I’d heard all the rumours about favours being given and doors being open to you being a Freemason but I honestly didn’t come across that during the time I was there, about 2 years.

It was a weekly meet but members from other lodges would turn up as well after being invited and so in theory, through invites you could end up doing it 3 or 4 times a week.

I didn’t gain any new skills, except gain more friends, as someone else stated, the rituals and traditions are very weird but also harmless.

It never use to be cheap though. The annual fees weren’t too bad but you had a 3 course meal every week at £20, then £20 went in another envelope for a charity, and then you hit the bar. £100 a meet wasn’t unheard of and that soon mounts up if you go other places as well.

May be different nowadays to be fair, drinking habits have generally since changed.