
Back on 2 December I proudly showed you my pinking prowess.

Of course, ONE of you had to rain on my (pink) parade.

Ed, how could you ? Of course I’ve done the Ship. It’s been in the Guide for centuries.

Oh. Well, thanks a lot for pointing out my duff cross-checking, Ed. And to think I’ve been mocking Duncan’s record-keeping. We should get Ed to carry out steward’s enquiries on contentious ticks like Askett.
Anyway, nothing beats a trip out to The Naze, named after an Illinois rapper who got lost looking for the famed Jaywick in 2004.

Kirby-le-Soken is smaller than my own village, but has now had twice as many GBG entries.
The Red Lion seems to be taking its demotion in its stride, though it’s not clear if the stocks are being readied for Tendring CAMRA* or BRAPA. I counted a dozen people dressed to the nines standing outside, either headed for Clacton Races or an informal funeral.

There’s some charming houses in the village, though it’s really just a main road through to Walton with a couple of pubs and a church.

The Ship is pastel, a bit off-puttingly so if I’m honest.

And a sense of unreality continues inside.



And it all looks a bit gastro. But at the bar I find those surefire signs of Proper Pub. Hi-Vis and bobble hat.


Two great lads, too. Full of questions.
“What’s your name ?”
I like that. Particularly in a village pub at 11.06 am.

I was a bit scared of the beer and cider board.


And I unwisely chose the Adnams Bitter. Not because it wasn’t good (NBSS 3+), but because it was served in THAT glass. I even asked for a straight glass, forgetting that it technically IS a straight glass.

A Proper Pub, open all day from 11am, note. One more reason to love the Essex coast.
Anyway, here it is again.

*Joking, joking
I thought that color was one of your new filters.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s just TOO weird.
LikeLike
Yay.
A quarter to seven.After six pints.
That’s a lie-in for me these days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You will have to have your spreadsheet audited now that pub ticking is a fully verified sport…
…suspect the guys in the pub asking your name were independent verifiers in disguise…
There is no doubt that this post will be the start of 2019 trends for:
> conical micropubs
> oar door handles
> photos that are uncaptionable (though if anyone can do it, Russ can…)
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was worried the beer might be oarful
LikeLiked by 2 people
Groan.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m sure that oar is easily ripped off the door to repel any attempted BRAPA infiltration – they were really trying to find out if your name was Simon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s no visible bobble on that hat.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Invisible bobbles are all the rage in coastal Essex.
LikeLike
If it has no (or an invisible) bobble, does that mean it’s a beanie hat…
…I’m no expert…
😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah the perils of record keeping. I never did them on spreadsheets so each county has a word document. London is worst because it’s not even sub-divided into areas (the Guide didn’t used to do that either). Now I can’t face the prospect of transferring over 17,000 pubs onto a spreadsheet. Haven’t done the Red Lion yet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
London subdivisions are probably the hardest. In theory the use of postcodes should help, but they moved some of the W1 etc places from West to Central a few years ago (or was it other way round) and that Battersea v Clapham v Wandsworth border always confuses.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Despite being fully adopted in 1974, postcodes were not used in the Good Beer Guide till 2004 due to profound philosophical objections presumably. A consequence of this is I never recorded any postcodes. A lesson for all the young tickers out there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Profound.
I was thinking of the classification within London by postcode – WC1, N1 etc that give such fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah I know. That’s what we’re up against. And the sad thing is people simply don’t realise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So how about a motion in Aberdeen next April that GBG listings are solely on the basis of postcodes ?
Then much of mid Wales across to Aberystwyth on the Cambrian Coast will more sensibly be listed under Shrewsbury.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I actually like those Adnam’s glasses, far preferable to a nonic. With you on the dimpled jugs mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Boo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well Paul, I can’t help you with your affliction, but a week in Southwold in February might cure you.
LikeLike
This lunchtime I went to a pub two miles away that’s reopened with a new name and it had four cask beers on.
I had had enough of the Sharps beers when in Cornwall recently and opted for the Spitfire rather than the Ghost Ship so that I would get a normal glass.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I feel similarly about Sharp’s. I’ll be down there for Christmas. But in St. Austell, so looking more promising.
LikeLike
Damn these operating system upgrades!
That was me, Paul.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Doesn’t look real, does it ?”
It’s affected by that weird light owing to the clouds.
“Why ?”
Do you push or turn? sheesh
“Future micro pub”
And you have to be less than two inches tall in order to have a pint?
“And wellington boots”
LOL. I typed that in reply to the sentence prior and then had to erase it. 🙂
“Enter a caption”
Does humming ‘Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking, into the future’ count?
(yes, I know that’s wrong)
“Anyway, here it is again.”
And to save you further embarrassment, I won’t make fun of any of the names on there. 🙂
Cheers
LikeLiked by 1 person