Body Weight Scales in Pubs

[Coffers77 34]

My local boozer – the Inn for a Penny in Carlton - has one of the old weighing machines situated in the gents. It is still in operation in return for a 20p coin. See picture attached.

I used these regularly a couple of years ago when I was on a fitness regime but I have bought a decent cheap set of scales from Wilkos now that do the job.

For clarity the old pub scales are where you stand on the metal plate and take a measure from a big round clock type reader. They are pretty handsome things and there was a serious amount of metal that went into them.

I recall these being more common place once but are less so now so it made me wonder whether any other pubs or public toilets around Nottingham still have similar operational scales.

Just out of interest I did a search on ebay and some auction house sites and there doesn’t seem to be a trade in them (big market for all sorts of old time kitchen scales though). There are some fine elaborate examples on the US ebay where their public machines seemed to be called “lollipop scales”.

Anybody know of any other vintage scales that are still working locally in pubs or otherwise?

Other related question I have is whether the target audience for these were both men and women in equal measure e.g. where a machine existed in a gents there would always be one in the ladies? A former pub landlord\landlady might know this.

http://s284.photobucket.com/user/Coffers77/media/scales/photo0221_001_zpsgxghfknm.jpg.html]

[TBI 2,351]

I can remember the big red ones in Woolies, you could see all the chrome-plated weights and mechanism in the huge dial, used to cost tuppence. Back in the day, these scales were all over the place, pubs, shops, public spaces, so they must have been a money-earner.

In recent decades bathroom scales are cheap so you don't see many about. Where there was one in a Gents, you'd have thought the Ladies would have one too, they'd get to make more money. The girls take much more care of their weight than your average beer-swigging bloke don't they.

[Karlton 582]

Many years ago I did some roofing work on Avery Scales I don't know if they are still there if I remember right it was on parleament street

I think it was near a camping shop opposite GPO. and a pub frequented by the GPO lads.

[Coffers77 34]

Karlton

On Averys - I am not aware of a Nottingham presence but I am sure someone can confirm your recollections.

When I did my internet search it threw up that Avery's HQ was in Smethwick in the West Mids (part of the big foundry industry) and are still there but is now one part of a global business.

They also have a part time museum (you have to book) - might go along when I am in Brum in May.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

Do you remember the 'I speak your weight' for a penny machines.

[Karlton 582]

#4 Coffers77

Thanks for the info mate.

[PeverilPeril 3,298]

Do you remember the 'I speak your weight' for a penny machines.

There was a discrete model that had 'Speak', 'Shout' or 'Whisper' settings.

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

IF you were a big lad did it shout "one at a time please"

[radfordred 6,284]

Last night I had a dream that I weighed less than a thousandth of a gram ......... I was like like Omg