retiredmartin

I only gave you that Dover post as Matthew wanted to see my gig photos, and even he’s complaining about my lack of chronology.

So back to last Sunday, and a swift return to the Luton suburbs.  If I’d received my Privilege copy of the Guide in Privilege time I could have knocked these off in August while I was waiting for the 13.20  from Katowice.  Grrrr.

It’s always a joy to see which hitherto unvisited parts of the UK will soon be nervously preparing for a visit from Duncan/Si/myself, putting up false road signs like in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

For the benefit of anyone contemplating flying in to Luton Airport (oo-ee-oo) to tick off the newbies, here’s an easy to follow 2:34 hrs walking route. There shouldn’t be too many electrified fences to climb.

Actually, Mangrove Green and Darley Hall are just over the border in Hertfordshire,  despite being a mere Lorraine Chase drop kick away from the runway.

And despite once living down the road in Hitchin, seemingly visiting all the pubs in search of drinkable McMullens AK, I’d never heard of the King William at Mangrove Green, which I started to think was probably listed under Cockernhoe, or Luton, or Standish (in the 1999 Guide).

I bet the residents write “Chilterns” on their SAEs.

But Mangrove Green seems pretty pleased with itself, commissioning a nondescript sign and hiding its pub down a dead end.

You never quite know what to expect in village pubs on Sunday, that’s the joy of them.

This is clearly the “community” pub,  with Sunday lunch just winding down. I held the door open for about 37 children to rush past , which seemed to make me appear less of a child-murderer than usual.  They were playing “Connection” by Elastica when I finally got in, which dates the pub to 1994 in musical terms.

Old beams, high tables, bar blockers.

I couldn’t get to the bar to see all the handpumps, but I could guess they had Doom Bar on.  You can always tell.

Loads of little corners to enjoy here. I found a high table, as all the proper seating was reserved for diners, and enjoyed the buzz of Luton life as folk stood around with pints of lager discussing Sunday league football.

Donkey jacket man had scored 35 goals in a season, apparently.

“It were that long ago it was in black and white“.  How I laughed.

A Proper Pub in my book, despite high tables and average beer (NBSS 3), clearly benefitting from new management.

“Thank you for embracing our vision” said the blurb on the menu.

The toilets are unexceptional apart from the sadomasochist equipment below.

Sadly, I couldn’t stay for the meat raffle.