It’s more than two weeks since our Northampton trip, so you could forgive me for making it up at this stage. But I have my notes, I have my photos, and now I have Richard Coldwell‘s blog to copy remind me of Pub No. 4.
The Lamplighter was a real backstreet boozer on my way to watch Northampton Town while they were bottom of the 4th division and you had to stand on duckboards round the pitch. You can spot me in this clip from 25 years ago wearing Bass braces.
As Richard notes, it’s tucked away in the Boot and Shoe quarter, Northampton’s very own Valley of Beer.
The real gem (below) was keg, of course. Keep pushing, Northants CAMRA.
Which isn’t to say the Lamplighter is plain, just less striking from the outside.
Inside, all is brewerania and history.
Like all of England since April 2007, the boozers in the boot quarter have evolved into food-led allrounders attracting families and (as here) birthday parties. Another music-free allrounder, I noted.
Still, that custom keeps 7 (seven) pumps ticking over, helped by ten tourists anyway.
Shoulda had Citra, of course, but the Great Oakley (a measly half, I admit it) was cool and tasty, an easy NBSS 3. Of course you need to be a Pint Man to appreciate beer.
The Coventry fan, clearly unable to find his way home following his team’s recent exile at Sixfields, gave the place a pubby feel, but we nearly all ate here.
I had poached egg and “Yorkshire mushy peas” as noted by Richard, and I thought food and pub staff were exemplary. Seven beers is too many though.
But, perhaps appropriately, my notes are all about other people fussing over my Doc Martens, deemed insufficiently shiny by Yorkshire boots fascists. Only in Northampton can pub banter regarding saddle soap and scrubbing be deemed remotely acceptable.
retiredmartin 
“Foaming pints in a row could replace jam jars”.
They would need lockable lids as those above look good enough to drink !
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That’s the idea. Drink the foaming pint on the bar from a PROPER PINT GLASS and then buy another one to stand on the bar for the next customer. Probably already do it in Germany, so ahead of the game are they.
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I would have gone for the Vale “Red Kite”. They brew some seriously good beers, with Gravitas – 4.8 per cent, £1.99 per pint – being a firm favourite in my local ‘Spoons branch.
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Indeed, but often disappointing in gastropubs in Bucks (see: BRAPA).
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Did our correspondent Ian “life after football839” play in that Northampton Town versus Wrexham game ?
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I would have notice his silky defensive play if he had. Sadly he was playing at Birmingham back then.
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He would have known my old pal,the legend that is Tony Butler.
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Dunno what happened there.Anyway,spent many a happy Saturday afternoon working with Tony at BRMB.
And that quartet of pints look gorgeous.
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“Looks brilliant, shoulda popped in for half a Guinness” –I may be reading this too seriously, but if you were in a situation where non-craft keg was the only option, would you go for Guinness? I’ve turned to it on occasion, when nothing else on the bar sounded any good.
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Yes I would, though a half of Guinness is a real pain for bar staff so would go for a pint !
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But you went for a pint of Fosters in the Rifle Drum 😛
The round I bought was one Kronenbourg and two Strongbows. Did anyone actually try the Guinness in there? 🤔
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Horses for courses. The Guinness you had in that impromptu Irish local in Levenshulme seemed entirely appropriate.
Shame there was no Carlsberg…
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The real horror for bar staff is, of course, a half pint Guinness shandy.
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Ordered last in a round..
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Always. Guinness is always the last thing ordered.
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In the absence of decent cask beer and decent keg beer – so we’re looking at one of those dire places with only Doom Bar or Tetleys and John Smiths Smooth and a couple of mass produced pilsner variants – then I would go for Guinness every time. I’m none too bothered whether it’s real or not, so long as it’s fresh and cool (not almost frozen as it is often dispensed). An even better ‘non real’ stout is the Sam Smith’s keg stout.
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Dire places with only Doom Bar ? What are you talking about ?
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Pubs are better with music…that fact is non negotiable! Whether it be jukebox open mic live bands or even karaoke pubs are just better with tunes
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I agree, Ian. Many wouldn’t. Also makes blogging much easier. Quite pubs are dreadful. But so are pubs where music competes with the telly.
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Wise words 👍
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Depends on both the type of pub and time of day. And of course what is music to the ears of one person is an unholy row to another. I mean, both Jethro Tull and hip hop are supposedly music.
