Phew. I thought I’d lost my photos of the Dean Tavern in Newtongrange, yet another highlight of my Borders Bonanza (as history will record it).
Not that it would matter, as the Pubmeister did a sterling job of capturing its glories last month. Duncan’s piece tells you all you need to know about Gothenburgs, a community pub model seen in mining towns. And has better photos.
But I’ve just found my own cache, safely saved on OneDrive, including this one of my train speeding over the Firth of Forth.
I’d only found out the last off-peak train back toward Melrose went at 16:24 in Kirkcaldy, sending me into a panic. Plans to tick my last Edinburgh pub scuppered, I squeezed onto the two carriage train at Edinburgh with the entire OAP population of the Borders. All carrying Primark bags.
I spoke to a couple who’d made the trip from Workington. To Edindburgh Primark. They confirmed Workington doesn’t have a BrewDog Bar yet.
I jumped out at Newtongrange as much to breathe as to Do the Dean.
What a fascinating village, reminding me a bit of a simpler version of Port Sunlight.
The Dean is quite a contrast with the extreme gastro of the Sun at Lothianbridge. If only I’d known the Dean was going to be in the Guide I could have done it a year ago.
Rarely has an exterior so well hidden its interior beauty.
It feels a bit like a converted church, in the style of the Spoons in Brighouse, but a lot less cluttered. And with what seemed like the entire village popping in and out, it felt a bit smart social club, too.
Perhaps a recent convert (if that’s the word) to real ale, and (oh joy !), just the one from Born in the Borders. It’s £2.80 a pint too. If you can’t sell cask for £2.80 you’re stuffed.
Someone must have given up the Tennents to drink it; it’s cool and tasty enough to convince me.
I sit next to the pelican, as you do, and enjoy a 60s soundtrack including “Gloria”.
But never mind the beer, everyone’s here. It’s a real community pub that BRAPA will love.
And the lacings ? Best of the trip.
retiredmartin 
I know Primark is good but that’s some journey….how far would they travel for TK Maxx?
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The Workington folk would travel to Tamworth for a TK Maxx, as long as there was an AMT coffee franchise at the station.
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“Yes Toucan”
I was just about to say… (being a former big time Guinness drinker that popped out at me right away). 🙂
The Dean looks to be a luverly pub… well, apart from the two fellows in the first photo. 😉
Oh, and love how Pubmeister explains why the Dean is so airy and full of light.
Cheers
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I think those two guys in the photo are only upset because the barman has refused to buy the first production batch from their new craft brewery.
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I think they’d just realised I wasn’t BRAPA and they weren’t about to be famous.
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Could you do a review of the Raven in Wigan that could rival his in any way? I think in your quest to avoid the GBG groupies we are missing out on your personal interaction with what can only be called the “characters” of the UK pub scene.
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I wish to live long enough (est.62) to complete this thing; avoiding “characters”, Mrs RM apart, is key to that.
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Does that timing include all the revitalised outlets that will be new entries in the next couple of years, displacing the last of the trad brewers bars?
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I’ll wait until those have all closed as the hobby owners get proper jobs.
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Or sell out to Brewdog. It can’t be long until they buy Stonegate.
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Craft Union, surely.
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Everybody in the world eventually.
Is it just me, or are the couple of pints of Punk I’ve had recently been far less enjoyable than I remember the beer being a few years ago?
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Jeez Russ – don’t tell me you’re a Plastic Paddy ?
Sat it ain’t so.
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“Jeez Russ – don’t tell me you’re a Plastic Paddy ?”
My keen Sherlock senses take this to mean a Guinness drinker? 😉
I was, until 2012. Very big fan until then. But since then I have maybe twice a year (and not even on March 17th!) if I’m out a place that has it on tap. 🙂
Cheers
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Ignore him, Russ. Guinness is a fine drink, particularly the Nigerian version…
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Only if you buy it online from a dispossessed Nigerian Prince.
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Yes, if you hadn’t said otherwise, I’d assume the exterior and interior photos were of two entirely different pubs!
I got curious about that pitcher labeled “The Famous Grouse” so had to Google– I’m not much of a whisky guy, but I’d be tempted to order that one based on the name alone. 🙂
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