26th February 2020
You wait nearly eight hours (hours !) for a blogpost from retiredmartin, then you get three before tea-time.
I’ve trying to up with the blog before I give you the February highlights (Spoiler : only 43 pubs in a leap year), and here I am writing about a pub I didn’t even go in.
But if I don’t whine about closed pubs, who will ? Oh, him.
The Inn at Freshford looked a corker, in the picturesque valley between Bath and Bradford on Avon, two minutes from a railway station, local beer from Box Steam, tables with wine glasses and serviettes…
And an 11am opener, perfect.
There was even a huddle of Old Boys, ready at the door to makes sure my half wasn’t the first one pulled.
The clock ticked to 11:02, nothing stirred. No lights, no table reservations, no phones ringing to book tables for Mr & Mrs Hetherstone at 13:15.
“Should it be open ?” I asked the chattiest of the group, all of whom had OS maps in plastic wallets round their necks.
“Oh yes, I phoned them up before we set off. They SAID they’d be open”.
Hmmm.
No opening times on the door, of course. That’s SO 1990s.
I re-checked the usual interweb sources.
We waited till 11:15. There was nothing happening. So we said our goodbyes. “I expect this sort of thing from micropubs” I said, unhelpfully.
“But they SAID they’d be open !” he repeated.
Obviously, if something tragic had happened that prevented opening or a note on social media, I apologise.
Say what you’ll do, and do what you say. That’s all.
retiredmartin 
That link was well sourced, I had forgotten all about it. This particular non-opening seems odd though given locals were expecting it to open. Maybe something unanticipated but frustrating nonetheless. Don’t lose faith!
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Didn’t impact me, but the 6 ramblers weren’t impressed.
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As Martin says, they were ramblers, not locals or regulars.
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Ramblers with their own sandwiches and asking for a glass of water so of no use to a pub.
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The first few seconds of this film shows you what to do in that event, Martin
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Although whilst sorely tempted I’m not sure our intrepid pub explorer Martin, would stoop to such lengths.
Wooden casks as well, being unloaded from that Wethered’s dray.
Classic Vivian Stanshall, thanks for posting, Etu.
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You’ve sharp eyes, Paul.
I was trying to make out the name of the brewery but couldn’t, so thanks for that!
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I’ve had a right run of disappointments this past week. A really nice village pub that no longer has its skittles table, a walk into town for a pub that still has its table but is basically a bistro-style townie bar not worth photographing. Todays first choice, the Railway at Countesthorpe, not open at 12.15 on a Saturday despite all the evidence suggesting it should be. The otherwise interesting 1852 in Wigston had put its skittles table away for the end of season. Fifth pub, finally lucky.
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The Railway is worth persevering with !
https://retiredmartin.com/2019/01/04/the-only-way-to-end-2018/
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I’ve not seen that before, road signs reminding one of the year on entering a village.
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1920.
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Lovely opening photo. Probably a more interesting blog post than had you gone in, having said that I only spent 5 minutes in there.
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I’ll be back soon enough to bring you a comprehensive report, Leon.
The area is great for walking if the ground ever dries 😉
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