Nine days to go and counting until life returns. I’m positive, even if I’ve yet to find a single person on CAMRA Discourse who intends to be in a pub on the 4th. They’re all too busy staying at home, saving pubs by slagging off Wetherspoons.
My latest jaunt into the modest charms of the Cambridgeshire Fens last night took me to the door of a gorgeous looking village pub and my 3rd Swaffham in a week.
Another great village sign for Mark. I now know they were bought as a job lot from an industrial estate in Wrexham (Bass joke).
You don’t need the map or the Wiki page; the sign tells you it all. Two churches on the same hill,
a windmill, a water tower, and wheat fields that stretch for miles.
Actually, there’s TWO windmills, one of them clearly the stand-in in case that one in Buckinghamshire that got the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang gig got ill.
But the sign misses the famous puppy biscuits sign,
and the exciting stretch of the Devil’s Ditch where in 2010 I was rammed by a ram after saying “shoo” because Mrs RM was scared of some sheep. It hurt for days.
I walked for a couple of miles till I was attacked again, this time by a laser beam from the sun, as you can see in this photo.
One of the few bits of Cambridgeshire with any height, and even then it’s not taking you anywhere more exciting than Newmarket Racecourse.
But the area has some nice springy footpaths, and some excellent curtain twitching in the heart of the village, which is of course completely deserted.
841* people share the Red Lion, the only Bateman’s pub I can think of for miles and miles.
Some pubs have looked a little forlorn on my trips, but the Red Lion looks ready to roar back next Saturday.
NB If you were wondering, Nanna Mexico isn’t a Latin folkie or a drugs drop, it’s a burrito van.
*Only 15 people more than detested neighbour Swaffham Bulbeck, fact fans
retiredmartin 
Loved the “Spratt’s Ovals” sign. Had never heard of them until now– is the name still recognized in England today? I reckon some early 20th century ad man felt very pleased with himself, coming up with that slogan.
Thanks for the photo of the village sign. I’ve graduated from having just one thing I’m likely to be associated with in this comments section (80s pop music) to now having two. 😉
I’ll bet Cathy Price was well pleased with that particular Red Lion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never heard of them, which makes me think that’s an original sign rather than one of the copied signs you find in homewares stores.
If you go a pub on the 4th July you’ll be my only reader who does and I can associate that with you. Wear full body armour.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I won’t be in a pub on the 4th because they don’t open up here until the 15th. No cask to celebrate with either. However, that pint of Tennent’s is assuming an Ice Cold in Alex type of allure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s discrimination, Bill.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spare a thought for the poor people of Wales who are deprived of their pubs indefinately
LikeLiked by 2 people
– as if every day’s a Sunday.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Great point re July 4. I’m definitely going as I like being in pubs. Yes Tim was a tool re: staff and all things general but boycotting pubs mean even more close. Seems a strange logic to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with you re: Spoons. My understanding is that he complied with the rules re: furlough, but didn’t pay some suppliers which ultimately is just as bad. My first pub visit on July 4th will almost certainly be a Spoons at 9am.
LikeLike
I think mine will be milking parlour the new tollgate tap!! Same concept re Branson and his company…if you boycott everything people lose jobs
LikeLiked by 1 person