TIME FOR BASS AT THE GREAT WESTERN

I ended the night in Exeter, a huge disappointment as usual.

Actually, it’s not THAT bad, but their little team of clodhoppers defeated Cambridge United in the Conference play-offs in 2008 and I still haven’t forgiven them.

The GBG listed FOUR new pubs for me to visit, which would have got my Devon To Do list below 30.

But the basic one near St James Park was closed on a Monday, and BOTH crafty micros had closed forever. Which is unfortunate.

Which left the Great Western Hotel.

Now, I was confused, as I thought I’d done a famed, grand pub near St David’s Station before. At least once. But that was the Imperial.

How had I missed this Bass stronghold ?

Who knows ? It hadn’t been a regular in the GBG for a while, so perhaps the Bass would be rubbish.

Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding out for a hero” greeted your ticking hero and I was immediately reassured, though I KNEW I’d be bashing into perspex shortly.

Perspex apart, a gorgeous refurbishment job by the look of it, leaving a gentleman’s club feel sadly spoiled by the presence of the hoi polloi like me.

Three friends, fresh off the train, talked about Stalin and the spheres of influence. Had they seen Joseph’s cover of Video Killed the Radio Star, I now wonder.

Intelligent political discourse; you don’t get that in the Conservative Club.

No Buggles, but a beautifully served malty Bass (NBSS 3+). Not a Top 20 Bass, but one that BeerMat would approve of in contrast to that flat stuff I rave about.

So, one still to do in Exeter (Bowling Green from memory); will I be able to resist a return visit then ?

No.

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

14 thoughts on “TIME FOR BASS AT THE GREAT WESTERN”

  2. Don’t be fooled by the date stamp, I only published that post a few minutes, not 3 hours ago, an oddity of publishing on the phone.

    But congrats on being first.

    I think Stafford Paul will have some views on this one 😉

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    1. Yes, I’ve always liked that Great Western though I might not have used it since the AGM was in Exeter seventeen years ago,
      Did it remind you of Wolverhampton, a great Great Western just by the railway station ?

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    1. Is Ex-er-er how they talk down there, or are you picking me up on another hidden typo?

      Yeah, bunch of thugs. Like Burton they got a draw against Trafford United in the cup, didn’t they?

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  5. Ooh, I’ve been to that one in the previous millennium! Looks like it’s had a bit of a refurb and so has lost some of its previous charming seediness. I remember an impressive pile of miscellaneous reading matter.

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  6. I think we stayed there a few years ago -it was rather tatty then -i like Exeter & the Spoons is a gem -although a bit untidy in a typical Spoons way when we visited

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    1. I though of staying at the Great Western in 2003 but it was too expensive so I used the Youth Hostel, between the Double Locks and Topsham if I remember correctly.
      Exeter is of course best known as being where Tim lives.

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  7. “but their little team of clodhoppers defeated Cambridge United in the Conference play-offs in 2008 and I still haven’t forgiven them.”

    Good heavens! Wars have started over less.

    “Which is unfortunate.”

    Crickey.

    “How had I missed this Bass stronghold ?”

    Crickey!

    “Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding out for a hero” greeted your ticking hero”

    (slow golf clap)

    “though I KNEW I’d be bashing into perspex shortly.”

    Sneeze guards have come a long way from mere buffets.

    “spoiled by the presence of the hoi polloi like me.”

    Minor nit (from me, go figure!) but you don’t need ‘the’ in front of hoi polloi as the definition is ‘the many’. 😉

    “you don’t get that in the Conservative Club.”

    In these days you’re not likely to get it anywhere politicians meet!

    “No.”

    Heh.

    Cheers

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