THEALE OR NO THEALE

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It always pays to keep best buddies with Reading & etc CAMRA; they know where the best Doom Bar-only boozers are.

And they can clearly pick a family-run dining pub for the Beer guide, too.  Here’s one in “Terrific Theale”, as I propose the council rename it (bit like they did with Wootton Bassett).

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Note absence of vulgar signs outside

And what a beautiful location just off the majestic J12 of the M4, only hinted at by the OS.

Theale

Now, I don’t now about you, but the Fox & Hounds looks a way out of Theale to me.*

In fact, I’m amazed the residents of Sheffield Bottom haven’t taken to CAMRA Discourse and sought a judicial review, having been deprived of a namecheck in the GBG.

If it survives to GBG20 they should stick it under “Reading Services“, just to irritate people.

It’s a standard pub-diner, bar the exceptional Wadworths handpumps. How rare and welcome it is to see 6X in the Beer Guide.

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Proper pumps.  And readable pumpclips

“Can I help you ?”  I guess that’s polite but when I hear it I always wonder whether I should be in there after my Borders trauma.

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Foamy 6X.  Still a joy.

The beer was cool and foamy (NBSS 3), the pub smelt nice, and despite the menus there were still a few tables that felt pubby enough.

But Halloween ?  Get in the sea.

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That Ullage gets everywhere

“Mmmmm” is the extent of banter, and I’ve no idea what the context for that was.  Apart from that, a big gong rung to announce meals arriving from the kitchen, and some post-dentistry sympathy between staff, it was a bit quiet.

Now, what odds will you give me that BRAPA gets photographed with his head through the hole ?

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*And you think these post titles are just made up don’t you ?

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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.

18 thoughts on “THEALE OR NO THEALE”

      1. That’s right up there with “I like kale”… the ‘k’ of course is silent, like knife. 🙂

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  2. Ah now I have actually visited this pub Martin.

    Workmates and I decided to drive “somewhere nice” for lunch when working in Reading.

    I fully concur over the description of the location.

    There’s an anecdote too, struggling to escape the hippocampus…

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    1. Wadworths still have a fair few of their own pubs like this one ; perhaps as many as Adnams. Unlike Adnams, their free trade seemed to die up in the early 2000s after the Whitbread estate broke up. You still see 6X occasionally (as we did in Oxford), but I don’t think it’s much loved in the way that Bass or Harveys is. You need to visit the Anchor at High Offley, Mark !

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      1. Yes, indeed.
        Visiting the Anchor at High Offley helps one properly understand what a Proper Pub is.
        I’m not sure if I mentioned that it was in the Anchor that I met my wife nearly twenty-eight years ago.

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  5. “only hinted at by the OS.”

    I don’t know about you but that unnamed road to the east of Brunel Road gets you closer to Arrow Head than Arrow Head Road does.

    And won’t Sheffield be upset to find out its bottom is being held hostage in Theale?

    “I’m amazed the residents of Sheffield Bottom haven’t taken to CAMRA Discourse and sought a judicial review,”

    See my above. They don’t wont Sheffield to know it’s missing its bottom.

    “Proper pumps. And readable pumpclips”

    Love the play on words on the Bis-h-ops tipple. 🙂

    “But Halloween ? Get in the sea.”

    Too right. Shouldn’t they have the Christmas decorations up by now? (LOL)

    “Now, what odds will you give me that BRAPA gets photographed with his head through the hole ?”

    Which hole?* 😉

    * – and which head?**

    Cheers

    ** and with that I shall stop for now. Obvs I need to post earlier in the day, and more often! Been a bit chaotic around here the past week, or so. I’ll try to do better. 🙂

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