Room 101: Billy Meakes – Gloucester centre

1. Aussie accent impersonators
I don’t know why this is, perhaps Neighbours or Fosters ads have something to do with it, but lots of people in the UK always feel compelled to rip off the Australian accent no matter how bad their impersonation actually is. Billy Burns is probably the worst at Gloucester. Normally it ends with ‘mate’ tagged onto the end of every sentence or some reference to ‘throwing a shrimp on the Barbie’… basically take your pick from any other classic stereotypical phrase. All the boys at Gloucester get stuck into John Muggleton because he’s about as Australian as you get.
TRP verdict: No dramas, you’re in.
2. Coffee that’s too hot
I don’t know whether this is just an English thing or not but Costa Coffee is made far too hot for my liking. You either take an early sip and risk getting your mouth burnt and losing your sense of taste for the rest of the day, or you hang around for 20 minutes or so to wait for it to cool down to something like a drinkable temperature. Maybe cafés in the UK make the milk extra hot to keep the customers warm on a cold winter’s day, I don’t know.
TRP verdict: We’re not going to Mocha on this one.
3. Performance trainer/jeans combo
This is a shocking look adopted by some of the older guys in the Gloucester squad – James Hudson being the worst with his massive Asics sticking out of the bottom of a pair of jeans. With so many casual trainer-type shoes on the market I fail to see why anyone feels the need to commit this fashion faux pas. The only excuse I can think of is that the performance trainers are comfy.
TRP verdict: Jeepers sneakers, that’s bad!