The people in Cologne call the right bank of the Rhine the Schäl Sick, the wrong side of the river. Maybe this is because in Roman times the main settlement was on the left bank, and being in what is today the neighbourhood of Deutz meant being in the wild, inhabited by barbarians.

As I live in Deutz these days, I can confirm that there are no more barbarians left here (except during carnival maybe). One of the places that has long been the pride of the people on the wrong side is the Lommerzheim pub. Originally opened in 1959 in a small side street, the exterior of the building has never been renovated, making it stand out among all the nice new apartment buildings around it. And the same goes for the interior – all bleached-out wooden panelling, old posters and creaky tables.

The place is named after its original proprietor Hans ‘Lommi’ Lommerzheim, who operated the place together with his wife Annemie until his death in 2005. Annemie poured the beers, Hans served – there was no other staff. Local punters always loved the place, and also the simple food served here (pork cutlets and sandwiches). Today, the pub has been taken over by the Päffgen brewery, but nothing else has changed: there is still good but simple food served, together with many Kölsch and a lot of banter. Oh, and there is a small statue of Hans out back in the small beer garden.