Guess where this is? Oh, go on. Go on. Go on. Etc etc. Yes, Cambridge on a beautiful Wednesday in September. Hardly packed, with the lovely Japanese and Chinese visitors who make up half our tourists still notable by their absence. Mainly the Italians, all queueing politely for the authentic sourdough pizza from the Hatch… Continue reading THE ITALIANS ARE BACK
Month: September 2020
TRAVELLING WILBURY
Early on in this blogging lark I realised I could get away with any old rubbish as long as I stuck a pub at the end. This post will test that theory. Being a good dad with an ulterior motive (always the best kind) I’ve been taking James to some intensive driving lessons in Letchworth… Continue reading TRAVELLING WILBURY
POUNDBURY – (DON’T) PASS THE DUCHY
You’ll remember (even if I don’t) my failed attempt to tick the Duchess of Cornwall last week, when I made the silly mistake of thinking you could get a half pint of beer without a table reservation via one’s butler. Well, I don’t give up, and my butler phoned on the Sunday to book a… Continue reading POUNDBURY – (DON’T) PASS THE DUCHY
TWO SPOONS ON MONDAY
A great pub runs on Dire Straits and mobility scooters, a great retiredmartin post runs on questionable ’80s pop inserted for the benefit of Mr Crilley. That’s THIS Monday just gone. I seem to be catching up. Awoken by joggers (!) at 7, I left Baa Baa Toure to guard the campervan on Teignmouth Prom… Continue reading TWO SPOONS ON MONDAY
SHALDON SHILLY SHALLY
A year or so ago I’d never heard of Shaldon, now I’ve been to 2 of its pubs and the Conservative Club. 20 minutes over the Teign bridge from the promenade, 20 minutes that tempts you with the Blue Anchor, and this mystery pub; I’ll get the tick over the river and then head back… Continue reading SHALDON SHILLY SHALLY
A DAWLISH DAWDLE
I have the inside of a Proper Pub for you ! Next stop, Dawlish, another Devonian stop on my 1998 megatrip. This seagull had been waiting for my return. Dawlish, not to be confused with Dawlish Warren (named after the duff Martin Clunes comedy), is a quaint fishing village-turned-gentle seaside resort*. Gentle, except for scary… Continue reading A DAWLISH DAWDLE
THE ENGLISH RIVIERA
Sunday the 6th September, and Summer still in full swing in the English Riviera, its coastal railway unusually intact. I parked up along the Prom at Teignmouth, another free night putting back a saving of at least £40 into my complex DCF calculation that justifies the campervan. Baa Baa Toure felt the view was a… Continue reading THE ENGLISH RIVIERA
RULES, RULES, RULES
This next post is a bit of a contractual obligation under my lucrative and top secret sponsorship deal with Doom Bar, which roughly translates to one Manchester City goal on Sky for every half point of NBSS above 3.0. The Maypole in Thurloxon, which Taunton and Bridgwater can fight over, managed a 3.5 Doom Bar.… Continue reading RULES, RULES, RULES
PORTISHEAD GOES POSH
Let me be brutally honest. I always assumed Portishead was a dump. Why else would Sir Quinno have left it for Reading ? Apart from Quinno, the town is best known as the birthplace of leading Scrumpy and Western singer Adge Cutler., and for being one of the larger UK towns without a railway station. If you look… Continue reading PORTISHEAD GOES POSH
PIPER AT THE GATES OF DOOM
You remember that period of our lives when we couldn’t go to pubs ? When I had to visit Kettering and take pictures of death and decay ? Well, I went back, didn’t I ? Someone has to. The town declared its status as a Covid hotspot as you entered the (imaginary) gates, echoing the… Continue reading PIPER AT THE GATES OF DOOM
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