Just for the Prof, who quite likes the place.
And so do I. Last stop for me before Larmer Gardens and my annual alt.music fest, Salisbury is a good mix of pubs, stunning Georgian buildings,


a church unencumbered by scaffolding,

Ushers signage you can see while avoiding Trowbridge,

and a lovelier underpass than any in Cambridge.

First time here for a couple of years, as Salisbury has resisted micro and taproom mania quite successfully.
First time in a GBG Badger pub in years, too.
The New Inn looks very touristy.

but feels more like a local for the choirmaster.

I reckon the welcome here was the cheeriest of the week, there ought to be an award. It’s those youngsters, you know, so optimistic.
A lady came in with some posters for a event, probably ferret golf, and the lovely barmaid acted as if she’d won a night out in Calne i.e. exuberant.
Yes, there’s a community notice board at the entrance. Don’t see those in Brunning & Pricey.
The Ferret was cool and chewy, an NBSS 3 of a beer, and no need for it to join the cascade of water coming from the plants outside.
Can’t say better than that in 2019.
The blue bin outside is marginally better than the blue tubs inside, into which so many bar staff will smash prosecco bottles etc. these days. I had a stray glass splinter land in my beer on one occasion.
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*not at this pub, he hastily clarified.
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We perhaps remember fondly those places which were a pleasant surprise.
Leicester is such a city for me.
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Agree on Leicester. I like that sort of city.
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Pretty as a picture.
And resilient.
Novichock nerve agent,Russkie spies,Skirpals.
It seems like lifetime ago but it was only March last year.
I love the place.
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Badger Ales – best avoided unless you don’t like any taste in your beer.
I didn’t get the Mummified hand reference, but I once queued up to kiss the feet of Saint Gerasimos (died 1579) in the monastery on Kefalonia. I bottled it at the end but it was rather interesting as he is perfectly preserved, almost pristine, translucent creamy white, apart from the toes on one feet which are black from the annual kissing at his festival in August. They tried to burry him twice but amazingly he never decayed, so he was beatified and encased in a glass case, with a hinged flap to allow access to his toes.
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Mummified hand of cheating poker player in the Haunch of Venison. If you kiss it your Brass Castle turns to Bass.
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And all these years I thought it belonged to an early ticker caught drinking a pint of keg mead …
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Proper Machiavellian, turning good honest, tasty, modern Yorkshire ale into pale imitation of once fine British heritage beer.
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“stunning Georgian buildings,”
And swanky to boot.
“The New Inn looks very touristy.”
Well, it is Salisbury.
“17th century blue bin a nice touch”
Probably still leery of using red or white as the roses fracas was still a sore point.
“probably ferret golf,”
Every time you sink a putt you drink a pint of Fursty Ferret?
“Can’t say better than that in 2019.”
Nor look any better. 🙂
Cheers
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Salisbury was my introduction to England in 2011. I quite like the place and even enjoyed Badger at the New Inn. I am glad to have visited there but, after visits to just a few other places since, have found the beer much better elsewhere.
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Yes, magnificent cathedral, but in my experience not a front-rank pub town.
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So way down the list of potential Proper Days Out.
But we would get to meet ‘Moonraker’.
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There are Proper Pubs in Salisbury, particularly the Hop Back ones and a couple of free houses. Decent Spoons too. Possibly not enough for your needs!
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I did like the Wyndham Arms but was not a fan of Hop Back ales. I should try them again.
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My position as well. The Summer Lightning apart, the beers seem a bit ordinary. Hop Back have done well to survive so long and still pick up a decent bit of free trade.
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Dick,
I’ve not been in the Wyndham Arms since 1997.
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“Possibly not enough for your needs” – but one pub is plenty in Banbury, one pub is plenty in Hereford and one pub would be plenty in Sedgley if I didn’t also like getting in the Bull Head.
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Paul, and I bet you do not plan to change that soon!
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I don’t think you should mock ferret golf when in Wiltshire as it’s very popular in those parts. It’s where the shout “in the hole” originated as far back as 1153, an ecclesiastical sport long before the existence of golf itself.
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I think you’re getting confused with “whack the ferret” as played in Clwyd pubs since the 11th century.
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Foolish of me. Of course you’re right. There are so many ferret based sports it’s hard to remember everything about them. Confusing it with ferret snooker actually. Sorry.
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Mock ferret golf is a game that I was sadly born too late for.
“In the hole” nowadays is more likely to be having a go on the pool table if the pub’s not too busy.
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Mock the ferret is now banned in all parts of the UK except Northern Ireland, I believe.
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Causes no end of friction in Derry/Londonderry I hear.
NB Graig-fechan was the Clwyd pub I think.
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Went to ship and shovel in London recently which was a Badger boozer and I liked it…
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Mrs RM liked it when she did a job there recently. Definitely a Proper Pub that one.
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Which half ?
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As you’re walking up the slope to the right
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