Shots all around: English bar to take a hit on ‘Love/Hate’ assassination

Patrons in an English pub will be baying for blood tomorrow night as drinks all around are promised if either of Love/Hate’s crime lords, Nidge and Fran, get the bullet.

The Gateway pub in Reading has been drawing crowds of Irish emigrants every Sunday night for screenings of the popular RTÉ crime drama.

And such is the growing interest in series five that pub owner and West Cork native Martin O’Sullivan has added an extra twist ahead of tomorrow’s penultimate episode.

Should Fran (played by Peter Coonan), currently behind bars, meet his end, everyone in the pub will get a free drink.

However, should drugs kingpin Nidge (played by Tom Vaughan) be killed off by one of his many enemies, O’Sullivan promises a free bar for the night.

“This weekend’s promotion is our first Love/Hate drinks-related offer,” laughs O’Sullivan.

“I am really hoping one of the big two takes the bullet. If Fran goes it would be grand because you would be able to thank all those coming every Sunday with a free drink — recognition for those coming for the last two years to watch Love/Hate.”

But if it’s ‘brown bread’ for Nidge, O’Sullivan may have to close early!.

“If Fran goes we won’t be too much out of pocket. But our customers will probably drink the place dry though if Nidge gets killed off,” he jokes.

O’Sullivan, a native of Innishannon and brother to former Cork All-Ireland-winning hurler Brendan, said: “It was during season two when Love/Hate became a big thing in the pub. People just started to come in, asking if we were showing it. It was more the people who had just recently emigrated from Ireland and were familiar with the programme. It has stepped up a notch this autumn and the pub was packed for the opening episode of series five.

“Hopefully, one way or another, I can treat our customers to at least one free drink.”