Getting closer to actually meeting the great BRAPA now, so I had my artisan tea/supper (falafel wrap from Harrogate Co-op), finally booked into the Heworth, and did York.
York was in the grip of Chris Norman Fever during my visit.
Would Chris do the original, or would the chavvy York crowd demand the Roy “Chubby” Brown version. I may never know.
Of course, York has other cultural highlights.
The Minster greets you from every street (ooh, Dire Straits reference there), and at 7pm you pretty much have it to yourself as the coachloads are on their way back to Selby.
For a few minutes I am “York’s Tourist” as I approach the Shambles, or Harry Potter Lane as the cash-hungry Council have renamed it.
Simon had alerted me to a bran’ new bar on Jubbergate, which sounds like it’s been renamed to cash in on York’s Star Wars links.
The Market Cat is an invader from Derbyshire, but Thornbridge bring a touch of class wherever they go, don’t they ?
A dozen or so in on a Monday evening, all treated like royalty by fantastic staff.
You might imagine I only compliment staff so they don’t write nasty things in the comments, but frankly I’m often withering about the beer, and I really need to speak truth unto dour (pubs and beer).
Two locals at the bar had Jaipur‘s taste patiently and un-patronisingly explained when they asked. Lest we forget, some people have never encountered Jaipur even though it’s old hat on Beer Twitterland.
A bit of a Craft Beer Co. feel about the place, though the closest I could find to a Bass mirror was this gem.
In case you hadn’t guessed, I had the Bad Kitty, surely a house beer for the Market Cat.
It was decent (NBSS 3), though perhaps lacking a bit of freshness. As in Cambridge, the chain diners are squeezing midweek custom away from pubs. You get better music in pubs; Journey in the Trembling Madness and the Carpenters here. As I say, classy.
I could hear a commotion in the street outside and turned the corner to see the lesser spotted Morris Men, a sight rarer than you might imagine.
John Watson quickly identified them as Ebor Morris. Ebor has a top Sam Smiths pub, just like the one now behind our merry group.
What Humphrey Smith thinks about Morris dancing, I really can’t imagine.
Time for the York sunset, time for BRAPA.
retiredmartin 
A bit like a man with a red flag warning about an oncoming motor car, are Morris Men not a harbinger of a BRAPA visitation; a warning to lock up your twilds and get your canines into extra licky mode?
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I have NEVER witnessed Morris Dancing in a Sam Smiths pub so can only conclude that Humphrey considers it too modern a practice.
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Well it’s only fifteenth century or so, need to give it a bit of time to see if the serfs take to it.
Or perhaps he’s worried it’s a common practice with motorcycle clubs.
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How much better watching Morris Dancing would have been than going out with a Flemish Duchess.
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That Chris Norman bears a striking resemblance to your fellow beer blogger Pete Brown.
Right down to the same ageing New Order look.
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Yes that’s a mix of of Bernie/Hooky isn’t it?
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Speak truth unto sour surely?
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That’s a very #beerman comment, Duncan 😉.
I can cope with sour, but never a dour pub.
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Rare than we’d think, though not rarer than we’d like, perhaps.
And where was the ceremonial Fool, with his inflated pig’s bladder on a stick, with which to belabour the crowd anyway?
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In London, meeting the Queen.
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Can’t top that, Bill!
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I “Name that pub” as probably the Snickleway Inn.
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Correct
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“or would the chavvy York crowd demand the Roy “Chubby” Brown version. I may never know”.
And did “Chubby” ever get an answer to his “who?” question? We may never know
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Given the rate at which HSBC are closing branches, the premises behind the “Ebor Morris Men consulting the BRAPA guide to York pre-emptives” could be a tick in 2022.
When does BRAPA reach Yorkshire ? 2079 was it ?
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“some people have never encountered Jaipur” –I came tantalizingly close to it at an airport bar in NYC; alas they had it on the menu but not in actual fact. But if it tastes a lot like American-style hoppy craft beers, perhaps I have encountered it after all, more or less? 😉
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Yes! You probably have got close. It is a beer you’d enjoy on cask. I think it’s appearing on keg quite a bit too. Potent.
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“and did York.”
What… ALL of it?
“No, not the Barbour”
The Bang Hair just behind it?
“For a few minutes I am “York’s Tourist” as I approach the Shambles”
So that’s where Terry Pratchett nicked that from.
“Name that pub”
Is it… Jones?
(no, tell a lie, that would be in Wales) 🙂
“but Thornbridge bring a touch of class wherever they go, don’t they ?”
It that’s the ones that do Jaipur then, yes.
“some people have never encountered Jaipur even though it’s old hat on Beer Twitterland.”
(raises hand) Sadly I am counted amongst that lot.
“Bring back Toby Bitter (it probably already has been)”
I’ve got that mug hanging about somewhere in the house.
“I had the Bad Kitty, surely a house beer for the Market Cat.”
(slow golf clap)
“to see the lesser spotted Morris Men”
Where’s their Maypole?
(insert PM joke here)
“Time for the York sunset, time for BRAPA.”
Are you implying he’s a bit like Nosferatu?
Cheers
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