'Jovial Barman,' students reunite

By Dave Stephens
Assistant Campus Editor

A picture of Purdue Pete hangs on the wall next to Purdue flags and pennants. An autographed picture of Purdue basketball player Mary Jo Noon looks down upon students sipping pints of Guinness.

This could be a scene from almost any bar in West Lafayette, or possibly any bar in Indiana, but it’s not.

It’s the Fitz Bar, and it’s located in England.

Colin Gelling, bar manager of the Fitz Bar, said he became interested in Purdue when he met students studying abroad.

"Before I met Purdue people I didn’t know how friendly Americans could be," said Gelling.

It’s that friendliness that has endeared Gelling to Purdue — so much so that he has visited campus on several occasions to reminisce with friends he met at his pub.

Gelling has the opportunity to meet so many Purdue students because the bar he operates is owned by Fitzwilliam College, which is a part of Cambridge University.

"All the colleges in England have their own bars," said Gelling. "There are 32 undergraduate bars at Cambridge alone."

Gelling said each college tries to have its own bar so students can drink in a safe atmosphere.

"It keeps the things that go on within a bar away from the publics' eye," said Gelling.

He said invited guests and students who attend Fitzwilliam, including those who are studying abroad, are the only people allowed to visit his pub.

"We don’t have problems with any of the students; I know them all by name," said Gelling. "If you go to Harry’s, they don’t know who you are. If you come to my bar, we do."

Although Gelling said it was the friendliness of Purdue students that made him a fan of the University, students say it's Gelling’s personality that impressed them, earning him the nickname "The Jovial Barman."

"(Gelling’s) jovial-ness is contagious and he’s what helped make my time and other’s in Cambridge as enjoyable as it was," said Abby Lemon, a sophomore in the School of Consumer and Family Sciences.

Jennifer DeMoss, a junior in the School of Nursing, said one of her favorite memories of Fitz Bar is Gelling’s "pub quizzes."

"Pub quiz is just a game where he would ask 20 questions and whichever team answered the most would win T-shirts," said DeMoss.

DeMoss said that in the case of a tie, Gelling makes a representative from each team down a pint of beer as fast as possible.

Gelling said he tries to add Purdue questions to the mix so the Boilermakers have the edge.

Rodney Vandeveer, an associate professor of organizational leadership, met Gelling while teaching abroad. He said the two formed a fast friendship.

"(Gelling) offers students the opportunity to experience new things and relax in a comfortable home-like surrounding," said Vandeveer. "He has become a really good friend."

Gelling said he has enjoyed his current trip to campus, even complimenting Purdue’s usual less then satisfactory weather. "I really enjoy coming over here, especially with weather like this," said Gelling. "In England we haven’t seen the sun in four months."

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Featured Photo: Lion Fountain

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Campus editor: Laura Pelner

Assistant campus editors: Kurt Esposito, Dave Stephens

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