A last Oxon tick before the big city centre crawl later this month, and another chance to reassess Abingdon, surely the Newbury of the North.
The Morland livery, Abbey grounds and town museum are highlights of a modest town with much to be modest about, as someone once said.
But I like modest towns that don’t shout loudly. Even the Narrows manages to disguise itself as a Brewhouse & Kitchen.
It’s very narrow, oddly.
Actually, it feels more like a boozer than a brewhouse, and has the joyous sound of professional drinkers at the bar, and few diners at 4pm on a Monday. There’s a lot of activity entirely unrelated to the consumption of alcohol, if you know what I mean.
In the Beer Guide for the first time, though the beer range is solid rather than flashy. White Horse, Oakham, Bateman and the usual suspects.
I go for the Batemans, on the premise you don’t see their beers much these days, even in Lincolnshire.
It looks slightly better than it drinks, but it’s still a cool and rich NBSS 3. I’ve been spoilt lately.
Also lately, I’ve acquired a taste for Spoons chicken wings, even though I don’t like chicken wings.
Some pleasing touches include a nice home for the (“Tim says this is”) craft,
arty lighting,
and themed loos. No idea what this Spoons used to be.
How else can you follow that up than with a photo of the Cher CD I picked up for a £1.50 from the charity shop ?
Yes, it was the best thing on offer. And yes, “Believe” is still astonishing.
retiredmartin 
“There’s a lot of activity entirely unrelated to the consumption of alcohol, if you know what I mean.”
No idea. Unless it’s where the lass in the photo gets the red dye to touch up her hair weekly?
“Pride of (near) Skeggy”
Good Lord. They have to inform you that the beer contains barley? (sigh)
“It’s a Spoons”
Again, where do most people park for places like this?
Cheers
PS – “No idea what this Spoons uses to be.”
And I’m not sure what it ‘used’ to be. 😉
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That’s the first typo you’ve found in a week, Russ. You’re slipping up 😉
Re: Spoons, they don’t park. I think they live in the pub.
On the first point, you’re very close.
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“You’re slipping up”
I’ll probably be doing that for the next little while. My wife goes in for day surgery tomorrow and she’d already committed to serving soup to 150 kids at the same time. Needless to say I’m left trying to coordinate. 🙂
Cheers
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Good luck with that Russ.
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Severe lack of mobility scooters recently. Are they all housebound at this time of year?
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Today was the day for another Retired Martin.
John Mahony the Fraser stalwart passed away.
Born in Blackpool and taking up acting relative late in life he enjoyed one of TV’s great ironies that a man from the North-West of England ended up playing an American opposite a woman from Essex playing a character from the North-West.
I liked him even though his limp was terrible.
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I have never seen Frasier (or Cheers, or Friends or any of the other US comedies). The canned laughter puts me off. Have I missed out ?
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It depends on what you like.
It was very well written.Good acting.Interesting cameos.Didn’t take itself too seriously.John Mahony – Retired Martin Crane – and his chair and dog became running themes.
I liked it very much.
http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/tv-radio/2017/08/martin-crane-s-hideous-chair-was-true-star-frasier
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There was a time when I used to enjoy watching Frasier on Channel 4 on Friday nights, following by King of the Hill. One of the obituaries mentioned that, in one episode, Martin made fun of Daphne’s “Lancashire” accent, but John Mahoney made a better job of it than Jane Leeves 😉
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I had the Yella Belly Gold t`other week in one of the Wigan `spoons – it wasn`t that “dear”…
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Just noticed the price (£1.75 with voucher). That’s a good 60p cheaper than prices in Cambridge/Chichester etc.
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A top couple of posts with your rugger bugger one previously…I do, however feel you have paid well over the odds for that Cher CD 😉
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No way, Ian. The tune from “Groundhog Day” and “Believe” as well, worth at least £1.66, and the jewel case makes a useful box for pirate CDs.
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“Golden coloured golden ale” – what other colours are there? 🤔
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It’s made with pure gold from Lincolnshire fields and then they add gold colourings so it doesn’t become a Black IPA or something ?
Do you remember the olden times when people used to proof-read what they’d written for common sense ?
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Batemans? And they had Oakham on? Cher?
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I don’t debate with Ex-Pats.
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I’m coming back. But not until it stops snowing!
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