My favourite part of BRAPA is when he says things like,
“Lydgate. You’ve never heard of it, don’t pretend you have. It is like Dukinfield. But only because you’ve never heard of that either.”
and I can go,
“Oooh, I have, I have, Pick me.”
The GBG is the most educational book in the pub guide section of Waterstones, directing you to places you thought were made up.
Well, I’ll bet you’ve never heard of Beguildy, tucked away in all those trees on the right side of the Welsh/English border.
I’ve kindly marked it on a big map which also contains places you have heard of, like Stafford and Newtown.
On the staggeringly beautiful journey to Beguildy, hugging the border, I suddenly passed a pub that brought back simultaneously wonderful and terrifying memories.
Yes, it’s the Anchor in Anchor , inspiration for my greatest blog title so far.The conversion to a Brunning & Price seems some way off.
I arrived in Radnorshire the week of the Brecon by-election, and election fever had gripped the community of 723.
Giant pub, community shop, church and closed primary school awaiting conversion to a helipad and portaloo ahead of BRAPA’s visit.
I walked a mile uphill so I could phone Stafford Paul from the one spot of mobile reception, and take the tractor photo.
I couldn’t be bothered to wait till 12:05 to enter. You never know what crazy opening hours you’ll find in mid-Wales. Some of them actually close before they open.
A pleasant welcome, but the lights were off and the Landlady was having problems with the pumps. No idea why, I don’t understand beer.
Would I be denied a beer by a power cut ?
No, obviously not.
Stonehouse Bitter, since you’re taking notes.
Tasting great, too (NBSS 3.5), helped by proper seating and exuberant carpets.
Very trad Welsh; clean, unchanging, unpretentious. And no surprise at all I wasn’t staying for the lamb cutlets.
No other customers, but lots of coming and going with stories of power cuts and punnets of eggs. BRAPA will love it.
I emerged into a world seemingly intent on defacing every election poster for one particular candidate that Thursday. I’ll let you guess who.
retiredmartin 
I’m almost tempted to say, “Oh, old-fashioned pubs like this do nothing for me” just to avoid conforming to my own stereotype. 😉 But I will be honest and say that is a very lovely one indeed. Beguiling, one might even say!
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I’ll do the jokes 😉
This was gorgeous, Mark. There’s dozens like this in Offa’s Dyke country.
I just wish there were a few locals when I visited but they’re all in BRAPA’s pubs in the North.
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You live in the hope of finding a true country pub, where rustics will relieve themselves of aches, brought on by agricultural toil.
They are as much thing of the past as the Farrier’s Arms and the rest are nowadays, it seems though.
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The Farriers? Not the birthplace of St Albans CAMRA?
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Sorry, I meant it literally, as in a pub frequented by Farriers, or by Colliers etc.
Didn’t know that though!
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I did know that, but just wanted to show off.
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Beauty
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That carpet, a great example of why Tim Martin is trying too hard. Effortlessly gaudy without the need to actually commission it.
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