast" (1992-94), "Don't Forget Your Toothbrush" (1994-95) and "TFI Friday" (1996-2000).
In 2005 he began work on Radio 2 with a series of well received shows and in 2016 he signed a three year deal to present TV show "Top Gear", although he severed ties with the show after just one season.
In addition to the Mulberry Inn, Evans also owned the Lickfold Inn in Petworth, West Sussex and the Newbridge Inn at Tredunnock in Monmouthshire, Wales between 2007 and 2010. The Mulberry was his base though, and also the site of his famed "Supercar Sunday" events, where dozens of the world's most desired supercars would turn up in aid of charity, allowing "petrol heads" from all over the UK to get up close and personal.

Answer: Tommy Lawton

During his playing career, Lawton turned out for Burnley and Everton prior to WWII and then Chelsea, Notts County, Brentford and Arsenal when football resumed in 1945. In a professional career that lasted until 1955, he also won 23 England caps and scored 22 goals for his country.
On his retirement from playing, he managed Notts County for a season, before taking over the running of the Magna Charta at Lowdham, but became disillusioned with the pub trade after an employee stole £2500.
He became an insurance salesman for a time, before returning to Notts County as a coach in 1968.

Answer: Ed Sheeran

"Drunk" (2012) was Sheeran's fourth UK top ten hit taken from his debut album, the hugely successful "+" (2011).
As a publican, he gained his experience through having his own private pub built underneath his London home. This was accessible via a secret subterranean tunnel and inspired by a visit to film director Peter Jackson's home, which has several secret passageways and underground tunnels.
The singer started the pub with business partner Stuart Camp and the name Bertie Blossoms is a tribute to their respective wives. Camp's wife is Liberty Shaw, and Bertie is a nickname for Liberty, while Sheeran is married to Cherry Seaborn, and the Blossoms part of the name relates to cherry blossoms.

Answer: Rick Astley

Mikkel Borg Bjergso is a former high-school science teacher who runs the Mikkeller microbrewery which brews beers that challenge the taste buds of discerning drinkers such as Astley.
Mikkeller have worked in collaboration with many other craft breweries such as BrewDog, Three Floyds and Cigar City.
The first Mikkeller bar opened in 2013 in San Francisco, California, followed in 2014 by a bar in Bangkok. Astley and Bjergso first met in 2015, to come up with Astley's Northern Hop Lager.
Rick Astley's biggest selling hit was his debut single "Never Gonna Give You Up" which went to number one in many countries other than UK in 1987.

Answer: Usain Bolt

Tracks and Records opened its doors on Middlesex Street, London in October 2018 and I have to admit this place is on my "to do" list. Apart from the usual beers and wines, Tracks and Records also stocks over 150 different rums, including more than 100 from Bolt's native Jamaica.
The food menu sounds as good as the drinks menu too, with jerk chicken spring rolls, curried goat and BBQ wings, infused with rum all available.
Bolt's medal haul includes gold in the 100 metres and 200 metres at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics as well as a pair of golds won as a part of the 4x100 metres relay in 2012 and 2016.