LEEDS VOL III – FROM CAMDEN TO WHITELOCKS

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We could have stayed in the Templar all night, but a crawl’s a crawl.

Here’s that map again. Next stop, Whitelocks (E).  Even people in London have heard of Whitelocks, surely ?

leeds

We cut through the Victorian arcade, Paul Mudge charging ahead at the front.  He’s quicker than our tour guide in Singapore 20 years ago.

But on the way through the arcade, in the midst of Louis Vuitton and Baylis & Harding, we spotted BEER.

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BEER

Well, Camden, anyway.

And they were giving it away free, on a whirlwind tour around the bits of the country that aren’t London (i.e. the real bits).

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Men (in Shorts) Without Shame

But that’s not why I’m telling you it was the beer of the day. It was the beer of the day because it was cold and fizzy. And 8%, which may have coloured my judgement. And for the benefit of those of you who hate Camden now, just remember…

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Not THAT Bury !

Paul sat on the bench and on his rosary recited from the CAMRA book of common prayer against Evil Keg.  Sorry for keeping you waiting Paul.

More craft breweries should give away strong beer to well-oiled Pub Men if you ask me. It might get the vote above 75% next time out.

We made Whitelocks by nightfall.  In the absence of CCTV you’ll have to guess what Dick is saying here.

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“Which alley is the Sam Smiths one down”

Those nice Yorkies had left a big outside table for us, even if it does seem to be sloping.

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Optical illusion

Everyone knows Whitelocks, it’s the Betty’s of pub.  There’s even a “Wait to be seated” sign. Still a Proper Pub, despite that, with folk of all ages and varieties inside and out.

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YOU wait

An array of beers you’ve never heard of; they must save the Theakston for the regulars.

The bloke in front had the Magic Rock (on the left),even though it was a fiver for some unfathomable reason.  So I did too.

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Always go for the most expensive one

It was the best cask of the day (and so it should be for a fiver).

But never mind that.  My notes say;

“Kate fox watching the enf”

What can it mean ? And why can’t my notes be as neat as Richard’s notes ?

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Historical document

This was the cue for me to nip back to my Ibis Budget and pick up a huge bag of CAMRA magazines for Dave, who reads them  before bedtime.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

22 thoughts on “LEEDS VOL III – FROM CAMDEN TO WHITELOCKS”

  2. If I’m “quicker than our tour guide in Singapore 20 years ago” you should have seen me before my knees were plagued by chronic osteoarthritis.
    I’m not sure if “Keg beer, they can’t give it away” is in your “CAMRA book of common prayer against Evil Keg” but there were more people paying £5 a pint in Whitelocks than having Camden’s 8%er for free.
    Those “Bathams in an enamel jar …….” notes look like Richard’s handwriting.

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  3. Ah ,happy memories of Whitelocks Xmas 1974, lunchtime involving a young gentleman I was pursuing at the time -we didn’t make it back to work & at the time I didn’t even think that was wrong -it was Christmas after all ! He turned out to be gay but was making an effort for me I think.

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  5. And after my second round of CAMRA magazines, I still believe they are really well done. Pretty amazing when you think it is all volunteer work.

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  6. The more I look at that map, the more I realise how inaccurate it is! Mind you, my camouflage doesn’t seem to work that well neither. Nor my handwriting, which Paul has only partly deciphered!

    I thought that Camden 8% beer was excellent, especially when it was free.

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  7. “Men (in Shorts) Without Shame”

    Slightly off topic but have you ever noticed how men wearing sneakers will wear socks whilst women will quite happily go without. In defense of this I will note:

    a) last year in the summer standing in line at the liquor store to pay for my beer I noticed a half dozen men and women stroll by outside; all of the men wore socks while only 2 of the women did, and;

    b) I did our laundry a few days ago. My wife had two pairs of socks in the wash compared to my half dozen. 🙂

    “Those nice Yorkies had left a big outside table for us, ”

    I’m constantly amazed at how, when in a group, you always manage to snag a table (even without Mrs RM there!). 🙂

    “with folk of all ages and varieties inside and out.”

    I’m assuming that means some folk may look 60 plus but on the inside act like they’re 20? 😉

    “What can it mean ?”

    If you had been typing it I’d say you hit the ‘f’ instead of the ‘g’ and were referring to her book ‘Watching the English’. 🙂

    And your last photo is not too shabby.

    Cheers

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  8. My notes say; “Kate fox watching the enf” What can it mean ? ”

    I thought you would be using your notes app on your smart phone…it helps you blend in with other people texting on their phones in the pub….and…..it’s the only way to get accurate understandable notes every time;

    Here’s the proof – my phone notes from my Windsor Castle visit:

    “Windsor Castle
    Music
    More than a feeling
    Since you’ve been gone

    Helsea cant sell it Doombar off can’t sell it
    goes off
    Only one lager too
    Quick pub
    East coast ups cool fruity good
    when i said i was on a pub crawl
    Two”

    Of course you get the added benefit of predictive text….

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  9. Ahhh – sorry – misunderstood – it must have been the reference to Richard’s notebook that confused me.

    The Windsor Castle notes are a demonstration of 1st pub syndrome – so not much hope for me…!

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