No, not that Freemantle;
No, even that BRAPA visit to Melbourne in 2016 can’t get Australia in the GBG yet.
But it was Simon’s visit to Southampton a year later that made me change plans and visit another non-GBG last Friday, perhaps in sympathy with BRAPA’s unproductive but wonderful trip to Rugby the week before.
This is the bit I remembered about the Wellington Arms from BRAPA;
One lady seemed almost totally convinced by Dad’s green fingered brain, but still went to check the name and came back calling it a ‘snowball tree’. Dad responded, “I think you’ll find it is a Viburnum Opulus, I only know plants by the Latin names”, before effortlessly shimmying out of a secret back gate.
Now, if that doesn’t win the Booker prize I don’t know why he bothers.
I’d actually been in the night before Simon closed the place down, and I was keen to see if it was as good as we both remembered, a bustling, irreverent classic.
Almost as good.
I entered to laughter from both rooms, and the promise of hippies covering the Eurythmics in a fortnight’s time. How happy is that ?
Not as packed at the bar as on closing day 2017, but if this doesn’t pull them in, what will.
“Plum Porter please” I said, alliteratively.
“Pint ?” I nod. “Gotta be, hasn’t it !” he says.
I get a nice view of the action, away from the row of bench seats, and used “What’s That Song Called” to identify the Imagine Dragons who I remember from The Clangers in the 70s.
A frothy pint, and froth at the bar, none of it aboout politics.
“May I be the first person to wish you a happy.”
“Easter !”
That’s the spirit. Not CAMRA pub, if it ever was, but a Proper Pub of the first order. The sort we found a lot of in Rugby in May. Can you get there from Stockport or Stafford in less than a day ?
retiredmartin 
A cracking pub when I was last there in April 2017.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Simon and I visited at the end of April 2017, just before the then owner left. It was heaving then. Still busy enough last week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m intrigued by the “Pots Ale” logo hanging on the wall. Do you know anything about that beer? The label makes it look like something from the 1940s, or earlier!
I love that you took a picture of the Trigger Hippie Band poster. I think The Black Keys and the Foo Fighters should feel proud to have won the two “music that came after the 70s and 80s” slots. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheriton Pots. Good homebrew pub in Jane Austen land who sold their beers in a fair few free houses in last 20 years, and possibly still do. Very cute pump clips!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Its Flowerpots Brewery, a small family owned brewery , beer brewed in a barn next to a fantastic little pub, The Flowerpots Inn, recently been sold as the family as a whole have retired, the beer is still good and I drink their Perridge Pale near;y every week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember it being up for sale. Cheriton is a gorgeous village.
LikeLike
They also own The Albion in Winchester plus another pub I can’t remember at the moment. A couple of local businessmen brought the brewery, not sure if it includes the pubs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Wellie was a GBG regular for many years. It was an early example of a multi beer pub. Don’t think I’ve ever had a bad pint in there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I popped in just before the long-standing owner left in 2017 I had a fantastic pint. That Plum Porter was a tad thin but still good enough.
LikeLike
“Can you get there from Stockport or Stafford in less than a day ?”
Yes, Stockport to Southampton in just over four hours, Stafford to Southampton in three and a quarter – that’s without stopping off on the way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Easy.
LikeLike
Blogging on non GBG pubs will never catch on you know….
LikeLiked by 1 person
An aberration. Put it down to sea air.
LikeLiked by 1 person