| Where: | Beccles, Suffolk at the Locks inn Community Pub, Geldeston Locks |
| When: | A Saturday in May or June |
| Time: | 12 noon onwards |
Dwile Flonking, a merry drinking game played outdoors, was invented in the 1960s with a spurious history suggesting that it dated back hundreds of years (apparently it’s still in dispute), and it’s home is in the East Anglian counties. It was all a ruse, but now the game has become a tradition in its own right and it’s played in a few locations around the UK, the lovely inn at Geldeston Locks being one of them. Full of arcane terminology, the contest is between two teams each comprising an equal number of players and it’s played in two halves with each team getting a turn at flonking and at circling trying to avoid being flonked. Upon the chorus of “Ere we go together!”, the flonker stands in the centre of the circle with a beer-soaked cloth on the end of a stick (a driveller dipped in dwile, to use the correct terms), and rotates in one direction, while the opposition hold hands and dance around the flonker in a circle turning in the opposite direction; the flonker attempts to hit the others by flinging the cloth from the stick and is accorded points depending on where it lands. Each team member gets a turn at flonking and the team with the higher score wins.Forfeits must be paid for transgressions against the rules or for failure to score – the forfeits take the form of drinking the contents of the pot belonging to the Ref (or Jobanowl), or tipping it over their own head. At The Locks, the match is played between the rival neighbouring counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Fancy dress is encouraged, particularly in archaic rural “yokel” style, and the venue has a dressing-up box for visitors.
Helpful Hints
In 2024 it should be on Saturday 4th May.
In 2023 it was on Sunday September 10th, a bit later in the year than normal but it’s usually in May or June, though it doesn’t always happen every year. When we visited the game got going around 1 pm.
The pub does tasty food and live music, and the atmosphere is very relaxed and great fun.
If you haven’t visited before, there’s a very long driveway to the pub but persevere and you’ll get there. Also be aware that due to its position the pub is vulnerable to flooding and sometimes has to close at short notice for safety reasons.
Click here for the venue’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheLocksInn
and website: http://www.thelocksinn.com
Other notable venues who host Dwile Flonking include the Lewes Arms at Lewes in Sussex, home of many interesting events.
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