I’m driving BRAPA round the hard-to-reach pubs of the Cambridgeshire Fens on Saturday; “Whittlesey, little to see” is my suggested blog title.
I’ll probably leave Si to his own devices this time, rather than distracting him from pub hubbub by pointing out how difficult West Oxon ticking is going to be. I can always count the fried chicken shops in Wisbech while he’s counting the number of fingers on the locals.
Pubbing on your own is nearly always best, as it allows you to explore the town in the rain before the pub. Sadly, Mrs RM had sprinted into The Station before I could convince her it was worth catching a cold to see the Spot On Snooker Centre. I’ll be back in Hucknall for the new micros soon enough.
Lincoln Green (brewery virtually next door), aided by Everards and in this case Star, have done a wonderful job of restoring neglected some Victorian Notts gems to life (see: Arnold).
The Station is classy*, like an upmarket Castle Rock in the lounge. The public bar is less frilly but Mrs RM didn’t get that far.
My only concern comes at the bar, with ten handpumps and as many keg taps behind the bar. How to choose for Mrs RM ? Pick the one named after our favourite Grantchester Tory author, I guess.
As if their own beers weren’t enough (and they’re good), they’ve got Hobgoblin as a guest. Why would you do that ? Plenty of beer drinkers, mind, as there always are in Notts.
The Lincoln Green website (which has all the information you need, apart from opening hours) tells us of their Arnold flagship ” boasts some 20 handpulls“. Can there be anyone who needs that much choice ?
Anyway, a proper community teatime feel, and Mrs RM said the Archer was lovely. It always is when someone else is driving.
*They were playing a calypso version of “Sexual Healing”. What more need be said ?
retiredmartin 
Lovin the cheese skittles game. The pub looks decent in that sort of mish mash that is a neither summat nor nothing sort of style that a lot of pubs have drifted into. Almost as if they’ve tried to make a bar out of a proper pub if you see what I mean.
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I do. If you went in the lounge you might be a bit “meh” even though more folk were drinking than eating, but the bar and skittles room make it a good Midlands allrounder.
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Yes, not sure about the electricity-burning stove.
You’ll tell me it’s real now, but “Dimplex” is maybe supporting evidence.
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But what would your feelings have been if they had Bass as a guest?
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Given I was driving, I would have cursed them even unto the End of Time.
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A calypso version of “Sexual Healing”?
I await the skiffle one, of “Bird On A Wire”.
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Coming up in Dorking.
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I’m glad to see you resisted the temptation to take the Mick out of Hucknall for an easy headline …
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He’s a United fan, stay well clear…
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Is the calypso version better??
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The punk version is best.
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Actually I think that would work!!! Dead Kennedys version I reckon
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That’s my old skittles table, rescued from the closed British Legion Club in Hillmorton, Rugby, and in the Station because the Lincoln Green Brewery owner is ex-pat Northants and played it with his dad back in the day. Good to see it’s still in good nick, all that polishing wasn’t wasted effort…
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There you go ! Wonders of the internet.
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Fantastic tale Mark!
I’ll be claiming several umbrellas maybe, but I’ve not donated much else to pubs.
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“Nice sign hanging up indoors”
Hmmm. A sign indoors of a train outdoors.
“Note pub games behind the Chesterfields”
Handy that.
“The slightly upmarket bar preferred by Mrs RM”
Was it the carpet that convinced her?
“Pick the one named after our favourite Grantchester Tory author, I guess.”
Tabatha? 😉
“and Mrs RM said the Archer was lovely.”
Ah. Sir Jeffrey. Didn’t see that pump in the first photo. 🙂
“It always is when someone else is driving.”
Sigh, indeed.
Cheers
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