These Welsh posts write themselves, don’t they ?
Back to Saturday afternoon.
The bus timetables not being co-ordinated to meet the needs or pub tickers, I had 40 minutes to explore Newport indoor market before setting off for Caerleon.
It’s quaint, but a bit lacking in the cheese department.
A bit like Caerleon.
Actually, plenty of artisan cheese in posho Caerleon, and a bit surprising to see a Proper Pub in the Guide, perhaps making up for the Red Lion that closed before it debuted in 2016.
Pool tables, tiled floors, live music from bands with naff names, bench seating of a sort and tables laid out with dragon sausage rolls ahead of a big Christmas party.
A public house in the truest sense. Of course, a house needs people. Here we had two Old Boys on 1664.
It’s not Cardiff.
The barman asked me what I wanted before I reached the bar. Luckily I knew they had Abbot. Unluckily it was average at best.
A pub needs custom, whether in mid-January or a Saturday in December. It seems you need a bit more than a 2nd round provincial snooker tournament to drag people out of the rain.
The bus stop had one of those tiny covers that makes you wetter than if you stood outside.
On the journey back I had the pleasure of a message from my sister, hunkered down in a warm Brew Dog in Bristol with an 11.5% barley wine.
But who had the tick ? Huh ?
retiredmartin 
An empty pub with a long live the local Beermat…oh the irony! You are right snooker is always on in pubs who don’t have sky sports
LikeLiked by 1 person
“These Welsh posts write themselves, don’t they ?” And here I had sensed a new enthusiasm in your writing. I was thinking a new energy as you moved further out from London.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ley lines.
LikeLiked by 2 people
“These Welsh posts write themselves, don’t they ?”
Just missed free beer, eh? Hmmm. You’re either a year too early or five years too late*. 😉
* (nearest dates where Oct 4th fell on a Friday)
“No students to run me over this time”
Is that some sort of striptease place behind it?
“and tables laid out with dragon sausage rolls”
What the bloody hell is a dragon sausage roll?
“Oh no. Festive beers.”
I would have gone for the Old Rosie (Rose being my wife’s name). 🙂
“Shameful Rosie Nosie ripoff”
My wife looks nothing like that.
“But who had the tick ? Huh ?”
And saved a few quid to boot!
Cheers
LikeLiked by 1 person
A sausage roll made of dragon meat. Tastes like elk.
LikeLike
Leeds is the place for free beer if I remember correctly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“the Red Lion that closed before it debuted in 2016.” –You mean a pub got into the 2016 GBG, but then closed its doors just before that edition was published? Tragic on so many levels!
LikeLike
Actually it was ’17 when Red Lion closed before the Guide came out; I always think things happen more years ago than they actually did ! See here: https://retiredmartin.com/2017/09/19/run-over-by-students-in-caerleon/
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve just noticed the price of one of those beers “ 1/3 £4.85 , GWRL £17.05 “
That must be £14.55 a pint. If ‘GWRL’ isn’t anything to do with railways it might be a Growler which has quite a different meaning where I live and £17.05 might be good value but probably isn’t.
LikeLike
The Red Lion did re-open in the Guide year (I went back) but was closing again so not sure of current status. Annoyingly I looked in the windows of the new one but didn’t go in. Was driving so being cautious. Instead we went for a curry at Cardiff’s Purple Poppadom- one of the best I have ever had from a Good Curry Guide listed entry.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I remember Purple Poppadom from the mid-90s, glad to hear it’s as good as ever. Oddly NOT visited by Hector Curryheute !
LikeLiked by 1 person
When in Cardiff do you get to the Golden Cross, the top pub in that city for some of us ?
– that’s those of us with an interest in historic pub interiors.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Been before, may revisit on Jan 18th when back in city.
LikeLike
But real ale only at weekends early last year.
LikeLike