You may remember Felton‘s Foxes Den as the site of my latest failed attempt to visit a micro pub back in February.
I tried again. It’s a pretty little stone village, clearly still at war with West Thirston just over the bridge, with its gastro pretensions and sports cars.
Felton has the street art,
the mobile chip van,
the lock-up for craft beer enthusiasts,
and the cutesy Running Fox Café that I was convinced was the micro last time out. See how easy it is to be confused;
The Good Book said 5pm opening, but you and me know better than to believe the GBG, so I walked to the sewage works and back (#LivingTheDream) so I could be there at the door on the right on the dot of six and beat the crowds.
“What you after” said a man as I stood in the middle of what was clearly a café.
“Er, a micropub ?”
Of course, it was downstairs, hence the Den. This was the view at the bottom. Obviously, it was locked. Not again.
Just then a lady came down the stairs towards me in the dark. And nearly screamed.
Why are so many pubs so surprised to see me ?
Anyway, misunderstandings and heart attacks over, I was in.
It’s a gem.
Not just because it looks like you’re drinking in yer Gran’s, but because your Gran is standing there next to you chatting about the heatwave/drought/impending snow.
A real local for people who just want a drink rather than posh food (nothing wrong with posh food in a restaurant).
Some local beers I’d never heard of (no doubt Richard has), but I went for Belhaven, the macro choice.
I’m not suggesting there’s a Northumbrian micro cartel, but these beers cost £2.80 a pint as well, which I’d suggest disproves the myth that cask has to cost £4.27 to preserve the future of real ale. Anyway, a few pennies in Greene King’s coffers for this excellent 80/ (NBSS 3.5).
“Is it something we said ?” said my new drinking buddies as I shot off.
No, I just wanted to catch the chip van before it headed back to Newbiggin-by-the Sea.
retiredmartin 
After the Peacock and Prudhoe this is the third consecutive pub you have blogged about that I still need (and there’s only 33 in total). If your next report is from Guernsey I will be increasingly suspicious.
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It’s a conspiracy,I tell you !
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“so I walked to the sewage works and back”
Good idea. Was that to mask your ‘southerner’ smell? 😉
“as I stood in the middle of what was clearly a café.”
And when you go round the corner the artisan bakery becomes a coffee shop called The Cheviot. Confusing indeed.
“Why are so many pubs so surprised to see me ?”
Could have something to do with the walk to the sewage works this time?
“It’s a gem.”
Agreed. The rock walls reminds me of one near The Trip as well as one in Kent that Paul wrote about, if I remember correctly.
“Some local beers I’d never heard of (no doubt Richard has)”
That Run Hop Run looks familiar from another blog.
“No, I just wanted to catch the chip van before it headed back to Newbiggin-by-the Sea.”
Probably the best place to get more fish to go with the chips. 🙂
Cheers
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If you think I can remember a beer between one pub and the next you’ve been watching too much “39 Steps”.
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Soon it’s going to be a craft beer blog.
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Written while wearing a Peaky Blinders cap.
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Are micros allowed to sell Greene King beers?
Was the mobile chip shop pulled behind a mobility scooter?
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I’ll consult the list of Herne approved micros to see if the Foxes Den is on it. I think it has a bit too much character though.
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“Not just because it looks like you’re drinking in yer Gran’s, but because your Gran is standing there next to you chatting” –Such a great line! Makes me want to be there, right now. 🙂
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Me too. Older people (these were late 60s up) give pubs a real character (will probably find out they’re 43 now).
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Me too. Older people (these were late 60s up) give pubs a real character (will probably find out they’re 43 now)
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I can smell it now. The presence of the free standing radiator confirms what I am sensing: damp, old, fusty, cellar smell. There’s very few of them clear places (whatever they are selling) that work.
It wouldn’t mater whether I was familiar with any of the other beers or not, I would automatically go for them before choosing the Bellhaven which is invariably poor, no matter how many shillings they use. Although the majority of beers up there are golden ales, they are much preferable to the old Scottish style x/- Shilling ales. Nothing wrong with them, it’s just the style and years of having a poor choice of keg only beers like this in Northumbria has put me off for life.
Keep going and you will find a pub with a fresh cask of ‘Workie Ticket’ on the bar.
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All is well with the world, Mr Coldwell has bashed Big Beer factory Beer again !
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