Enough of the Midlands, as Tuesday brought a trip to the prosperous South-East, which is at least well-supplied with cheap Travelodges and those odd Days Inn places. It’s just a shame they’re all in Fleet.
Logic tells me we’ve only been to Aldershot thrice in our lives, which puts it behind Goole on my league table. Two of those visits were to this “Home of Football“.
Goodness knows what Mrs RM did while I was at the Recreation Ground; I didn’t see a branch of Lush in town.
This is a classic ground, and on my last visit ten years ago Cambridge United secured a Conference Premier place, and probably their existence, with a Robbie Simpson goal in front of half of Romsey Town. Ah, memories.
The ground still has the same grime as it did in 2007 (and probably 1967); but Aldershot itself looked a town transformed. Here’s the proof;
I believe this place a few yards from the station was called “The Funky End“. Mrs RM would surely approve, but even more attractive was the plethora of Caribbean, Indian and Nepalese cafes dotted around town. A bit like those in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, their glories are clearly as much about informal setting as the cooking.
It was the impact of the Ghurka presence that made this trip. Rarely have I seen such a medium-sized town so vibrant and colourful midweek.
The Nepalese have clearly kept a fair few run-down shops going, and the jewellery shops add a lot of colour, but I doubt their custom in town pubs like the famous Trafalgar has made up for the impact of another famous event of 2007.
I’d given myself 90 minutes between trains to do Aldershot, failing to take into account the beauty of the Municipal Gardens in Spring.
The back streets to the west of town are spick and span, rather like a tidier Swindon, and hilly enough to make me feel I’d earned a pint at the Imperial Standard, a wedge-shaped gem.
I love pubs like this, full of working blokes (mostly younger than me, unusually).
Normally the new Beer Guide entry in a town is a free house, a micro, a Spoons or a dining pub. The Standard is a boozer, and a very friendly one.
If nothing else a music selection spanning “Pop Muzik” to “You’re the one that I want” proved that. I’ll spare you the banter, I doubt Simon will.
A sole hand pump dispensed an excellent Bishops Tipple (NBSS 3.5), a Hobson’s Choice I can live with. It wasn’t denting the Fosters sales, mind.
The smoking area had some art you might expect,
and some you wouldn’t
A real joy, as was Aldershot. Perhaps that new Premier Inn near the entertainment complex isn’t such a leap of faith as it might seem.
retiredmartin 
Love the big paintings above the pub doors. The one on the Imperial Standard is really big. Is the 2007 reference a football reference?
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A “soccer” reference, indeed Dave. It’s traditional for teams in historic cities like Cambridge/Chester/York to reach the point of bankruptcy before recovery. 2007 was Cambridge’s point.
You’re spot on about paintings, a feature in Portsmouth as well.
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On the painting front. It really jumped out at me as unique. I had seen some of that in London. I am thinking of the Ship Tavern. I wasn’t sure I was right in my perception though. Also, we can call it football from here on out.
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Dave – I’ve just linked to this post and noticed I mislead you 18 months ago. 2007 in that context (death of town pubs) was the smoking ban. (stop yawning).
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I’ve never found a cheap Travelodge in the South East. Maybe it is a lack of skill, maybe I am just so tight fisted that they don’t meet my definition of cheap. I shall investigate Fleet next time I am in need of a bed south of Grantham.
I like proper grounds with proper floodlight pylons. All the best grounds have 6 floodlight pylons,not like the modern monstrosities like that new thing in a north Stockport suburb.
When City play Aldershot in the fourth division in three years time, I shall remember the tip about the Indian and Nepalese cafes.
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Cheap is £30 or less. £15 in Blackpool.
Travelodge and Premier Inn prices have gone up since the smoking ban, so I’ll blame that.
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I think I have seen £29 offered in Feltham before, but worked out it was cheaper in an independent place in Soton. Other than that it tends to be £49 or more. Terrifying.
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Always enjoyed our pre match sessions in the White Lion in non-league days. A guide to pubs reasonably close to football grounds (and open to away fans) would be a useful CAMRA offering.
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There’s been a few publications in the pre-internet age, but I guess there’s plenty of on-line guides now. Nothing beats a book though.
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The Pub Mirror tends to have a feature on upcoming City away defeats.
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The online guides are poor on picking out the gems and tend to focus on the official away pubs.
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Good point. Suspect a CAMRA guide would have similar shortcomings, or rely on Good Beer Guide. I’ve just dug a late 90s guide out of the garage which may serve as the basis for a future post !
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I played a gig with one of my previous bands in The Imperial Standard a few years ago.
The landlady brought her cockerel into the bar, sat him on her lap and fed him Guinness and chips – a bizarre vision which, as you can imagine, has never left me !
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Only in pubs 😊
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