22nd January 2020
WARNING : CONTAINS PROPER PUBS !!!
A bumper Shipley-cum-Saltaire special, aided by an Ibis giving me access to two new GBG ticks, a classic oldie, and a curry.
Oh, and tall buildings.
Shipley town centre took a post-war hammering, but the Spoons is majestic.
Continuing the theme of the last post, where have all the trad pubs in the GBG gone. We have a Spoons,a micro, and a craft beer bar called Hullabaloo.
Actually, “Hullbaloo” is in good company for wacky names with “Don’t Tell Titus“, “Noble Comb“, “Al’s Star Bar” and of course “Fanny’s Ale & Cider House“.
Yes, I had the evil Norwgian keg, but after a consultation on ticking rules with Pubmeister I did succumb to the cask Buxton, which decent enough.
Quite a spacious little bar, with the only other customers hiding about 3 miles away at the back.
The highlight was the apparent Landlord humming to “Sir Duke“; humming to Lee Scratch Perry was more of a challenge.
And the loo art.
Unfortunately someone had to start vigorously nodding their head to the Kings of Leon, didn’t they. always a signal to drink up.
On the way to the Saltaire tick I passed one of the Proper Pubs Shipley used to take pride in, which is all the clue you need to guess which one.
As I approached the Salt CellarI had that felling of deja-vu all over again.
Oh, it’s our old friend the Victoria with a trendy name and a few more beers. Phew.
Very Bradford, with a moderately middle-aged pub crowd, live entertainment, decent cheap Saltaire and a soundtrack that veered wildly from 1985 to 1986;
Higher Love, Walk of Life, Invisible Touch and We Belong.
As you’ll know, Dire Straits is the sign of a Proper Pub, as Duncan and Simon will confirm.
The professional work done, it was time for a bonus. Chinese takeaway and cider at Fanny’s. There’s a song there, somewhere.
They’d even built the New Rainbow Chinese next to Fanny’s, which was considerate.
It’s been out of the Guide since the days when it was a major ale house to rival the Fighting Cocks, so what do you get in 2020.
Well, a sensational mullti-roomer with one of the best pints of Landlord in a while; rich and with bite (NBSS 3.5). The Landlord test passed.
A dozen or so drinkers of all ages spread out sinking foaming pints of White Rat in their Wilco T-shirts.
I went exploring, beyond the gaslit lounge. How did I not know there was an upstairs ?
The sort of post-punk jukebox that Mark Crilley can only dream of. I pretended to play “Life Begins At The Hop” for him,though sadly I was out of 50ps.
Somehow I resisted the Owd Roger.
Did I ****. Grab the chances when they come. Rich, complex, glorious. Just like Fanny’s.
retiredmartin 
“a soundtrack that veered wildly from 1985 to 1986” –It’s lines like this that make this blog so great; Bill Bryson would read this and say to himself “Wish I’d thought of that.”
I’m telling you, I’d bet money 4 out of those 5 XTC songs have never been on an American jukebox ever, and even ‘Life Begins at the Hop’ is a long shot!
LikeLike
Most of this stuff is inspired by Bill. But nicked off BRAPA.
Honestly, I take more notice of the music and the chat than the beer. The music selection tells you 83% of what you need to know about a pub.
I guess now that all music comes from a little Internet box in the cloud, rather than a silver disc, you can theoretically enjoy any obscure B side on any jukebox!
LikeLiked by 2 people
nonsuch
LikeLike
The classical record label?
LikeLike
That juke box! And a decent drop of Landlord! I could stay there all day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your title reminds me of a marvellous Bradford pub, one that opens early for us Pub Men, of which I am told ” Back in the 80s …… the atmosphere was fun (in a sort of laddish way, but it was the 80s) and the beer always good. Sunday lunchtimes was when they used to have strippers in the backroom. There was no modesty about it, there were posters in the pub advertising “Every Sunday lunchtime – Fanny by Gaslight”. I thought it was kinda funny at the time. I believe the gas mantles are still there (not the ladies though) and the pub is still on the NI “.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not the Shoulder of Mutton then?
LikeLike
No, not the Shoulder of Mutton.
LikeLike
I rather thought not 😉
LikeLike
It’s within your £30 budget and I spent the night there between the Leeds and Bradford Proper Days Out in May 2018 which you might have missed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I assumed you meant the venerable Beehive, where I stayed last Summer for £30.
LikeLike
Would that be mutton undressed as lamb? I think the only pub in which I’ve witnessed a stripper was in Bradford.
LikeLike
Yes indeed, the New Beehive which rivals Humphrey’s White Horse as the Jewel in Yorkshire’s Crown.
LikeLike
T’other Mudgie,
But did you actually go to Bradford for the autovacs and curries rather than the strippers ?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m assuming he went, as we all do, to watch back episodes of The Clangers in the National Media Museum.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very nice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stevie Winwood really is quintessential 80s 😀
You now get told off for referring to “Proper Pubs” on Discord, of course 😦
LikeLike
I’m a martyr to the cause.
LikeLike
Yes, you get “there you go again implying that some pubs are not ‘proper pubs’” from one who describes Draught Bass as “brown glop”.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ah, Barnsley Bitter.
I remember an acquaintance from Barnsley, in the 1970s, after the original had disappeared, saying “I don’t know what all t’ cry were about. It were right weak stuff”.
Happy days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There was a huge amount of hype associated with the original Barnsley Bitter. Described as, “the brew that felled the strongest,” it was nothing of the sort. No figures for OG or ABV back then though, which meant the myth could perpetrate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Martin is being provocative of course. He knows I think Dire Staits is a contra-indicator of a good pub and an upfront marker of bland.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have the video of Duncan playing air guitar to Sultans of Swing in the Three Pigeons.
Sealed bids.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Damn. Banged to rights.
LikeLiked by 2 people
This is serious stuff. Why aren’t Durham undergrads researching the proper pub quotient of Chris Rea compared to Chris Martin?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Enjoyed reading this -I do miss Yorkshire pubs -not likely to visit any for a long time -our next jaunt in uk is Northumberland & Newcastle & Lincoln (a little roadtrip ) I’m sure we will find enough to keep us happy though ! Oh I forgot -a week in posh Cornwall next week -sorting out my best pashmina for the occasion
LikeLiked by 1 person
Send pics. Of the pashmina.
Where you headed?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fowey -definitely at the posh part of Cornwall . We have been before so know the score but prepared to push the boat out for Ruby wedding !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many congratulations to you both.
Fowey is lovely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d take X-Ray spex over XTC, generally speaking, but then again I’m more than likely to take White Rat over Owd Rodger nowadays.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Life begins at the hop and neon shuffle are two best XTC songs…by a distance! Proper pubs!! Never lose faith…That Duncan is a stickler for rules 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people