From one county town to another, more famous one, and a confession.
I walked past the Olde Cottage on my trip to Chester, missing out on Otter, if not Bass.
The pains of being a ticker.
Still, a gorgeous day on the City Walls.
Yes, I went to Chester and all I brought Old Mudgie back was a photo of a cat. And not even a real one.
The Cornerhouse is a new one, but looks “olde” enough. It was previously called Compass, Jones’s Wine Bar, Last Orders, Chester Hangman, etc etc etc, which tells you a lot about Hollyoaks Chester.
I’m there at the dot of 12, sitting at that table on the left. The door is closed, the lights are off,there’s no sign of life. It’s my penultimate Chester pub tick. Not again.
I peruse the forthcoming gigs.
A young chap with a Wirral haircut and a guitar walks up and peers through the window.
“Not open yet ?” I shake my head forlornly.
“You playing this afternoon ?” This is a daft question, since it’s the Motown sessions.
“No, meeting my Dad for a pint” Awwww.
At that moment a light flicks on, the jukebox whirs up (“Big Rock Candy Mountain“), CLOSED become OPEN, and by 12.05 I have a half of Salopian in front of me.
But that five minutes felt like an eternity.
Bare boards, pie counter, light streaming in, good beer range, loads of tat.
Easy to love, though the Oracle is average, and I suddenly recall the glory of the beer across the road in Cellars.
Not for the first time this year, the toilet is the star.
Don’t ask what I did in there. Just don’t.
retiredmartin 
I’m pretty familiar with Chester, but I had to look up where that one was. As you say, it seems to have gone through various incarnations, none of which have been of any interest to me.
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Ditto. Must have walked past it a few times , just tucked in a little cul-de-sac.
Seems well suited as a youth focused music pub.
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Did it involve the “emission of a harrowing, eye-wateringly noxious smell”?
Or even worse, were the lyrics to “Hurt” appropriate?
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It involved the emission of a Shropshire liquid, is all I’m saying.
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I had a pint of Mojave – 3% ABV – which was a delight the other day, fresh, delicate, hint of grapefruit etc. However, by the next day it had lost it completely. Which one did you have, Martin?
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The Salops, obvs 🙄
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Sorry, you did mention the Oracle, and I can see that from the colour too.
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S’ok. Old age and all that.
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Your genial readers might be intrigued by the chronology of the above four comments, Martin 😉
Before I realised that you had tried the Oracle, I wondered if you’d had the Mojave, also a Salopian, but whatever, as we often agree, we’re not here to discuss beer are we?
Yes, old age indeed!
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Excellent point. I think.
Which of my readers do you think are genial, by the way? Present company excepted.
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Well, Martin, since you ask, in these days of absolutes and extremes, it’s as well to remember that there are relative qualities too, and that geniality is one of them.
I can’t think of any of your regulars, who are not capable of it to a greater or lesser degree.
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Hear, hear.
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Ring of Fire, or One Piece At A Time?
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I didn’t walk past the Olde Cottage early one Saturday evening. Went in for a quick pint and stumbled out at 00.45. Woke up with a full loyalty card and another half completed. As for The Cornerhouse, I must have passed it countless times without even noticing it.
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I know that feeling 🙄
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I like a bit of variety but do some regions just chuck pubs in because they are new?
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I suppose if a new place opens then you’ll get beer enthusiasts going to see what it’s like, understandable I guess.
Quite a few pubs (especially micros) get in within a year of opening then drop out as CAMRAs move on to the next new thing.
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“Still, a gorgeous day on the City Walls.”
And no funny names for miles.
“Future venue for a Beer & Pubs Forum Day Out”
Concur!
“Pub cat caught leaping away from delivery of craft beer”
If you look at it the other way round you could mistake it for a brontosaurus with a funny shaped bum.
“which tells you a lot about Hollyoaks Chester.”
The Mafia uses the pubs for money laundering?
“Wot ! No Kangaroo Air Force Ventilator ?”
It wouldn’t fit on the blackboard. 🙂
“But that five minutes felt like an eternity.”
Most of us can sympathise.
“Proper pie cabinet”
Does it have a thermometer to prove it’s kept at the right temp?
“Not for the first time this year, the toilet is the star.”
If you say so. 🙂
But, to be absolutely accurate the photo with both male and female icons beneath it should have been reversed. 😉
Cheers
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I think that pies can safely be eaten at any temperature as they’re made of old boots.
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Old Boot – that’s the pub to go to in Chester.
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A Wirral haircut! 😂
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