I was relieved to get back to Pompey; foreign travel is all well and good but I clearly haven’t got the stomach for it.
Back at Southsea Common I stocked up on proper French apples at the lovely greengrocer on Clarence Esplanade, and admired the Queen’s.
Stately Edwardian, looking a bit like a Salford Holt pub, first destination for the booming Pompey tourist trade.
Portsmouth may look rundown in parts, but Southsea seems forever on the rise.
It looks more like Cambridge’s Mill Road by the year, but of course has rather better pub tiling, if not beer.
On Day 3 I sought that ultimate confirmation of Southsea’s status. A vegan cafe.
Why spend £78 on the train to Waterloo when you can have your potato and kale rosti under empowering sack motifs.
Note also a new way of displaying prices using commas, “Chrcoal Latte” dispensing with those troublesome vowels, and the loudest dub version of Pink Floyd you never wanted to hear at 9.30in the morning.
Yes, I loved it.
But it was time for the pub.
retiredmartin 
I was going to go to Portsmouth on my recent visit to the New Forest. Thing was after discussing my disappointing trip to Southampton a local told me that (apart from the historic dockyard) Portsmouth was just like Southampton, only worse. Believe you me, it’s pretty grim down there folks.
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I was in Pompey in March for a couple of days for the first time in about 20 years. It hasn’t half improved. All the formerly rough council housing in Portsea has been really smartened up and Southsea and Old Portsmouth are positively cosmopolitan now. And I even quite enjoyed a wander round Gunwharf Quay despite being allergic to shopping centres. Only the £5 for an average pint in the Fullers eateries was disappointing. A far cry from Southampton.
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I’m only passing on what a local Hampshire bloke told me – last time I went to Portsmouth was over 30 years ago, and then only for a day.
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Ah, thanks for that EP, Cosmopolitan is the word.
Fullers really have no idea about prices, do they?
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“Fullers really have no idea about prices, do they?” – but if customers will pay “£5 for an average pint in the Fullers eateries” can you blame Fullers for charging £5 ?
Tim would probably charge £5 a pint if he could get away with it.
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Short term gain, long term pain.
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Turmeric Beetroot and charcoal latte??? What hellish alternate universe have you found??? Or is that the latest handwash on offer?
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That vegan version of a Miners Benedict looks like a Bhaji Benedict.
It could catch on you know …
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Love that first picture ! The hot drinks menu I find rather scary & intimidating
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It’s supposed to be intimidating 😉
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I used to find Costa/Starbucks etc a bit confusing -no longer because I am a (rather poor ) Barista these days.must visit some vegan cafes to familiarise myself with the offerings
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