There’s only really two view of Gosport that matter.
The view from the Spinnaker tower;
and of course the view from one of the dozen or so back street green or brown tile boozers.
I didn’t get either on my flying visit, but I’ve still wrung THREE posts out of this trip. Which is top blogging.
Gosport pubs were, coincidentally, in the news that week as a Village Home (Doom Bar) regular reported a positive test. Luckily, it’s not in the GBG, despite sellling Doom Bar.
The High Street is “not without charm“, as I often say when lost for words.
On my sole previous visit I’d caught the Portsmouth ferry at 8pm and stomped through a darkened main drag to the wonderful back streets.
It was no busier at 10.30am on Thursday. Surely the Spoons would be buzzin’ ?
Well, nope.
Very pleasant though. If Spoons staff really hate their employer as much as Beer Twitter tells me then they’re putting on a fine mask. I only stopped for coffee and bacon roll; I’d have used Coffee #1 but there’s no sit-down service yet, so Spoons is stealing a march.
Is Gosport the Andover of the south ? Certainly it looked very under-pubbed. Is that a bad thing ? Discuss.
I walked west, taking in the majestic Cons Club (Fosters),
the dead Royal Arms,
and the futuristic electronics store on Stoke Road.
A quick right turn up Queen’s brings you to the eponymous hotel.
Look at the top photo and see 30 years of GBG entries under the same Landlord, and providing one of my best ever pub experiences a decade ago.
Five minutes away, the Junction looked almost as appealing. You could be in Freemantle (Southampton not Oz). Let’s hope these backstreet boozers get the trade now.
“I must come back here” I thought, perhaps too loudly for the bird that dumped its white/grey load on my well-worn blazer at that moment. Needed to bung it anyway.
retiredmartin 
Coffee number 1 is partially owned by Brains.
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I knew it was at some point. Their breakfast coffee has been a lifesaver in West Wales recently.
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the novelty of pubs reopening has worn off.
now for the shake out of reduced custom.
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Fear not. The CAMRAs will have a load of recommendations for expensive bottled beer to drink at home in your underwear when pubs are all closed.
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I used to assume that when a pub closed it would boost trade for those still open. Sadly I don’t think Under-pubbed = Busier Pubs, it just means you’re somewhere where the pubs are under-customered…
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Lift Your Spoons Vouchers Like Antennas to Heaven!
Or maybe not in this case..
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I tell you….the comments have reached peak RM sophistication since lockdown 🙂
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They are good comments. I have a higher class of readers than anyone except Gene Simmons of Kiss.
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Are the coffee machines in Spoons working (all those germy fingers touching the screens ) or does the coffee get served from behind the bar ?
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Germy machines. I press button with a tissue.
But you get a clean cup at the bar for refulls.
In fairness, Spoons have gone up a notch in cleanliness (just done my 5th in Selby).
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Yes, I heard on Radio 4 that they’ve cleaned some carpets for the first time in forty years !
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You’ll never get let back in Wolves Spoons with that attitude, Paul 😉
Even if it is true.
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Russ wouldn’t be happy with that baguette spelling
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I miss Russ. Hope he’s ok.
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For some reason I have become anonymous!
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You may be many things but never anonymous 😉
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I was your phantom Russ commenter!
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A town under-pubbed? Certainly that must be a bit torturous. Great seaside place nonetheless
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But is a town, such as Hereford or Banbury, with only one pub properly worth going to under-pubbed ?
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That’s a deep question.
The High Street is bereft of pubs, with Spoons the only obvious chain pub.
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Loved this line: “The High Street is “not without charm“, as I often say when lost for words.”
I know there is this idea in some circles that one should never write “not without” when they could just write “with.” But come on, there’s a subtle difference between those two, even if I can’t fully explain what it is! 😉
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Thanks for all the comments, Mark.
I know what I mean ! “Charming /With charm” is entirely positive; “Not without charm” is a way of saying “Don’t say I didn’t warn you ;-0”
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If you don’t mind a bit of pedantry from the pictures on the black van it should be the Falling Acorn Brewery not the Fallen Acorn Brewery.
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