retiredmartin

Wow.

Just when you think you’ve seen all the great pubs in the UK, one comes along that no-one has ever told you about.  Even the people who live in the same county.

To be fair, Si hasn’t been to the Station Hotel in Loftus yet.  He may never leave.

I’m already planning a return journey. Loftus may be a slightly shabby, shambling little town, but aren’t they always the best ?

Besides Bass at the Station (yes !), we have Worthington in the Mars, Sam Smiths Stout in the Golden Lion, and 32 gins at No. 32.

There was some interesting banter about Mexborough on the blog this morning. Loftus makes fellow ex-mining town Mexborough look like Harrogate.

Half the shops are boarded up; the others alternate between hardware, pets, chips and vaping.  Normally I’d make a joke about potential for micro pubs, but I wouldn’t wish that fate on Loftus.

You can get your buckets and spades for your trip to Saithes in Loftus, which must seem like different planets to the Guisborough Guardianistas on their days out to the seaside.

I recommend the Station.

Immediately captivating, astonishing and a bit terrifying, the first thing that comes to mind is the Captain Cook up the road in Staithes, Gillingham’s Will Adams, or the Free Trade Inn before gentrification.

I really thought this chap, cast to stone when he asked for a taster in 1928, to come to life.

Oh look !

Mrs RM would have been beside herself.

I had a great welcome from a trio of regulars and Landlady, who seemed completely unsurprised by my sense of wonderment.

The usual correlation between a Bass mirror and Bass on the bar is about zero.  But here it was, hiding behind Sooty.

I took my pint of Bass (Magners glass) out to the gorgeous garden, where it made friends with a half-drunk Staropramen. Or perhaps it was a taster.

The Bass was 3, at a push, which is better than good for £2.50. A bargain.

Of course, it won’t seem such a bargain if you fall down the steps to the cellar, Si.