LEAVING UTTOXETER CLEAR FOR A DAY OF BASS

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Back to the hard slog of pub ticking earlier this month, and a first trip in many years to Uttoxeter, or Greater Alton Towers as the TIC has probably rebranded it.

Uttoxeter

The hardened members of the Beer & Pubs Forum will be visiting the town’s famous Bass & Pedi pubs on June 14th. Unlike Burton, where you take your Bass into the Balti houses, I don’t think the Mudgies can drink pints on the Smiler ride, despite the obvious blog potential.

I thought I’d get the Horse & Dove micro ticked ahead of the big day, so we could concentrate on Proper Beers on the 14th.

Uttoxter at 4pm on Sunday looked even more bustling than usual.

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Either quiet or they’re very small in Staffs

The “Horse & Dove” sounds like a real pub, doesn’t it ?

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No comment

But to prove it’s a Real Micro, I walked past it twice while trying to match the dot on the GBG map to reality, dazzled by the sight across the street.

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You’ll be seeing a lot of this ‘lil fella next month

“Stop whining. The Beer Guide is all about beer” shouts the beer bores of Boston Spa.

And of course it is. And to be fair the Horse & Dove looks better than the high-tabled hell of some micro shop conversions.

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Beer mats on wall. What’s wrong with Bass mirrors ?

But low tables and sofas aren’t much better in my world (1962, somewhere in the North).

That said, the landlord is a cheery gem, and deserves your custom.

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Bet that’s not his real name

Yes, there’s a lot of folk talking real ales, but there’s also an effort with gins and those weird ABK lagers to entice normal people in, too. The normal people are sitting at the bar, stopping me taking a copy of “Potters Bar” for Dick & Dave.

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Seats too low

Because I like beers with novelty names I go for “May the 4th be with you“. It’s named to commemorate the date on which our PM will stand down or summat.

It’s a bit chilled, but tasty and GBG level standard (NBSS 3).

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Did I mention the low seating ?

I’m sure it’ll be great with the Mudgies in tow, but I couldn’t get comfortable, despite the ’60s country soundtrack (probably Merle Haggard).

I’ll leave the resolution of the big issue for the 14th.

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Is this a gingerbread man ?

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.

38 thoughts on “LEAVING UTTOXETER CLEAR FOR A DAY OF BASS”

  1. Whilst Uxonian might well refer to a native of Uttoxeter, might I remind you, that uxorian, or, more properly, uxorious, means excessively attentive to a wife?

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    2. No Uxonian beer was on there on Tuesday.
      The Horse and Dove is pencilled in for 6pm on Friday 14th June.
      In 46 years of living in the next town I’ve not known an uxorious Uxonian.

      Liked by 1 person

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      4. It was on the good ship Leirna,
        That Bill’s stomach was having a churner,
        So he went to the bog,
        And laughed so much at Martin’s blog,
        That now he looks like an incontinent gurner.

        Liked by 2 people

    2. Richard,
      No, it’s not just Bass and Pedigree.
      On Tuesday there was Timothy Taylors landlord in the Vaults, a Black Hole beer in the Bank House and Doom Bar in a couple more pubs. Have a read of what I posted on the Beer and Pubs Forum earlier today. I’ve since thought that as your possible ‘highlight of the day’ the Horse and Dove should be earlier than 6pm.

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  3. Living in Stoke for three years as a student in the early 90s, I soon learnt that in Staffordshire they pronounce it “Uttcheter”.

    I used to work with some guys who went racing there regularly, who said that they usually ended up watching the races on TV in a pub near the station rather than on the course itself. It wasn’t until I passed through on a train en route to Burton a few years ago that I realised that the station is at the racecourse.

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    1. Matthew,
      Yes, definitely “Uttcheter”.
      And there’s not many other towns where the railway station is built for horses rather than the local people. it is though just a few minutes walk from the town centre.

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      2. I won’t repeat what one John Motson was alleged to have said, when his stage manager brought him the chunky version, instead of his habitual, standard, half-time Kit Kat…

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  5. Well, after a week of great weather (still not too bad), which meant long walks (holding hands part of the time… BBM), gardening, visiting friends and just enjoying the outdoors I finally get a chance to do some British Beer Blog posting*.

    “and a first trip in many years to Uttoxeter”

    How the heck do you pronounce that? My brain keeps saying ‘utter Exeter’.

    “I don’t think the Mudgies can drink pints on the Smiler ride, despite the obvious blog potential.”

    Crikey. If they did that it would be a paying ride for the populace in itself!

    “Uttoxter at 4pm on Sunday looked even more bustling than usual.”

    Were there some women in whalebone skirts hiding behind the war memorial?

    “The “Horse & Dove” sounds like a real pub, doesn’t it ?”

    Ah… micropub. Probably a real pub downsized due to Brexit?

    “You’ll be seeing a lot of this ‘lil fella next month”

    Fer sure!

    “What’s wrong with Bass mirrors ?”

    Prone to introspection? (because they’re deep – get it?) 🙂

    “But low tables and sofas aren’t much better in my world”

    Good lord; high tables suxxors and now it’s low tables and sofas? Sheesh. 😉

    “Bet that’s not his real name”

    Passport control changed it on his arrival.

    “Seats toolow”

    Hmmm… is toolow an Indian name?
    (as opposed to howhigh; which is a Chinese name) 🙂

    “It’s named to commemorate the date on which our PM will stand down or summat.”

    Tsk, tsk. We now know that’s not the case. To whit:

    You’re familiar with Leap year? That’s when February gets an extra day.

    Well, now we have Leave year. That’s when May gets an extra week. 😉

    “Did I mention the low seating ?

    I’ve had it up to here… oops… DOWN to here with that.

    “I’ll leave the resolution of the big issue for the 14th.”

    I shall do my utmost to be available for posting in reply. 🙂

    Cheers

    * – yes, I posted at a few blogs yesterday. But, to be honest, when I fall behind, you (and BRAPA) come last. BRAPA as his posts are too bloody long to do a quick reply and you because you’re too blood prolific!

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    1. Russ,
      “How the heck do you pronounce that?” “Uttcheter” not ‘utter Exeter’.
      How the heck do you spell that ? “Uttoxeter’s name has had at least 79 spellings since it was mentioned in the Domesday Book as ‘Wotocheshede'”

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    2. Russ,
      “Were there some women in whalebone skirts hiding behind the war memorial?”
      Well ‘Uttcheter’ has been described as “the town that time forgot” so that’s not beyond the realms of possibility.

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      1. I’ve not been. Just planning a trip that way (always use your blog as a guide for these things) , looks like it had a major refurbishment late last decade.
        I’ll add it to the list. 👍

        Liked by 1 person

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