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Farl

Bear Incident File No. 010 — Return Visit

The Horse Was Invited In. The Bear Was Ejected.

Live Bear Baiting at Farl, 30 October 2026
The invitation.
The Bear covers his face inside Farl
The Bear, in disgrace.
Location20 Cheriton Place, Folkestone
Latest eventFriday 30 October 2026
StatusEVENT COMPLETED — BEAR BARRED
File update, 30 October 2026. The Hooden Horse was invited in. The Bear was ejected.

October event | Beat the Bear & Bear Watch | Earlier non-appearance

The Bear Returns to Farl

Bear Baiting Karaoke finally took place at Farl on Friday 30 October. The Folkestone Hoodeners joined the evening: a new company carrying forward the old Sandgate Hoodeners’ tradition.

The Bear reluctantly awarded a Hooden Horse to the Folkestone Hoodeners, who have taken it forward. The landlord welcomed the Horse into the pub. The Bear’s own welcome did not last.

The Folkestone Hoodeners gathered outside Farl with the Hooden Horse
The Folkestone Hoodeners outside Farl, 30 October 2026.
The ribboned Hooden Horse among the company inside Farl
The Horse among the company. The evening included its reluctant handover by the Bear.

Bear Baiting Karaoke

The Bear repeatedly requested “Woodicum Fair”, refusing to let the punters take the lead. He kept taking the microphone, interrupting singers and intervening in their performances. Eventually, he was rejected.

The Bear surrounded by performers and the audience inside Farl
The Bear makes himself part of the proceedings.
The Bear at the microphone beside the karaoke screen
The Bear takes the microphone.
A singer and the Bear performing beside the karaoke screen
Karaoke with the Bear in close attendance.
A participant singing into the microphone at Farl
The karaoke continues.
Participants pose together with medals as the Bear leans into the group
The company after karaoke. The Bear is still involved.
The Bear holds the microphone beside the karaoke screen
The Bear takes the microphone. Again.

The Evening Spills Outside

The Bear would not leave the entertainment to the punters. The interruptions continued, and the evening’s entertainments overflowed onto the pavement.

The Bear intervenes while the company looks on.
The Bear intervenes again.
The Bear beside seated customers outside Farl.
The evening’s entertainments spill outside.
The Bear gesturing outside Farl beside a performer.
The Bear outside, still seeking an audience.
The Bear and a performer outside the doorway.
At the threshold. The discussion continues.

A Hug, a Tumble and a Barring

At the end of the evening, the landlord of Farl went to give the Bear a friendly hug, during which the Bear lost his balance and fell over. After an evening of karaoke interruptions, the Bear’s welcome had run out. The Horse was invited in; the Bear was asked to leave and barred.

The landlord of Farl giving the Bear a friendly hug
The hug, before the tumble.
The Bear losing his balance during the hug
The embrace goes off balance.
The Bear sitting on the pavement beside a parked car
The Bear on the pavement afterwards.
The Bear standing outside Farl with both arms raised
Final position: outside. File status: barred.

Beat the Bear — Karaoke Under Watch

One song. One challenger. One extremely confident Bear.

Beat the Bear is the online karaoke game at folkbear.uk. At Farl, the Bear appeared unwilling to accept the challenger’s turn: repeated requests for “Woodicum Fair”, interruptions and further attempts to take the microphone followed.

Beat the Bear online karaoke game, with challenge and short demo options
Beat the Bear — the online karaoke game.

PLAY BEAT THE BEAR AT FOLKBEAR.UK →

Shepway Bear Watch: Public Performance and Licensing

PLEASE DO NOT ENCOURAGE THE BEAR.

Shepway Bear Watch seeks to regulate the Bear’s local activities, including public performances and illicit karaoke. A microphone, a song list and an enthusiastic Bear do not constitute a licence.

Public sessions remain subject to Bear Watch scrutiny and the landlord’s permission. Advertising on beer mats or toilet walls does not confer approval. The Bear is not authorised to issue his own permissions.

Domestic participation advised. Play at home, keep an eye on the threshold and do not mistake the arrival of the Bear for an official inspection.

Yellow Shepway Bear Watch poster: Please do not encourage the Bear
Shepway Bear Watch public notice.
Karaoke with the Bear advertisement on the toilet wall
Advertisement found on the premises. Advertising is not authorisation.

Read the Shepway Bear Watch papers | Report Bear activity

October Programme and Supporting Clips

Go Go Whippet presented the evening, advertised for 6–9 p.m. on 30 October 2026. The poster lists Lime Kiln, the Sandgate Hoodeners Revival and interactive folklore karaoke, with sponsorship from Screen South.

The following clips accompany the event material. They are separate from the photographic record of the evening at Farl.

Event call-out. 21 seconds; sound retained.
Seaside Bear scene. Six-second trimmed excerpt; the supplied file has no sound.
Street scene. Five seconds; sound retained.

Recordings from 30 October

The opening six minutes. The start of the evening at Farl, from the event recording.

Earlier File: 26 June 2026

The first advertised performance was cancelled after the Bear left before it began. The original programme and departure recordings are retained below.

PROGRAMME SHEET

John Barleycorn Must Die programme for Farl
Programme prepared for Farl, 20 Cheriton Place, Friday 26 June 2026.
Live Bear Baiting poster for Farl Irish Pub, Folkestone
Full-size Live Bear Baiting poster for Farl, 26 June 2026. The sheet lists the Hooden Horses, John Barleycorn Ale and the Bear Folk Karaoke Experience. View printable poster (PDF).

Historical Background

Farl is an Irish pub at 20 Cheriton Place. The Dover-Kent list records the Farl name from 23 December 2024, succeeding the Firkin Alehouse at the address.

Record note: Dover-Kent Folkestone list; event programme held in the Bear file.

June Non-Appearance File

The advertised Bear Baiting Folklore Karaoke did not take place. The Bear left before the performance. The first recording catches the departure; the second shows the pub afterwards, as those left behind try to work out what happened.

The programme and song list remain on file. The return event took place on 30 October 2026.

Event Recordings

Before the performance. The Bear makes for the door. Six-second close-up; silent recording.
Afterwards. Inside the pub after the departure. One minute, 21 seconds; original sound retained.

« Return to index | File status: event completed; Bear barred, 30 October 2026.