A night in Southampton is a rarity; a lack of cheap accommodation and tiled pubs compared to Portsmouth always sways me in favour of Pompey. And then there’s the locals.
But tonight (actually last Friday, keep up) there’s a gig in the centre of town, a new GBG tick next door, and a £35 guest house with free parking a mile out. Bingo ! as they say in Oadby.
The Rivendell is clean, compact, connects to the internet and (critically) has four power points. All you need when you’re old.
Our Polish owner is welcoming and efficient, leaving a collection of maps on the table and this little flier.
Well, it was 5.30, time enough before Aldous Harding at The 1865 to nip over to Southsea, or even attempt a couple of ticks in East Cowes if I was feeling like self-flagellation.
But Polish food ? In a Polish pub a minute away ?
That looks like this ?
How inviting is that ?
I don’t care if it never gets in the Beer Guide, it was warm and cosy and friendly, like a Cambridge pub off Mill Road, with a great mix of folk. A BeerMat pub.
A cool Doom Bar glass is taken out of the fridge and filled with foamy 6X. Those two aren’t going to get the Pig’N’Whistle into the Guide, but might just be familiar enough to keep real ale one the bars, more importantly. Sadly not Craft Union prices.
More pubs should put tulips on tables, they add at least 0.1 to a beer score.
A foamy NBSS 3, more than good enough to get me to stay for tea.
Most people popping in here for a pint wouldn’t sus the Polish link, but as a seasoned pubgoer the soundtrack is the giveaway;
“Tiny Dancer”
“Gloria” (Them not Patti)
“Teenage Kicks” Oh
and of course “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
And just a reminder, kids;
It is ILLEGAL not to shout “Belgians in the Congo !” when that last one comes on.
retiredmartin 
Gulasz Archipelago it is not, then, Martin.
Sounds great!
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Wonder if they moved from Manchester earlier this century?
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There’s a good little pub crawl to be had in the Freemantle area of Southampton, a lot of contrasting in style pubs, had a great couple of pints in The Stile Inn a little further up the road from the Pig and Whistle, full of bikers/Hells Angels. but so welcoming, Tribute was the only cask beer but in great nick.
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Freemantle has always been a good area for a pub crawl. If you’re feeling brave, try the Mutant Mile crawl on a Saturday afternoon. It’s a bit of an eye opener.
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That definitely gets my seal of approval as a proper pub!!! GBG does have some classics but many more loitering on the outskirts with chilled Doom Bar glasses and earthy punters!
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