retiredmartin

It’s just ocurred to me that East Preston might also align itself with Littlehampton.  No idea why, but then CAMRA branch geography is equally weird.

I’d been looking forward to an overdue return to Littlehampton, which seems to have upped its game since my last visit, with an average visitor age some 37 years below that in East Preston or Worthing itself.

That might be down to the attractions for our canine friends,

but I presume five year old girls are more attracted by the cutting edge street art that is the café and promenade seating.

With a giant Harvester dominating the seafront, it reminds me a bit of Southsea, but without the great backstreet pubs.  That’s the problem with seaside resorts like Littlehampton; after ten minutes looking for the USP, I run out of things to do.

Then I saw this house near the marina. Never mind the inflatable dog, why are those paintings facing outward ?

There’s just too much going on there, it must be street art. Needing to recover, I remembered the Thai Kitchen from a previous trip, fortunately still knocking out a superb Pad Thai at a bargain price.   The owner didn’t remember me from 2010, but I’ll let him off. His food is superb.

The rest of the town centre looked lively, the obligatory Spoons (top) attracting designer mobility scooters and a heatwave fuelled boisterousness I would have enjoyed.

But the GBG dictates my fun, so on to the New Inn, the closest you’ll get to a proper back street boozer. Even here though, the barstool boozers come dressed for an evening out.

Beer experts (not me) will take a look at that glass of Bitter & Twisted and immediately assess it as looking a bit frosty.  Again, beer cool enough in the heat, but again a bit tired.

The forthcoming guests (not the Courage) may appeal to CAMRA folk but it’s not much use without the turnover.

A shame, because the pub is attractive, the low-level diet of old crooners (“I wonder why“) appealing, and the inscription on the back bar (below) mysterious.

Five points for a transcription.

I lingered over my half for ten minutes, enjoyed the affectionate mutterings of the couple taking up the whole bar, and left to their stares.