Yes, this morning I thought you probably needed a picture of oversized ladies underwear in Andover market. Probably a metaphor for something.
To prove this blog isn’t computer generated, here’s the result from the Andover etc parliamentary elections overnight. Tells you all you need to know.
I arrived in town on Saturday to be pounced on by 3 different political groups. I told all 3 I’d be voting for them, including the omnipresent Jehovah’s Witnesses (who would actually do a decent job).
I feel like I know Andover by now, having been mighty impressed in 2016 and 2018.
But somehow I’d missed The Travelling Cupcake’s great font,
and the posh building housing the discount store.
One of the discount stores, anyway. For what you presume is a well-off town, Andover appears a succession of bargain bazaars. The Haverhill of the South-West.
I’m not knocking it. When Si gets here he’ll be able to buy his exotic Hull Tigers rug and have a celebratory bounce in the ball pool after collecting three or four Guide ticks.
On second thoughts, perhaps the bounce isn’t a good idea.
Andover isn’t craft central, thought the new Andover Tap may change all that.
I’d have popped in for a pre-emptive half (“Loads of real ale” said the owner when he caught me snapping outside) but I had trains to catch and my two (2) new ticks were both early risers, which will make BRAPA warm to the town already.
The Spoons opens even earlier, of course, but is taking a rest from the Guide this year. Possibly because the Eggs Benedict is a bit below par; the pub is still a cracker.
My first newbie is one of those Stonegate pubs that we’re allowed to like now we get CAMRA discount in them (heh ! when do I get my vouchers ?).
The Redbridge looks a little smarter than the Spoons, the breakfast menu is tighter,
and you can make table reservations to watch Burton Albion v Hull Tigers on TV here in 2024.
The beer range is huge, bigger than the Spoons, though admittedly it includes two varieties of Doom Bar and Proper Job.
This is my week for ordering only soapy homebrew, so I go for Penton Park’s Hastings IPA, which delights my prejudices. Foamy nothingness, NBSS 2.5.
Two blokes discuss the meaning (or perhaps spelling) of “gullible“, and ten minutes later my half is transformed.
“Oooh, what’s this, a bit of depth, 3+ ?” I ask myself silently, and realise Mark Crilley will want to know how this is possible, and that I won’t know. A pint of London Pride always starts off OK and deteriorates.
A decent GBG entry, as is the White Hart, the smart hotel in town.
What a joy to see a traditional hotel bar in the Guide.
What a joy to be drinking good Pedi at 11am.
What a joy to be told exactly how much it cost while it’s being poured, rather than after with an outstretched palm.
And what a joy to hear a considerate barmaid concerned for her customers.
“Is the music too loud for you, John ?”
They played “Living on a prayer” and “Hold Me Now” (for Mark C) and Andover made perfect sense.
The table next to me ordered a bowl of pigs in blankets. It felt like Christmas had started.
retiredmartin 
Were the free range jam jars hiding under the foliage around the hand pumps?
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Ooh, Directors, Pedi and Hobgoblin. Proper beer 😀
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Thought you’d like that.
Other two GBG entries serve excellent 6X and even better Old Speckled Hen, without frills.
Nothing special, but excellent beer throughout.
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That rocket looks like low on fuel. That ‘ull are unlikely to come to Burton in 2024 given they stole lovely Jackson Irvine.
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I’m going to be straight to the point here, Andover Tap aside, Andover is pretty much c**p.
In my opinion of course.
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I think it’s fair to say I’ve been more impressed with beer quality than the pubs and town itself!
The Angel would divide opinion.
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The Angel is half decent but I think it is oppressed somewhat by actually being in Andover and what that tends to bring clientele-wise, that’s how it seemed to me on two separate visits anyway. That said I’m sure there are some nice people who live in Andover.
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I think you phrased that very delicately, Citra. It has a lot in common with the remaining one bar boozers in central Basingstoke, which is a bit like Offerton for the benefit of our Stockport readers.
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Waterlooville also springs to mind.
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I’ve never been certain whether Waterlooville actually exists …
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It’s out there.
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As you probably know, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are a fixture at the foot of Manchester Piccadilly station approach, so running straight into their stall outside Copenhagen central station when I arrived there from the airport last week felt very like being at home.
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Respect to them. They’re much more of a presence in small towns these days from Wisbech to Woking to Waterloo.
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“I can imagine Stafford Paul crossing that road now” – yes, 9am opening so if ever I’m in Andover that’s quite likely.
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There is also a Spoons 20 yards away.
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Thanks Citra.
I could do both in the interests of research.
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Yes, I went in there for my breakfast, and the pint I had there before was top notch.
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You’d like Andover, Paul.
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Then maybe a Proper Day Out there for the Beer and Pubs Forum sometime next year ?
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I’m not sure other forum members would be as impressed with the architecture as I was with the “characters” and beer. But if you do get down there I’d be happy to meet you and Citra and anyone else.
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The micropub would have to be included to tempt me back. 😉
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