Have you noticed how I’m only seen as a shadow approaching my prey in these photos. Oooh, spooky.
Onward to Northampton, where Mrs RM is doing a fine job of funding my beer trips, and without the extravagance young Simon is displaying. Slumming it in a Doubletree indeed !
The exciting walk from (A) to (C) took in Abington Park, quietly wonderful with its expanse of greenery and little aviary,
and the home of one of three clubs never to win the County Championship.
My new GBG tick is frankly irritating, given I spent a whole day here in May and there was NOTHING on the local news to alert me to the impending GBG debut of Kingsley Park Working Men’s Club*.
You approach it down one of Northampton’s many attractive little terraces, full of Autumn colour and fading Phipps signs.
“Aren’t Social Clubs in the Beer Guide great !” said no-one ever.
Like micros, you can guess what this one look likes. A recent refub had turned it into a mirror image of Stalybridge Labour Club. Or was it Maidenhead Conservatives ? Or Wargrave Snooker Club ? Who can tell.
I bet you didn’t expect seven hand pumps though.
A thrilling collection for the BBB fan. But what to choose ?
“Which one goes quickest here, mate” I asked F1 jacket man.
An immediate nod to the Tetley pump, and my heart jumped for joy. And not just because it was only £2.55 a pint, either.
I found a seat close enough to the members to not seem distant, but not so close it appeared I was eavesdropping on their conversations about noisy neighbours.
We had more friendly Northampton folk. We had “Like A Prayer” (not the 12“) and other ’89 highlights. We had a more mixed crowd than you’d expect, younger tradesmen dropping in on Old Boys playing cards. A dozen drinkers in at 3pm on a Tuesday is good trade.
I had a decent pint of Tets, was cool and smooth, but just lacking the creamy head that I think a Leeds Brewery brew might give it.
Being charitable, an NBSS 3+ pint for £2.55 is a winner. Less charitable folk might suggest a reward for effort. After all, we all want a choice of at least seven. Don’t we ?
*Don’t argue about the apostrophe with me.
retiredmartin 
Posts appearing as quickly as I can read!
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In the words of the Man Booker Jury, “Read Harder”. Or summat. I’ve started reading the first and last lines of BRAPA’s posts.
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Previous carpet shot remains untrumped, Martin, but fair effort.
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Gloucestershire?
Somerset?
But didn’t the former win the forerunner of the CC in W G Grace’s day?
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Were you there Fred ? Gloucs were, indeed, “Champion County” rather than “County Champions” under WG.
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Poor Zummerzet, bridesmaids five times this century.
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They need to find a way to doctor pitches when they play away as well. Bit like Yeovil really needed to take their slope away with them.
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The Scillonian Club is interesting as, with an island population of 1,723, it functions as a combined Labour Club, Conservative Club and Snooker Club.
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Seven pumps! Hard to believe they can make that work at a private club, but perhaps it was all in a bid to get into the GBG. 😉 Love the title you came up for this one.
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Rhymin’ Simon has the tunes, so I need to be creative ! You do know what Northampton is famous for, I presume ?
I did wonder if the Club was making a concerted effort to get in the Guide, but the seven beers on weren’t really what most CAMRA branches call exciting or local, even though I like them !
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I’ve had Tetley’s in Fagans and that’s no Tetley’s (even the Burton one). Cue Richard with list of Leeds boozers serving the best proper Leeds Tetley’s .
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It will be a very short list. I had one of those “Tetley” remakes made by Leeds Brewery recently (not the Bitter) and it was spot-on, very creamy. I guess the Tets I had was the Wolverhampton model. Confused ?
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Yes I had the Tetley Pale in NYorks in
the summer. Not particularly impressed, seemed quite thin to me.
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