LET’S ALL MEET UP AT THE POST 2,000

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Yes, WordPress just reminded me this will be my 2,000th post. It’ll be 2,500 once I’ve written up BRAPA’s visit to the Angel in Ramsey.

As you know I’m a big advocate of tradition, and tradition dictates a landmark post is exciting, topical and memorable. Luckily, the Tyler’s Kiln a mile north of Kent University is none of those.

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Misleading OS extract

I could have walked here in ten minutes when I helped my niece move in to digs at the Uni in 2014; it was half an hour from Canterbury West this time, but obviously uphill both ways.

Frankly, a bit dull compared to the promise of the OS extract; ancient Fordwich is a much better bet for pashmina spotting.

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As exciting as it gets
They can’t even afford real elephants

What we English call a “crisp morning” i.e. ****** freezing.

I walked round the village bounds three times, waiting for the 11am opening, before remembering you’re supposed to see the oast house when in Kent.

Future micro pub

11.01. I marched along the timbered front to the shiny entrance, inevitably moved to the car park side.

Very Kent

A well-dressed man stood between me and the bar, staring in amazement. And a bit of terror.

Holy grail

“Can I help you ?”

“Can you serve me a beer please ”

I had to repeat myself, so shocked was he.

“I’ve only just opened !”

Things improved. He went behind the bar, told me his boss was back soon (obviously thought I was a burglar as no-one drinks at lunchtime in Kent)

Really nice chap, pulled a decent looking half.

Obviously I had the pub to myself for an hour, and could have done something rebellious like read a book.

Pubs are the new libraries

Instead I took a passable half of Master Brew on a world tour, pointing out the shiny sofas, gin promotions and inspirational sayings.

Beer mats, at least

The Master Brew improved a bit in the new conservatory, but that may have been due to the inevitable playing of the Eurythmics in their ’83 pomp.

Sweet Dreams are made of NBSS 2.5/3 beer in pleasant Kent gastropubs awaiting septuagenarian diners.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

31 thoughts on “LET’S ALL MEET UP AT THE POST 2,000”

  1. Congratulations on your 2000th.
    If you weren’t on the Shepherd Neame as it’s Kent I expect you would have had St Austell’s Proper Cracker.

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    2. Seconded.

      In Martin’s first post he exhorts us “not to take them too seriously”.

      I trust that you’re fairly satisfied with us on that point, Martin?

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  3. Congratulations on 2,000 posts, Martin! We are all lucky that undertake all these travels and then are so good at writing about them. Don’t know what I’d do without my RetiredMartin posts to read every evening.

    According to my estimates, this milestone means that since you started writing about your pub visits, you’ve referred to around 37,000 different pop songs. 😉

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    1. I really shouldn’t have mentioned it was No. 2000, BeerMat, it’s not like I mention my birthday (22 Dec) or anything. I just thought it was funny this “landmark” was met by one of the dullest in a long time.

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      3. Yes, that one does look a bit dull. Even so, that fire would have been cosy on a cold day and a drop of Master Brew never goes amiss. Looks to me like a case of “pleasant enough but not worth another visit.”

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  5. Congratulations on this significant milestone, Martin. I don’t know how you do it, as it’s taken me the best part of ten years to reach my 1,000th blog post.

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  6. Congratulations, RM. Slightly over 1.5 posts per day. (Thinks: does he actually do all these pubs himself, or does he sit in his secret underground bunker beneath a fen, stroking a white cat and paying BRAPA to do them all for him?)

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    1. A pink cat, Bill. Stroking a pink cat.

      But yes, most of the ideas ARE nicked off BRAPA. I met him yesterday for our annual renegotiation of royalties. He gets 10% of my South Korean views and I get one of his Russians. Seems fair.

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  8. Congratulations on your ongoing ‘insanity’…lol! I’ve just checked mine and I’ve done a grand total of 286 posts. But I did have another blog where I did 629 posts before I got fed up of the daily grind – that was my Today’s the Day Quiz blog – https://todaysthedayquiz.blogspot.com – remarkably still available. I struggle to do two a month, yet you must do at least two per day!

    I honestly don’t know how you do it and maintain such enthusiasm, but long may it continue! (My own theory is that it is a great example of how ‘Care in the Community’ can work so well…LOL!)

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  10. “Yes, WordPress just reminded me this will be my 2,000th post.”

    Congrats!
    (I’d pour a beer but I’m already drinking one so… cheers!)

    “Luckily, the Tyler’s Kiln a mile north of Kent University is none of those.”

    Traditions have to start somewhere. 😉

    “Misleading OS extract”

    So many to choose from! I’m overloaded and thus will pass. 🙂

    “but obviously uphill both ways.”

    If one goes by LAF’s photos that is entirely believable.

    “What we English call a “crisp morning” i.e. ****** freezing.”

    Stiff upper lip and all that good chap!

    “Future micro pub”

    But only the window in the upper left.

    “I had to repeat myself, so shocked was he.”

    Well, no wonder. In proper grammar it would be ‘may’, not ‘can’. 😉

    “(obviously thought I was a burglar as no-one drinks at lunchtime in Kent)”

    Who the hell burgles in broad daylight?

    “pulled a decent looking half.”

    I hope for your sake that was Harvey’s or Paul (Bailey) will be having words.

    “and could have done something rebellious like read a book.”

    Only one choice; Flashman and the Tiger.

    “Instead I took a passable half of Master Brew”

    Uh oh.

    “The Master Brew improved a bit in the new conservatory, ”

    Crikey. That’s right out of the board game Clue. 🙂

    Cheers!

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      1. I”d reply but:

        a) I’m still embarrassed at my off colour comment above, and

        b) I’m still hoping to have a pint with them someday and don’t want them to still be mad at me for a snide remark. 🙂

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  11. Canterbury. I went through there many years ago and I remember being amazed with the number of real ale pubs. Not so unique these days, but I’m still looking forward to returning.

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  12. Top Blogging. A fine achievement, but what’s the thing with Pashminas? We need to get to the bottom of that one before we start on your addiction to the first half of BBB out the pump at opening time issues. Surely in a Gastropub, and presumably a GBG one at that, the first pulls go into the batter for the beer battered cod or the beef in ale pie (well a stew actually, just with a disc of flaky pastry on top) (N.B. other Brakes gastropub products are available).

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    1. No, Brakes uses the murk that local London railway arch micros can’t give away.
      First pulls in a proper pub are reserved for Martin or me.

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