Oadby ?
Yes, Oadby ? 2 miles south of Leicester, venue for my last big outing in November.
A first trip out with Curry Charles since the dhansak and Rochefort 8 in Earls Court in June, an awfully long time ago. June in fact.
I had five GBG pubs to complete Leicestershire on Sunday, plus one for luck, a BRAPA-esque challenge.
Unfortunately one of those was a micro open 3-8 and another was a micro that closed at 6, making it improbable we could park up at the Abbey Hotel first and get the outliers done.
So, Charles got to navigate and drink while I consumed the dregs (allowability as a GBG tick confirmed by MXVI Ticking Conference).
Oadby has a plainish suburban High Street with Spoons, but our tick is in the exciting Olde Vlllage with top fontage and empty bakery.
A Proper Club with flagpole at half mast in sympathy with the death of craft beer.
“What does CIU mean ?” asked Charles.
“Something something Union” I replied. That settled it.
The door opened wordlessly (I know doors don’t talk) after our third ring.
We entered a vast open space housing snooker tables and bingo and Sunday boozing.
No cards requested, CIU or CAMRA, but I don’t think the beer was £2.50, anyway. Always hard to tell when a coke is part of the order.
The chap in front had ordered a pint of that Castle Rock “Heart of Glass” beer brewed to commemorate Blondie’s gig in the Crafty Crow in 1977. Charles had a half.
Except he ended up with a pint, the chap in front’s order having been somehow mistaken. I presume he’d asked for a pint of Bitter, meaning Smooth.
Yes, that was view. A great mixed crowd of ale Bud drinkers.
Stevie Nicks sang about “Room’s on Fire” and as the bingo started it certainly was.
“Can we play ?” said Charles, who I think thought it was Sodoku.
No, we cant. I made him drink his pint too quickly, it was superb (3.5) but a bit chilled.
I think it went straight to his head as we passed a tyre fitter that he described as looking “a bit tyred” and insisted I include in the blog. He’s from Inverness, you know.
I kept him waiting at the door as I took the killer shot.
Enough fun. Time for a micropub.
Why does that ticking game have a pink background rather than a pink marker ?
Maybe that’s the Leicestershire version.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Who put the butternut squash in the stuffed toy machine? Also can we more Curry Charles pubs. We miss him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
TWM,
We don’t know but it’s better there than in the IPA.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Probably more of Curry Charles in the New Year, hopefully Halifax. Negotiations in progress.
LikeLiked by 1 person
CIU = club & institute union.
LikeLike
Institute! Of course. Cheers.
LikeLike
Yes, an Institute, NOT an Institution because that would imply it’s like marriage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’ll be club & club club, then.
LikeLike
It’s double fascinating when you pubbers go to places us home-birds are familiar with, if it wasn’t for the photos they’d seem like totally different places!
Take Gingerbread Cottage Bakery, home of the famous Gingerbread Bakery Custard Tart (and other fine, if rather small things). It’s never closed during daylight hours! Except Sundays obv. Oh, you went Sunday…
The Legion, home to a very tidy little beer fest in the Summer, and a very tidy Skittles Table. How did you miss the skittles? Oh, Sunday, not on show during the bingo.
The Wheel! Don’t tell me you missed the finest Bass in any Tory stronghold of similar or smaller size east of Burton. The Wheel! Bass!
Is there really a Wetherspoon in Oadby? Can’t say that I’ve ever noticed one…
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Spoons is in the shopping precinct a good half mile north of the Wheel, where I had great Bass a decade ago.
If I went back to every GBG pub I’d already done on every visit I wouldn’t last long!
LikeLike
If not for your GBG quest, would you otherwise think of going into one of these clubs, while on a trip somewhere let’s say?
I’ve got this idea that they would be slightly intimidating for a stranger, with all the regulars turning toward you once you came through the door. But presumably they want to have visitors to some degree, otherwise they really would make them into “members only” places, surely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I definitely wouldn’t go into them, Mark. The whole nature of a club is a bit alien compared to that of a public house.
The bar steward who orders the beer to get them into the Beer Guide might welcome you but you’ll rarely get conversation.
Perversely, I made that Maltese Labour Club my pub of the year (and I wasn’t joking!).
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does seem a little odd that the GBG goes out of its way to include such places, but I suppose if it truly is the best beer in a given location, they feel obliged to.
By the way, I found that your latest post, “WIGGING OUT IN WIGSTON”, included no option for leaving a comment below. Maybe it’s just my laptop?
LikeLike
Thanks for alerting me to the comments issue, Mark.
It’s actually because I did that post (in 10 minutes) on my phone on the tram and it defaults to no comments.
Now I’m back in my Eccles hotel (are you jealous) I’ve enabled them so fire away.
LikeLike
Regarding clubs, I think sometimes CAMRA members “discover” clubs on their travels and like to encourage diversity.
The Beer in clubs is often good as they sell a lot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comparing a club to a pub is a bit like comparing a guest house to a hotel.
You might feel that you’re intruding.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brad’s your man for CIU info👍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I’ve noticed 😉
A local club coming up next.
LikeLike