On that note, of course I had to go for the Walter Tull (no relation) in the Lamplighters.
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Walter Tull has got a beer named after him!!! Fantastic. My claim to fame was that I was invited to write the Foreword for the book on Wlater “From Claret To Khaki” by Rod Wickens. A top read if I say so myself!!! Fair point re music…
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Did you ever read “What a load of cobblers” fanzine ? Abraham Arbuthnot in there was a great column.
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I don’t recall reading that one? A fantastic name though!
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One of the best fanzines ever. Given they were on the up while you were there, probably quite pleasant reading if you had read one ! The reports on away trips by Abraham (supposedly an old fan who saw them in Div 1 in ’66) were the stuff of legend and beautifully poignant.
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Fantastic – I used to really like fanzines as they were proper DIY seat of the pants stuff and full of real fans accounts…even if not always complimentary!
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Yes, and “what is music to the ears of one person is an unholy row to another” reminds me that nobody has yet come up with a proper definition of “good” as in “good music”.
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Stuff I like =”good”. You’re welcome.
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This is what I wrote about piped music in pubs a couple of years ago:
http://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/pipe-down.html
The problem is that, unlike a choice of beers, everybody has to listen to the same thing.
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So is good music like quality beer then?
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I’d sooner stick pins in my eyes than venture into a pub with Karaoke.
I bet you’d just love the Three Legs on The Headrow, Ian.
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Love karaoke. Real Midlands specialty.
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Remind me to take you and Dave and Richard into the Three Legs then. It’s one of the few places in Leeds where everyone knows me … if you get what I mean. The Gen Elliot is the same.
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I guess we do need guidelines. No Karaoke.
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Karaoke encountered on Staggers can be quite entertaining in small doses.
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No! Never, ever, ever, not I.
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Is that your take on “The Wild Rover” Richard?
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No. Nay. Never!
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It’s a tricky one. St Giles is a friendly, immaculate beer house with good choice and quality. I’d just much rather visit places like the Black Prince or the Spoons with a wider cross-section of society. As I say, the problem is me, not the micro.
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Thought the Black Prince was sh1te comparably and I definitely wouldn’t be reading my paper in there. Wouldn’t have gone near spoons, we could all hear the nob heads carrying on over the wall. Having said that the nob heads do need somewhere to go and if they are safely corralled in spoons or Yates then society can manage them. Having said that spoons on a Sunday morning was very pleasant – post to follow.
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Nice artistic first photo in the mirror. 👍
“You can spot me in this clip from 25 years ago wearing Bass braces.”
Yep. You were three back behind the Confederate flag around the 41 second mark. 🙂
“Northampton’s very own Valley of Beer.”
I see a Spencer Parade as well as a Spencer Road. Was he related to the Mark’s blokes? 😉
“shoulda popped in for half a Guinness”
I just checked my Guinness glass that has the signature on it. Never realised it says the same thing as what is written on the wall of that pub; Arth Guinnefs. 🙂
“Foaming pints in a row could replace jam jars”
Great photo that.
“other people fussing over my Doc Martens,”
Shoulda worn Kinky boots instead. (LOL)
Cheers
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Princess Diana’s relatives, I think. Their country seat at Althorp is not too far from Northampton.
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“Princess Diana’s relatives, I think. ”
Never thought of that. Ta Mudge. 🙂
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We saw some of the oil that was recommended in a shop in Malton when we went to Beertown on Friday (Top do!).
In the words of the drill pig at PTC RAF Dishforth (Class 6/85), you need to ‘GET SOME FUCKING KI-WI ON THOSE BOOTS MR TAYLOR!
NB, Ki-Wi was pronounced Ky-Wy! You’ll just have to imagine the spittle going all over your face and the smell of his breath.
I reccommend Ki-Wi Parade Gloss for all boot and shoe operations. Although the Benger’s suggestions will give long life and suppleness to your boots, you will never be able to achieve the required gloss again, if you use it.
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Coventry supporter known by the locals as ‘Covs’, lives just across the road from the Lamp
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The Lamplighter is about the only Real Ale pub in Northampton that does not give CAMRA discount. Also one of the more expensive! Can’t fault the ales though
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We noticed the presence of CAMRA discounts on our crawl ! I’ve mixed feelings about giving visitors with a CAMRA card cheaper beer than regulars without one; loyalty cards make more sense if you must incentivise. Agree on Lamplighter.
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