retiredmartin

12th January 2020

That top image, the one that appears on Twitter, is what’s called click bait. Nothing to do with the post but it makes you go “Oooh, I remember Toby“.

You’ve had Watneys, Ind Coope and Toby in quick succession; expect more blasts from the past like Cloudwater and Lost and Grounded soon.

Anyway, I’m on the magical Isle of Sheppey, very pleased to be here for the first time since this sunset on Queenborough in 2018.

The last time I was this close to Sheerness town centre I stayed in this luxurious accommodation;

So gentrified has Sheppey become since then that I expect you could stay in the windmill in the centre for a £120 a night now, assuming a micro hasn’t taking it over.

When Duncan visited recently he was passed from house to house, a succession of magical micros that remind me of Middlesbrough.

I stuck to the new GBG tick. It’s the one with the Union Jack in the window*.

It didn’t get off to a good start. I was greeted as I opened the door, but left it open and rightly got told off for increasing their heating bills and spent two minutes making excuses about expecting doors to shut themselves. Better than Darton doors that don’t open.

As Duncan reported, the Landlady is lovely and chatty and was delighted to see herself in the Pubmeister’s report.

I had a very decent pint of Gadds (NBSS 3), sat at a high table with the local CAMRA newsletter (yes, Dave, I have it for you), and tried to join in a conversation about Maidstone’s Rifle Volunteers from a distance.

Joining in conversations in micros is harder than you’d imagine; ask Simon. They can feel like a private party, and for some that’s what they are. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Plenty of time to explore a town that at turns delights and bewilders.

The barber gave me an odd look as I took a photo of his tiling and I mouthed “Toby” to no effect.

Elsewhere in the High Street there’s a shop selling signs to Sam Smiths pubs.

On our family trip here in 2014 we enjoyed a peculiar but good curry in an old school (think Dilshad in Wolves) Indian restaurant. The prices are still very 1994.

Forget the name, sorry, but it’s opposite the Spoons that Duncan raved about recently.

Just to annoy Duncan, the Doom Bar was NBSS 3+. The Spoons was lively, I’ll say that.

Sheerness is an NS(easide)SS 4. They even have mermaids.

You can’t see the sea monster but you can see Essex, which is close enough.

Underrated town and island,and think of the fun Russ would have if he was reading this now.

Poor Mr Dutnall is all I can say.

*Irony