retiredmartin

The pub blogging world is all a quiver tonight, as we ponder the eternal question;

How do you top a blog title like this ?-  “Portland Bills, Thrills & Jelly Snakes”

Yes, BRAPA’s team of interns has finally paid off. I’m going to be going through my own collection of Madchester* vinyl tonight for inspiration, but in the meantime it’s back to alliteration.

I wanted to use “All Bucked Up” for a second time, as I celebrate not having to visit dreary gastropubs with Side Pocket on for another year.  But there’s no repetition in this game.

Here’s the map.

I actually had to make two trips to Hanslope, which looks like it’s in the middle of nowhere because it is.

There’s three remarkable things about Hanslope.

Firstly the spire of St James the Great, visible from as far away as Costa Coffee in Newport Pagnell.

Secondly, the lady in the village shop, who said “Sorry” unncecessarily to me three times in thirteen seconds, an all-comers record.

And thirdly, a collection of FOUR Beer Guide entries for 2,238 souls, though the Globe (scene of an infamous recent murder) remains closed.

Pubs apart facilities are a bit spartan, though it does have a Banksy.

The marvellous lady at the bar of The Club even recommended the Watts Arms as a substitute, as my (minor) disappointment at finding the place closed on Friday lunchtime sunk in.

Don’t rely on Facebook, GBG tickers.

She would have poured me a pint, but was cleaning the lines.  “I’ll drink cleaning fluid” I thought. “It can’t be any worse than the Pedigree in Bedford“.

A week later I was back, greeted by the horror (no pun) of Halloween.

Hanslope High Street was deserted; the Club was open, albeit with just three Rugby Union watchers on Saturday afternoon. I walked from deserted games room to the TV room.

Good grief !

So, I got to finish Bucks with Bass.

Result.  Though as I saw just one pint poured (Ghost Ship) as nothing much happened for 20 minutes I wondered if I should have gone for the house Adnams.

It was decent, certainly well-kept (NBSS 3+) and with impressive lacings.

Just not as good as it can be.  Turnover counts for a lot.

Hardly a word was spoken, so engrossed in the oval ball were our locals.

But as I held the door open for a Mum at the door, a dozen tiny Alices and Darrens rushed past me, all screaming.  Perhaps at the newly-annointed “Old Boy“, perhaps at the skeleton.  Who can say ?

Halloweens Kids Discos – propping up rural pubs since 2004.

*Actually, could have used the previous Happy Mondays LP title for that last post.