I was a bit conflicted on which photo to lead with today. BRAPA’s camouflage shirt that helps him hide from irate microbrewery owners,
or this one;
Face it, how often do you get the award-winning, flame-resistant Ullage, Quality Street and a Tardis* in the same shot ?
Quite simply, the Duke’s Head in Woodford is blogtastic, and the best possible start to Si’s Northamptonshire collection.
Navigating to Woodford means fighting the urge to take the A6116 to Corrr-by, or to explore the many takeaways of Thrapston.
Simon, as you know, takes his cheese dippers and sausage rolls into pubs to see who’ll tell him off. I clocked the attractive chippy round the corner from the Dukes, and made a note to nip back while Si completed his 27.5 minute stay.
It’d been a decade since I ticked the Duke. Actually, I visited the Duke’s Arms back in 2008. Some obsessives would claim a Guide revisit is necessary when the name changes or the windows are cleaned but not me.
The iconic Mann’s sign pops up a lot in Northants, and is usually a sign of a Proper Pub and none of that exciting beer nonsense.
This time I popped in with Si, drawn by bright lights and blue Police boxes.
Half a dozen locals parked at the bar, some children parked at the tables; Si gave them a look straight out of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Barflies, children, more handpumps than customers;
Seems like pub hell, but it was a bit of a “Wow” moment for me, being (on the surface) a superficial type and loving jokey stuff written on spoons.
The locals were cheery, and made way for Si to see the beers, which pleasingly all have pump clips you’d recognise from space (well, Kettering).
While he enjoyed his pint of JHB I did my usual “nosey about a pub” routine, which no-one seemed surprised at.
Discos and glitter balls,
Si had made himself at home, jacket off, marker out, got his full frown on.
It all felt like a great village pub for all-comers, with unpretentious lunch menu including Northants classics like meatloaf and Dog’s Dinner (“as seen on TV”), the “Stray Cat Strut” and some pleasingly naff tunes on the stereo,
Which reminded me I needed chips.
First, the Gents. They’re remarkable.
And then I spotted the Christmas Corner. How can you not love a pub with a Christmas Corner all year round ?
The micro chippy had inexplicably closed at 1.30pm, so I survived on a 99p lamb samosa while Si ate cheese dippers in the car, and we drove into the Northants wilderness.
*NB Here’s a Tardis outside the Crown & Anchor in New Orleans sent in by reader Mark.
retiredmartin 
George Osborne’s resemblance to the Child Catcher was perhaps not his greatest asset.
Nice read, thanks, Martin.
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I forgot to say, so it’s not only in Yorkshire that the chippies close at mealtimes, then?
That is, from 1315 to 1530, then from 1745 to 2000.
Interesting.
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I really like the idea of a pub where you order a pickled egg, they give you a spoon and sometime later deliver said egg to your table. All it missed was a notice saying, all our eggs are freshly picked from the jar.
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A pickled egg is properly served on a bag of cheese and onion crisps split open . Ready salted will do at a push.
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Or really exotic with a bag of scratchings.
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Nothing is ever served “with” anything any more. It is always “atop”, it would appear.
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“atop” or, if it’s a ‘fine dining’ venue “on a bed of ……….”
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First Xmas corner of the year? 😉
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I chuckled at the Martin Fry reference! I do keep hoping that you and Simon will get recognized in one of these pubs by an adoring fan. “Wait, aren’t you BRAPA? And you! You’re RetiredMartin! Hold on, I’ll just get my autograph book…”
By a funny coincidence the British-style pub I went to in New Orleans, The Crown & Anchor, had a Tardis as its entryway. Hopefully this link will allow you to see a pic of it: https://www.neworleansonline.com/images/slideshows/listings/3280/05.jpg
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Link worked fine for me Mark. 🙂
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I’ve stuck that photo on the end of the blog !
NB I do hope, for both our sakes, we’re never recognised. They can recognise Duncan from his knees.
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“BRAPA’s camouflage shirt that helps him hide from irate microbrewery owners,”
A man of many sides. Obviously this is his 180 to his garish orange ensemble. 🙂
“Spot the pashmina”
Is the silly Berk(shire) gal on the bottom right of the Ullage wearing one?
“and a Tardis in the same shot ?”
Crikey. Completely missed that (blush).*
* – in my defense I was busy looking for the pashy thingy.
“the Duke’s Head in Woodford is blogtastic,”
Er, I think your knowledge of body parts is sorely lacking. Surely it’s the Duke’s Arms and not his Head? 😉
“Si with famous rucksack containing sweets for children”
Getting ready for Halloween was he?
“Si had made himself at home, jacket off, marker out, got his full frown on.”
Good thing you didn’t mistype ‘jacket’ with a ‘d’ at the end! 🙂
“the “Stray Cat Strut””
Good lord! Haven’t heard that in ages!
“How can you not love a pub with a Christmas Corner all year round ?”
Hang on. I thought you hated all things Christmas?
“and we drove into the Northants wilderness.”
Isn’t all of Northants wilderness? 🙂
Cheers
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Spot on with the pashmina.
And I love Christmas. Just not at Christmas.
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Any pub, or indeed building or outdoor area, with a Christmas corner should be burnt down with immediate effect. I don’t care what time of year it is. Burn them.
The child catcher should be made education secretary,
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