“LONDON CALLING”, RUGBY

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There can surely be no better place to complete Warwickshire GBG entries than the fine town of Rugby. Except possibly Atherstone.

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And what better way to complete any county than in a modern music bar, as the sole customer treated to Taylor Swift videos played on every wall, drinking a Church End beer in a Doom Bar glass.  No better way, that’s what.

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Clearly, to enjoy this place outside of the evening rush you need to be a crazed pub ticker, or someone with an obsession for the post-punk albums of 1979 (pick me !), but I’m thrilled to say the beer was cool and tasty (NBSS 3.5), and served by the sort of young person who gives you hope for the future of mankind.

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It would be churlish to tell you I preferred “Sandinista !”

No doubt someone will comment on here, telling me I should have gone to the Squirrel,

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dav
“A Bloke on a Guitar”

or the Merchants, or the Seven Stars.

Done them mate. They’re great.  But I don’t want to go back.  Not when I’ve got Unknown Pleasures like London Calling to entertain me.

London Calling is the first new GBG entry in Rugby in a long, long time.  Even my eldest son has stayed here overnight since I have, sadly with reports on the Tesco and McDonalds rather than the craft beer scene to regale me with.

The only sign of craft is the occasional sighting of the newly trendy Mann’s livery.

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Rugby is an unpretentious place, a drinkers town to match anywhere in England.  At 4pm on Friday all the pubs were boisterous and inviting.  This is still the only town where I’ve seen a fight in a GBG pub (not necessarily a recommendation).

If it changes at all, it changes very slowly.  Let’s hope the encroachment of micro pubs doesn’t ruin it.

The highlights are the people, and the market and the handful of remaining classic buildings.

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And of course, the town museum, now cruelly focused on the evil eponymous game.

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But skip “World in Union” and head for the Art Gallery, one of the best provincial museums in the country, full of weird art and social history.

And then head for Titash for your chicken dhansak.  But remember; don’t drink beer on top of a tummy full of curry.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

22 thoughts on ““LONDON CALLING”, RUGBY”

  3. “And what better way to complete any county than in a modern music bar, as the sole customer treated to Taylor Swift videos played on every wall, drinking a Church End beer in a Doom Bar glass. No better way, that’s what.”

    I can’t quite tell if that is sarcasm or not. 🙂

    And as for the teeth on the breasts of that woman in the top photo, now I’m a bit nervous. Do women have teeth elsewhere as well? (shudder) 😉

    Cheers

    PS – I’m going to stay out of the *cough* “clash” in music preferences (LOL)

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    1. Is it sarcasm ? No, it’s really not. Places like London Calling are what the Good Beer Guide is all about, Good Beer. I love the fact there’s such a variety of bars, pubs and Ember Inns to drink good beer. Wouldn’t change a thing about the Guide.

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      1. The NBSS 3.5 score should have been a giveaway; but the Taylor Swift videos and Doom Bar glass threw me for a loop. 🙂

        Apologies and thanks for clearing that up.

        Cheers

        Liked by 1 person

      3. “If the member of staff had been a misery, it would have been different 😉”

        Good lord I missed that as well. (blush)

        But in retrospect, good to know that a pub can be a pub without bench seating, a roaring fire, and timbers everywhere. (honest!)

        Cheers

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