I guess there’s a sort of inverse relationship between beauty and Bitter in the Cotswolds; the greater the tourist honeypot factor, the lower your chance of a good pub.
Chipping Campden is gorgeous, the Lavenham of the Cotswolds, and yet I’ve never been to a pub here before. What can it mean ?
Quite a few ticks in the neighbouring areas like Bretforton, Ebrington and even little Broad Campden, but like Burford it feels a town of upmarket hotels rather than Gloucester boozers.
There’s not much to distinguish it from the welter of other small market towns, except the excessive politeness of folk who I walk past along the High Street. “I’m so terribly sorry. I believe I may have come within 5 yards of your personal space just then“.
As I said, spectacularly impressive, if not a lot to actually do. Unless you need to buy a gun or a Barbour jacket.
The Eight Bells, befitting a place boasting “Pub. Eating. Accommodation” has one of the worst pub signs outside the modern Greene King estate.
They’re very proud of their awards, only one of which means anything to me.
A room to the left laid out for formal dining,
and a room to the right laid out for informal munching; you already have a picture in your mind, I’m sure. “Mr & Mrs Jones” (oh yeah) confirming their reservation to distract the member of staff who should be serving me beer.
Everything about it screams “Hate me retiredmartin, hate me“. Even the fireplace.
There’s one bloke at the bar with a San Miguel, the new national drink about to be confirmed as a “quality” beer by the sub-committee. He says hello.
And four beers on the bar, about two too many I guess. No jam jars or tasters (hoorah), just labels with helpful information about the beers. It’ll never catch on.
I’m having a good run with Hooky at the moment. Once again, this was cool, with plenty of taste and a tight head. Well beyond “Good” on the scale (NBSS 3.5). I ought to revisit the timewarp Peyton Arms for you; it might be a Top 100 pub.
I didn’t make many notes on my phone, unnerved a bit by the subtle warning in the Gents;
But to be honest, I’m not sure much happened.
Sometimes, an exceptional beer in a smart pub with Baylis & Harding toiletries is enough.
retiredmartin 
Do those stickers mean you can get good tyres?
When you feel the urge to get a Barbour jacket, then a gun would be a good idea
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I’d miss.
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I have to admit I’ve never been in a more beautiful place than Chipping Camden. No real need to go back and I don’t fit in, but it is spectacularly pretty. You picked a good time of year to visit I think.
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I did, and glad you saw the beauty too. Easy to overlook the Cotswolds.
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I’ve been there with Mrs BB and she was a big fan…not a traditional boozer by any stretch but very nice staff…I’m sure we found a GK pub showing the rugby that was the most ‘pubby’ place in chipping Camden.. Derby it’s not
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I really don’t want to come across.as criticising what is really a nice restaurant with decent beer, which it was. Yes, staff again charming.
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Agreed it is a restaurant now not really a pub
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But that’s ok, isn’t it ? Rather the Eight Bells than a Pizza Express or Zizzi !
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Oh Definitely… whatever it takes for pubs to survive is fine with me
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I regularly used the Red Lion when that was a free house with Smiles on at £1 a pint.
The Eight Bells had several framed photos of Norman wisdom who had used that pub.
I didn’t bother much with the Lygon Arms or Volunteer but the Bakers Arms just out at Broad Camden was good for beer and food.
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Yes, the Bakers Arms was good, and in Beer Guide. Smiles was good 20 years ago, lost the plot after takeover (by Youngs I think).
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“except the excessive politeness of folk who I walk past along the High Street. ”
A bit like your average Canadian then. 🙂
“boasting “Pub. Eating. Accommodation””
The sign says Dining dear boy.
“only one of which means anything to me.”
It was the Yelp one wasn’t it? 😉
“unnerved a bit by the subtle warning in the Gents;
“unnerved a bit by the subtle warning in the Gents;
“unnerved a bit by the subtle warning in the Gents;”
And I can see why you’d be leery of using your phone after that gentle reminder. Wouldn’t want to make an ‘arse’ of yourself. (LOL)
Cheers!
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Obviously I was unnerved with my copying and pasting. (blush)
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Again, Russ, your eyesight so good you must eat carrots. I do guess half this rubbish, you know 😉
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I think I sat in the same place when I went to the Eight Bells: http://edsbeer.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/beer-in-cotswolds.html Lovely looking village but I never warmed to it.
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Looks like you beat me and BRAPA to the whole “eavesdropping on American tourists” gig, Ed.
Nice line in the post about yeast.
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If only I’d kept it up. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been in Beer magazine, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let’s face it.
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I was comparing notes with Si and Duncan yesterday. The boost from a centrespread in BEER (I’m the staple, by the way) is being followed by two new porn stars (not Nick) and a bloke whose latest post is “Show me yours”. I’m concentrating on my regular customers.
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Are you sure they’re not groupies?
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Chipping Camden, not blighted by Wetherspoons or MuckDonalds, gets its share of visitors but many of the small villages are absolutely dead during the week as the cottages have been bought up for weekend retreats by wealthy London and Cambridge residents,
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Bloomin’ Cambridge Cotswolds Killers
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Just to let you know I’m keeping my powder dry until RM does Chipping Sodbury.
The fun you can have with a place that has sod in its name.
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“Welcome back to Chipping Sodbury” – line from song by John Cale. Will be using that. Yate great for Bass. Use that too.
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Never too late for a Bass in Yate, it’s always great?
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Needing a pee in Chipping Sod-bury
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Too much Bass in Yate?
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Forgive my confusion about that, I can’t get my head round the concept of “too much Bass”.
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It’s when Mrs RM tells you you’ve had too much. So half a pint by my reckoning?
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