More North Herts hops, as I take a leisurely walk from Letchworth station to Baldock while James attempts to complete the “55 roundabouts in 90 minutes” challenge.
If he fails a 3rd driving test (I took 5) back here in October he’ll have to retake it on the slopes of Sheffield in winter. No pressure.
No slopes in Letchworth, but some beautifully complex footpaths from Norton (one pub, Doom Bar & Harvey’s) over the A1 to the Orange Tree.
First visit for a decade, when it became one of those classic East Angular Greene King pubs with loads of guest beers and single-handedly dominated sleepy Baldock’s GBG entries (till this year).
Loads of cars at 2pm on Friday, but seemingly no way in. Ooh, portaloos !
Is that a new micro pub ?
No, it’s outdoor drinking only at this rambling old pub, with sales from the hatch.
Well, what would you choose ? P*** P**t**.
I ask the Landlord if they’ll be opening inside.
“Monday” he tells me. “Thanks to Boris’s new rules“.
Oh, the new rules that are apparently the end of the world. Apparently there’s an upside the BBC completely missed.
So there you go, pub crawls with five mates possible from Monday, if you’ve got mates (does a stuffed animal or vegetable count ?).
Out in the garden with my decent enough Titanic (NBSS 3), I counted a good two dozen 40-something folk starting their weekend early. I guess they’ll all be heading inside in 2 days time. If that’s the pattern elsewhere, perhaps community pubs can last till Christmas.
Not being a party animal myself (don’t look shocked), I’d rather underestimated the appeal of the garden/house party to the UK middle classes.
Actually, I quite liked the outdoor area, replete with bus seats and live music area and barbecue and a soundtrack of Duran Duran, Neneh Cherry and Altered Images.
So, if you like classic English ales to a backdrop of “The Reflex” and “Buffalo Stance“, get here now. They’re probably going to play Dire Straits inside.
retiredmartin 
“replete with bus seats” but not bumpy bus seats – what a good idea.
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Ah, you’ve been on those Isle of Wight buses too ?
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I haven’t read Borats new rules yet, does this mean six people can play on Robs Daddlums Table now?
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“Well, what would you choose ?”
Certainly not ” P*** P**t**.”
Probably Brewsters Hophead.
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Excellent guess. Hope you enjoyed seeing me drink Doom Bar last night.
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Yes it’s not a myth after all.
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The decent GK Mild was a regular there, I wonder if anywhere’s still selling it at the moment.
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I plan to visit the Free Press in Cambridge soon to see if it’s on.
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Not seen it anywhere since last February.
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“…if you’ve got mates (does a stuffed animal or vegetable count ?)”
Only if they buy when it’s their round.
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Excellent point, Dan.
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Is music now allowed to be played at an audible level indoors? Or is it still taboo, like commentary on football matches.
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Never been banned in England. I’ve been in one or two pubs where it’s been turned up to a level where conversation is difficult.
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Got some Barry White action going on in The
Wonston Arms right now, can hardly hear it,
good or bad?
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Music you can’t really hear is worse than either no music or music at decent volume. Even worse is speech radio played sotto voce.
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“Got some Barry White action going on in The Wonston Arms right now”
Are you inferring snuggling in someone’s nook and/or cranny? 😉
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You can play music but it can’t have the words “Let’s get jiggy jiggy” in it, apparently.
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What about jiggery pokery?
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Poker banned, but dominoes OK.
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The bus seats remind me of the legendary Hop Pole at Risbury in Herefordshire.
Has the BBC ever seen the upside of anything?
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No, our politics are different but I hope we can unite in our contempt for the lazy, “gotcha” reporting of the BBC.
Scrap the licence fee, and let the overpaid managers and hangers-on (paid vastly more than the PM and Mr Cummings) compete in the free market.
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TBH You do a good job of taking the piss out of authority and self-righteousness of all shades 😀
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Don’t remember the bus seats, but I visited in 1997 not long before it closed and it was one of the saddest sights in any pub I’ve been too.
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https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/9162172.arrests-made-10-yrs-after-death/
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The Anchor at Anchor has a similar feel, as BRAPA will confirm.
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I’m not sure if I know “The Anchor at Anchor”
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A singular pub on the England/Wales pub. Made the Beer Guide in 2016. Unbelievably scruffy.
https://retiredmartin.com/2016/07/27/and-no-more-will-i-hanker-for-the-anchor-anchor/
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Thanks.
No, I don’t know it.
Must be a bit like that other place near the border named after a pub, Craven Arms.
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T’other Mudgie,
It’s twenty years now since the legendary Hop Pole at Risbury closed, and in tragic circumstances.
The bus seats remind me of the dreadful Pacer trains.
It’s seven months until I’m due a bus pass. Eccleshall and Leek are the only places I’ve thought of going to on it.
ALL big national bodies have more than their fair share of “overpaid managers and hangers-on” but I’m NOT going to be drawn into discussing politics on here.
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T’other Paul, seven months for me too!
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T’other Paul.
Yes, I thought you were the same age as me
25th ?
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“No pressure.”
Eek! Have him start practising ‘donuts’ in empty Tesco parking lots. 😉
“but some beautifully complex footpaths”
The map shows arrows indicating entry/exit points. Are all of the paths fenced in then along the way?
“Loads of cars at 2pm on Friday, but seemingly no way in. ”
Look for the arrows. 🙂
“Ooh, portaloos !”
Apparently in San Francisco, every street is a portaloo!
“P*** P**t**.”
Took me a second but… got it!
(had to stop thinking of rude 4 letter words for P***) 🙂
“Apparently there’s an upside the BBC completely missed.”
LOL. Well done them! 🙂
“(does a stuffed animal or vegetable count ?)”
People sometimes remark that it looks like a have a rather large vegetable stuffed down my pants. Does that count? 😉
“Actually, I quite liked the outdoor area,”
Slightly off topic but I’ve been rediscovering my outdoor area (i.e. back yard) this summer. Apparently that is one reason my wife thinks we should build a shed/pub thingy for me.
“They’re probably going to play Dire Straits inside.”
That would certainly fit the mood (*cough* Dire Straights). 🙂
Cheers!
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“Rediscovering my backdoor area” “Large vegetable stuffed down my pants”. Do you realise how this reads !
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I didn’t say backdoor. 😉
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Remember, the potato goes down the front of the pants.
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“Remember, the potato goes down the front of the pants.”
Should that be two potatoes if we’re talking “meat and two veg”. 😉
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Not many bloggers could reel off Duran Duran, Altered Images and Neneh Cherry…are the songs getting louder or still background?
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They were a decent level but it was outside. Does Duran Duran kill Covid at 96 decibels ?
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