retiredmartin

An uneventful trip into Scotland culminated in the Wetherspoons at Galashiels , as it must.  I’d suggested a detour to the “Born in the Borders” brewery so Mrs RM could stock up on bottles of Game Bird, but she was focused on the posh supper in Melrose I’d promised her.

First we checked out her accommodation for the next few weeks.

Half an hour later, with places called “Apples for Jam“, “The Hoebridge” and “Eat at Dave’s” all closed, we made for the Wetherspoons.

But not without a fight.  Mrs RM was keen to see if Gala on a Sunday afternoon was as scary as I’d painted it back in May.

To be fair, the answer is “No”.  The drizzle suited Gala.

A shame the kilt shop was closed.

We found a couple of atmospheric looking boozers, but Mrs RM chickened out.

You’ll remember Charles and I bottled the Hunters Hall as well back in the Spring; battling through a phalanx of smokers and mobility scooters for a pub not in the Guide a step too far.  Back then I never would have thought I’d get a second chance to use my Spoons vouchers here.

“Make the most of my driving you” said Mrs RM. So I did.

I sense that less Spoons have staff really enthusiastic about their beers these days, and a large range often tells you nothing about quality.  But the staff here were superb.

I asked the barmaid for a recommendation and got this.  She didn’t even make me have a taster.

“I see you taking photos of pumpclips.  I’ll out you as one of them CAMRAs“.

The chap standing next to me awaiting an Abbot was joking, I hope.  I think the Spoons voucher would have outed me sufficiently.

That 80/ must have been good (NBSS 3.5); I’d finished it before Mrs RM had finished choosing her selection from the gourmet  menu, so I nipped back for a Cauld Reekie.

A significant bit of calculation followed at the bar to determine whether my 6.2% pint for £1.49 (NBSS 4) broke the minimum pricing regulations.  Obviously not.

It was gorgeous, and Mrs RM sat looking like a sad puppy dog hating her Diet Coke more by the minute.

Proper head on the beer, too.

We’d ordered our food on the App, being 21st century folk.  It’s possible I became the first person ever to use the App here, and certainly the first to order the Quinoa Salad, while Mrs RM stuck to meat.

Pub entertainment came from the Abbot man trying to out me at the bar, who for reasons unknown was playing “Stuck in the middle with you” on his I-Phone.  I believe it’s the current No.1 in Galashiels.

Because I was enjoying myself so much, I ordered a pint of Abbot (NBSS 4) via the App.  Because I can.  Only now am I realising I missed a chance to use another Spoons voucher.

3 of the best pints of cask I’d had all month,  from a plain looking Spoons in a plain Borders town. Perhaps there is hope for Scottish cask after all.