The train from Wareham into Poole, across Lytchett and Hole Bays is a delight, as I was to reflect a day later on the bus ride from hell on the Isle of Wight. Less blog material, though.
In contrast, the walk from Poole Station to the marvellous Quay is what kidz would call “a bit daggy“, though at least it’s pedestrianised.
North American readers may be confused to learn that Poole has lost its McDonalds, but gained a Taco Bell, one of a mere handful in the UK.
Suddenly remembering at 5pm I hadn’t eaten since Eastleigh, I decided to test how Taco Bell had changed since my last visit, in Anaheim in 1988.
Don’t bother.
I should have made for Bennetts pies. Looks a bit dead though.
The Swan remains very dead, awaiting conversion into something useful like a Brew Dog or Dunkin Donuts.
There’s a faded charm to the High Street, and the LP covers in the vinyl shop are a joy.
Can you name them all ?
It’s easy to forget the musical heritage of the area, just as I have already.
It’s very quiet around the Quay. Give it a few days and they’ll be hordes of families queuing for chips and admiring the view, just as Baden-Powell (I guess ?) is doing here.
Last August I stood on this spot and admired the fish restaurant aka Poole Arms, never dreaming it would be in the Guide a month later. For context, it’s keeping the Brewhouse & Kitchen and that new “craft bar” out of the GBG.
Two Old Boys at the bar, two couples on the sea food, one of them discussing their mother’s cooking in a way that ought to have attracted a clipped ear from his Dad.
The food trade didn’t dominate, and I really should have had the squid here rather than the Tacky Bell.
Decent cool beer from DBC (NBSS 3), and a civilised place for a pint. Almost Winchester in atmosphere (not the one in Shaun of the Dead).
Simon missed out on the outside Gents; his loss.
Oddly, no curtains were twitching as I headed back to the station. A real rarity.
retiredmartin 
Apart from the deliberate use of ” kidz ” and the probably less deliberate use of ” they’ll ” I hereby challenge Russ to find the other glaring spelling error.
He’s good but is he THAT good ?
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Older readers should remember young Martin’s classic Hill Double Bluff.
And not be led down a dark alley.
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I think he might be doing it again with ‘The Isle of Wight Bluff’…?
Perhaps he’s got his islands confused and means the Isle of Purbeck, but then again perhaps he really has found the lost island…. 😉
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If it’s Holes Bay, I don’t usually take the time to look up geographical spellings. 😉
Also, I’m absolving myself of noticing such things for the next few days as I’m preoccupied with the birth of our first every grandchild yesterday. 🙂
(a son, of course, to carry on the Smith name)
Cheers
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You will be wetting his head, I take it, Russ – though maybe not à la Professor.
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Congratulations Russ !!!!
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Yes,indeed,congratulations old boy – as it’s a special day I’ll forgive you the every.
By the way the mistake wasn’t young Martin’s but that of the sign writer – Moules Marinieres ?
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Or mariniere.
But deffo not marinier.
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“Yes,indeed,congratulations old boy – as it’s a special day I’ll forgive you the every.”
Thanks (all).
“By the way the mistake wasn’t young Martin’s but that of the sign writer – Moules Marinieres ?”
Crikey. Even on my best days I doubt I would have caught that (blush). 🙂
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The Poole Arms is certainly a fine looking pub and on my tour of the town last Summer it was easily one of the best.
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North American readers may no longer be confused in central Wales as the Poole there has been renamed Welshpool.
Has P P-T not spotted the Roxy Music ?
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Totally different to when I visited in high summer, you couldn’t get near the door, let alone the bar so we walked on by …
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On my occasional visits to RNLI HQ the Poole Arms is my usual haunt. They’re more than happy with non-dining punters and the beer’s good.
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“Poole has lost its McDonalds, but gained a Taco Bell, ”
I would call that a wash… or going a bit down scale. 😉
“Don’t bother.”
Yep. Never go near them in Canada either.
“Hopefully early closing”
Early closing? Maybe that means it’s turning into a micro?
“into something useful like a Brew Dog or Dunkin Donuts.”
Surely a Wimpy’s or a Pret a Manger would be better?
“Can you name them all ?”
No. But I recognise the King Crimson cover top right, and I’ve always loved that Roxy Music cover beside it. 🙂
(it’s even better the way the Crimson cover seems to be looking at the Roxy one) 😉
“Rather pleased with this shot”
Agreed. Though Baden’s looking a bit spindly in the leg department.
“Certainly gorgeous”
It’s the green tiling. 🙂
“Note lacings forming shape of dinosaur”
Definitely looks like the head of a T-Rex.
“(not the one in Shaun of the Dead)”
(slow golf clap)
“Simon missed out on the outside Gents; his loss.”
I thought he visited the Gents at every pub he visits? 😉
Cheers
And what with it being a long weekend here, plus the fact I couldn’t go out of town today due to yet more bloody snow, I feel confident that I can catch up on missed posts.
Mind you, that depends on how many photos we get of our first ever grandchild*, born yesterday!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/rC1pXdveoHpJoRuT8
* – a boy, of course, to carry on the Smith name. 🙂
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We had money on you recognising the Roxy Music 😉
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“We had money on you recognising the Roxy Music 😉”
LoL 😂
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Looks a top fella 👍
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Good to see Hot Rats and In the Court of the Crimson King there. I was going to say Beggar’s Banquet for the Stones, but could it be Let it Bleed, instead?
Some fine tile-work on the rather forlorn looking Swan, but the tiles are rather OTT on the Poole Arms.
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Let it Bleed, def.
The Swan has been like that for at least 3 years 😞
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When we were kids we used to call it “Taco Hell.”
Wow, if that Swan Inn doesn’t reopen as a pub (or at least a restaurant) it’ll be a real shame. That exterior is exceptional.
Oh but I did laugh out loud at the “Wot no chitterlings”!
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Best looking open pub this year and best looking closed pub (Swan) this year….
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I’ll see the Poole Taco Bell and raise you Stenhousemuir’s Tim Horton….
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Well, that’s made my mind up over a stopover on the way to Dundee next month. Love the Timbits.
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My Canadian experiences were that it was like failing to drink burnt tar.
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Exactly. Just as I liked it. The Indian filter coffee in Aberdeen curry house was great this week, sane reasons.
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