LET’S GO WALK THE KITE

While I wait for the Tears at 11.30, here’s some pics from my Cambridge walk this morning while I waited for Mrs RM to complete her dental treatment. Did I ever tell you I left it 34 years between dental appointments (1979-2013) ? That was a mistake.

Mrs RM’s dentist is on Newmarket Road, home to the Abbey Stadium, a decreasing number of pubs and the back entrance to the Grafton Centre, cause of the destruction of the Kite 40 years ago.

See if you can work out why it was called the Kite.

The area was very much “Town” to King’s Parade‘s “Gown“, a place where my dad used to deliver flowers and I bought Marvel comics and got my hair cut.

Outside the Grafton in Burleigh Street you can still buy Sci-Fi, spend £25 on a cut, and eat 47 varieties of noodles.

Back in 1983 when the Grafton opened, sounding the death knell for all the town department stores apart from John Lewis, my pub of choice was a Charles Wells brewhouse called the Ancient Druids. (now one of our 322 Chinese restaurants).

My lunchtime drink of choice, chosen to ease the pain of Economics lectures on my Accountancy Day Release course (9am to 9pm) was Snakebite.

It took me till my 20s to graduate to proper beer, at Cambridge classics like the Free Press,

and the Elm Tree.

I strolled across Parkers Piece, admiring the exterior of the eponymous “Tavern” and the tribute to Jack Hobbs.

Under Lockdown there’s nowhere to hide from the cold, so I just kept walking while Mrs RM’s appointment was delayed. And delayed.

Back on the edge of the Kite, take time to admire the Fire Station, whose style gives a nod to Peckham’s “Library”.

A style rather lacking from the two pubs across from Anglia Ruskin “University”.

But frankly, a pint of Everard Original in the Tram Depot would do me right now. I just don’t fancy having to add a burger and chips to the order.

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.

25 thoughts on “LET’S GO WALK THE KITE”

  3. Ah, burger and chips, that staple of a sit down meal, can be found almost everywhere these days.

    Yet when hamburgers started out, their standing was pretty well equal to that of the hot dog, surely?

    So how come the poor old hot dog hasn’t been gentrified to the same degree? You know, it could come multi-layered with a choice of artisan sausage, and, of course, some sort of harpoon through it, nominally to hold it together while you figure out how to approach it with a knife and fork.

    I think that it’s discrimination.

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    1. Hot dogs have been gentrified. In Bristol, you’ve been able to get hot dogs exactly as you described for at least ten years. Much loved in the hipster fraternity. Do keep up!

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      5. Martin,
        The Bakers Vaults hasn’t been as good since it stopped being the George and dragon as I’m sure t’other Mudgie will confirm.
        That makes me think that there won’t be many pints of Old Tom served anywhere this winter.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. “Did I ever tell you I left it 34 years between dental appointments (1979-2013) ? That was a mistake.”

    You’re just helping to perpetuate the meme that British have bad teeth. 😉

    “See if you can work out why it was called the Kite.”

    I see a large eraser. 🙂

    “and I bought Marvel comics and got my hair cut.”

    Probably reading said comic that you just bought.

    “(now one of our 322 Chinese restaurants).”

    But what about all of the curry places?

    “My lunchtime drink of choice, chosen to ease the pain of Economics lectures on my Accountancy Day Release course (9am to 9pm) was Snakebite.”

    Ah… Guinness and cider.

    “and the Elm Tree.”

    Hopefully it doesn’t interfere with the grounds for the Cricketers round the corner. 😉

    “take time to admire the Fire Station, whose style gives a nod to Peckham’s “Library”.”

    What the bleeding heck?

    “But frankly, a pint of Everard Original in the Tram Depot would do me right now. I just don’t fancy having to add a burger and chips to the order.”

    Yes but, like the apple a day thingy, burgers and chips keep the Covid away! 🙂

    Cheers

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    1. Burger and chips and a pint guaranteed to protect you from Covid.

      Cambridge used to have a dozen or more curry places but that’s halved.

      There’s a dozen family Chinese places catering for University students, locals and visitors on the walk from station to town.

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      1. Smoking is guaranteed to protect you from Covid.
        There’s more evidence of that than that pubs are more dangerous than schools, ‘supermarkets’ and gyms.

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