“Not another post from Newark !” I can hear Dick and Dave cry from 2,138 miles away.
Well tough, Newark is full of good beer, cheer and isn’t very dear (that should get me a tenner from the Tourist Office). It’s so good we might end up living in our campervan on the free site at Brownhills. Not much different from this couple.
Since ErlangerNick asked, this is what it looks like. The rack at the back is for carrying copies of the Beer Guide, of course.
Newark is a good base for rail journeys to Nottingham, Cleethorpes and Retford, but I’m considering taking on a full review of all the local pubs, as long as Mrs RM pops her head in first.
Last Monday night, after surviving Carlton, we thought the Spoons was our safest bet on a quiet night.
Newark is somewhere between Chesterfield and Stamford on the down-to-earth/posh scale, which is a good place to be. Plenty of independent restaurants without pretension, enough antique trade visitors to keep them in business, but plenty of basic pubs and sweet shops too. Perhaps a few too many boarded up buildings on show at the moment.
The Sir John Arderne is the sort of Spoons you expect some BRAPA-standard action, but sadly it’s a pale shadow of Royston.
If Simon had been there, he might have noted a pub blogger getting irritated by his charming wife as she took more than two minutes to choose from the menu (“It’s a Spoons !!! You know what’s on the menu !!!“) and insisting on moving seats (“Sit Down !!”)
Elsewhere there was a squeaking lady, a lady declaring “even if he takes me to court”, and much discussion about the genius of Ronnie Barker, none of it insightful. Even these slim pickings would have been better than what was on TV, I feel certain.
Two old blokes were very excited about the beer paddle, and told a story about 14 year old paper boys being paid in beer in Wisbech. It may have been biographical.
The beer was pretty good, with a better selection from their Festival than I saw in Cambridge, and we were able to offload a couple of CAMRA vouchers, even when Mrs RM cruelly went for a dish with “free” beer.
The Brouwerij ’t IJ/Caledonian was a 3.5, the Banks Brazilian thing a 3, and the Titanic Capuccino was undrinkable, purely on taste. The Banks (5%) was their Monday Club beer at £1.35 a pint, which I make 47p a unit. Excellent.
Because we had the smashed avocado and QunnWa for mains, I asked the question.
“Would you like pudding ?”
“Need you ask ?”
This is what 2,000 calories looks likes, folks.
Spoons should really accept CAMRA vouchers against sticky toffee pudding.
Mrs RM had had the better of the evenings beverages, and gained the courage to quiz the young man about the ordering App. I’m still not sure what stops a savvy 14 year old ordering six cans of Sixpoint Resin to be brought to his table.
“But can I use it to order real ale ? I drink real ale you know”
“You can order Greene King IPA or Doom Bar at the moment”
You can guess the rest.
retiredmartin 
You did hear a scream from over here, but it was a scream of jealousy. Only 2 of the 6 2017 CAMRA pubs were in the 2012 edition when we were there. Newark is a place that is frequently mentioned when discussing places that need a return visit. Pizza at the Prince Rupert must be conquered, unlike last time when neither of us could finish. The slim lady at the next table out did us. Very friendly people, in the pubs and out.
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Pizza at Rupert amongst those Bass signs hard to beat, though beer average.
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And the final sentence is hilarious!
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Have I mentioned that Newark is my home town? I was actually christened in the Norman font in the big church in your photograph. Not been back for a few years.
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I believe you did, John. Well worth a revisit, Newark has seen similar pubby developments to Stockport recently on a smaller scale – micros, music pub, foody places etc.
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Of course if you were in some trendy brewery tap, you would never be offered sticky toffee pudding, just a beer that tasted like one
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We love Newark tales! We found Newark for exactly the reasons you mention above. The location on two rail lines. We saw that and the number of pubs listed in the GBG. Our conclusion was “hey this is a good base.” If not for those two facts, I am not sure Newark ever would have surfaced in my travel reading. I am curious why it seems completely ignored by travel writers? The city itself was quite pleasant.
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Unless beer writers live in vicinity (north London, Manchester, Cornwall) places do get ignored I find. Lincoln, Nuneaton, Thanet till recently.
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In my opinion Lincoln should never be ignored. One of my favorite English cities.
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Spot-on. Good mix of pubs, a steep hill and one of our great cathedrals at the top.
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We love Lincoln and Newark as they are so easy to get to from Nottingham and are both really nice places,ive done virtually all pubs in Newark and Lincoln.
Lincoln cathedral is really nice,i took the wife to the top when here knees were better,the views are fantastic and they time the visits so when you stand on the roof when the bells chime it vibrates under your feet.
Our favourite Lincoln pub is the Morning Star,i do not know if it is in the GBG but we rate it a lot and you may even get a draught Bass in there.
Sorry to carry on about Lincoln but it has a really good Christmas market that we go to every year,all pubs are packed and everybody is out for a good time,we always go home being very *issed.
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Agree with all that, Alan. Must go to the top of the cathedral and make the Christmas market.
Morning Star in GBG and my favourite too.
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I have never been in the Morning Star. Sounds like a big miss on my part. Liked Strugglers and Victoria. Great number of quality pubs in the center. Interesting on the xmas market.
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I recommend pubgeek blog for Suzy take on Lincoln scene. Some craft openings, as there is in Newark, a nice mix.
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The Christmas market starts at the top of steep hill and continues through the castle grounds where you can get lots of drinks,we always have a glass of German wine and a few pints of real ale from one of the stalls,it is one way so you come out of the grounds right opposite the Victoria and Strugglers,which are always packed but a good atmosphere,you then walk around side streets which have stalls and back to Bailgate where there are lots of independent shops that my wife likes looking round,i like the whisky shop for the single malts i have not yet tried,plenty of packed pubs around here,head East away from the action only 5 minutes walk and you will find a jem in the Morning Star,sill separate rooms and cosy in winter,they do simple food which we like.
It is then a short walk back to the market more drinks in pubs around there then back down steep hill to do a few more pubs before getting the last train back to Nottingham and a last drink in one of our favourite Nottingham pubs,Fellows,Morton& Clayton,Nottingham EPA is always on and goes down a treat.
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You paint a good picture, Alan.
Must give the F, M, C another go.
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Lincoln Christmas market is always on the first weekend of December and starts at the top of steep hill,it continues through the castle grounds where we have German wine and a few pints of real ale from the stalls,it is one way,so you come out of the castle grounds with the Strugglers and Victoria right outside it,they are always packed and have a great atmosphere,you then walk back along some back streets which have more stalls,plenty of pubs around here and back on bailgate lots of independent shops which my wife like looking round,i like the whisky shop to see if there any new single malts i have not yet tried.
There is only one road heading East which is away from the market action a five minute walk and you will find a jem in the Morning Star,it still has different rooms and very cosy in winter,they do simple food which we like,after a few in here its back to the market and more drinks before going back done steep hill for a last few closer to the train station.
It is a great day out that i would advise anyone to try once,done once i am sure you would want to do it again.
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Sorry Martin lap top playing up and thought i had lost my last post which has now appeared.
We love Fellows Morton & Clayton,a bit tatty and very sports orientated which we like,but i can not fault the beer there,not sure about NBSS but we like the beer and handy for the bus home after having a decent pint.
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The fact you want to go back means the beer must be good, Alan.
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