17th January 2020
Day 3 of 5 of our Kernow Kapers.
A late start after all that Bass, but I just caught the sun over Ghilly Bay,
before the downpour forced me into Trago Stores to buy those £1.05 insoles.
“Do you prefer cash or card, I’ve only got a tenner” I asked, trying to be helpful.
“Your choice, you’re the customer”.
The big sigh as I handed over the note was audible in Truro.
Shops, and pubs, please say how you’d prefer us to pay.
Down towards the Lizard, past my niece’s house near Helston, which may ring a bell with some of you pub aficionados.
I see Helston has had a makeover in an attempt to promote itself as the Shaftesbury of the West.
A well-equipped little old tin mine town of 11,178, presumably built so that folk don’t ever have to go to Redruth with all that entails.
Best know for the Furry dance, which clearly meant something different in medieval times, when incidentally these leats were constructed to enable Stingo to be conveyed around the town’s pubs.
Modest but pleasing, like one of those towns in North Norfolk where pashmina sales are in single figures.
I was last here in 2016 for a wedding. and managed to pop in the new Spoons during the signing of contracts.
But I only had a coffee ! So, like the cast of Lost, I had to go back.
The Coinage Hall is spacious, pleasant (“Thank you sweetheart”) and the Skinners was the best I had on the trip (NBSS 3.5).
It was also eerily quiet for a Spoons compared to my last trip.
“But what about the famous pub ?” you ask.
This one ?
No, not today, Spingo.
retiredmartin 
That may be the best set of photos on any post. Not sure why but really a great mix I think.
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Thanks Dave. A really easy place to photograph.
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Bet that game against Stonehenge Albion was a cracker.
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“HELSTON WITHOUT THE STINGO” s understandable as that’s Humphrey’s Christmas offering for wealthy Londoners but Helston without the Spingo would be unimaginable for me.
I didn’t get to Helston during my 2018 stay in Penzance as it would have been too much time on Bumpy Buses.
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Yes it is Spingo, still suffering from missing my Christmas Stingo in London 😭
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I’ve already bagged the Seven Stars for Closed Pubs:
http://closedpubs.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-seven-stars.html
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Rather splendid black cat, btw, looking purposeful and a touch malevolent 😼
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There you go having they Sk****rs grapefruit again. You do know it just encourages them blighters. One beer, many labels. Any road up, best Spingo is probably The Dock in Penzance or Thirsty Scholar, Penryn. Although they don’t take to northerners too much such as your good self in Penryn. Lucky no GBG pub to tick!!!
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I’m southern scum, mjc. Well, Fenland. I just aspire to Mancunian 😉
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I was thinking north of Newquay actually. Funny enough I have a sister who lives in Norfork, and another in Texas, so similar countryside I guess. The beer is better in Norfork so I’m told
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The beer is probably better in Texas.
Actually beer sales in pubs have collapsed outside of Norwich and is largely disapointing in the rural areas.
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“north of Newquay”
Pembroke Dock ?
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You know, the stretch into Devon north of Newquay is a real mystery to me. Still convinced Tintagel is mythical.
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Can’t believe you didn’t have a Spingo. And I really can’t believe you didn’t pop into Flambards and see Gus Honeybun. Surely these are the only two things people go to Helston for…?
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I can’t believe I didn’t have a Spingo, either.
Gus Honeybun was on spiritual retreat in Saltash.
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Love that tiled flooring near the Spoons bar; don’t see that too often I reckon.
Seems like you’re much more likely to see a range of old school traditional ales here in Cornwall, and fewer of the “beers you’ve never heard of.”
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Good observation, Mark.
Yes, nothing too wacky in what are largely traditional pubs, albeit often dining ones.
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Arguably the best Hi Viz picture this year? Don’t often get the full works…
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Oh yes!
The full works.
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Yes, Spingo I remember, but does it remember me. Helston special place to film.
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