It’s great to see the vaccine roll-out proceeding at pace. Both our sets of parents will have had both Pfizer jabs by the end of today, allowing them to restart the full range of exciting activities open to octogenarians in Waterbeach and Tunbridge Wells.
I haven’t received my Sputnik jab in the post from Sergei yet but the sorting office in Sheffield seems a bit overwhelmed.
The vaccine may reach the pub-ticking codgers by “Spring“, whenever that is, and any pubs left re-opening in May, we now read. Whoopie-do. What will I blog about for 4 months ?
Duncan is still sending in field reports from December, and in tidying my cache of photos from the time of our house move last month I realised I’d missed one last pint before the switch to Tier 3 (which we almost remember fondly right now).
Not even a new tick, and definitely not a classic, but the Admiral Wells in Holme does have ONE significant feature.
It’s the lowest pub in England; nine feet below sea level. Take that, Tan Hill Inn !
I delightedly told BRAPA this factoid as I drove him from Ramsey to Yatton on the famous Fenside Five Six in 2019, assuming our top pub man would be fascinated in the GBG history of a top tick.
“Need to wee” said Si.
Actually, the Admiral had, without fanfare or national protest, just dropped out of the Guide, so Simon has never been.
I’d forgotten it completely, 20 years on.
It’s a pleasant 3-roomer, the only pub in a village of 636, but gentlefolk obviously come here from as far away as up the road, as it was quite busy on a weekday. Everywhere else I’d been to in that week of substantial meals and Tier 2 envy had been deserted.
The nice lady found us an alcove next to the fire, well out of sight of the regulars, where we could sing along with “Lonely this Christmas” without stares.
But at least I could see the Bass stamp print, which wouldn’t fit in my bag, and the 1980s football team photo (best result : 5-1 v Yaxley “B”).
Service was cheery but formal, which I guess is what Covid does to you.
They wouldn’t take our food orders till we’d chosen our drinks, and as it took 10 minutes to visit the one-in, one-out loo and Mrs RM never orders on my behalf it took 20 minutes to get a foamy pint of Adnams Bitter.
Honestly. There seemed to be a designated “Drinks waitress” as the beer was perched on the bar (and we obviously couldn’t fetch it ourselves or we’d be shot), and the “Food waitress” walked past them 3 times while we mouthed “Excuse me” in that English way.
Despite the sign, the Digfield was off, so actually Mrs RM had really had a Hobsons Choice (not the beer) and could have ordered a fortnight ago. One pump pubs are great, aren’t they ?
Let’s not complain. Both the Adnams (NBSS 3.5) and the Chicken & Leek Pie with individually matched gravy boats were superb.
And I loved it all, despite the old-fashioned service and the waits and the sense of loss that I couldn’t see the Old Boys having a fag outside.
The Landlord popped over to say hello and I told him his beer was good and he seemed pleased. And then a fortnight later it was all over. Even in Holme.
retiredmartin 
Hope people didn’t read that title as my last pint EVER.
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That did cross my mind when I saw it! I was wondering what sort of conversion you had undergone.
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Nearly three months since I had a pint of cask. Anarchy Blonde Star in the Tyne Bar if you’re interested. God, I miss the place but I keep in touch with some of the staff which takes the sting away a bit, and the owner is looking after them properly which is a comfort, not least to them. Here’s to vaccinations getting the country back on its feet.
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Always interested in detail, Adrian, you can’t beat detail.
Oddly, the Tyne is one of the few pubs round there I haven’t been to. Did it use to be the Ship Tavern ? (confusing as there’s another Ship just up the valley).
Here’s to vacs.
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It was indeed the Ship until Fred reopened it in 1994. He also used to have the long gone and sadly missed Egypt Cottage which was next to the Tyne Tees TV studios which was a fantastic pub, livened up on Fridays after The Tube by being filled up by the bands who back in those days just mixed with the usual punters. When I was a yoof I ended up one night drinking with Lemmy, Iggy Pop and Boy George.
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Lemmy – Jack D, Iggy – Babycham, Boy George – Castle Eden, I guess (or was Workie Ticket about then ?).
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Long before Workie Ticket! Big Lamp was the only micro around here in those days. The Egypt was a former Newcastle Breweries pub but ended up as a free house. I don’t remember it selling cask.
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I thought Workie won national beer of the year in 97 so must have been kicking round in mid 90s. Great beer.
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I did!!
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It’s called clickbait. That and the Bass stamp !
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By the time pubs reopen we’ll be back in the EU with a new deal that insists on litre serve, so probably your last pint yes…
This second lockout is ‘much-much’ worse isn’t it!
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You’re so right, Mark.
In March I was scared (I was petrified, as Gloria sang) and pubs were the last things on my mind. After pubs re-opened, and the virus seemingly withered away, I never dreamed we’d be back even worse than before for a further 6 month period while the Aussies, Kiwis and North Koreans sipped Bass in their backstreet boozers.
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Yes, I suppose that we English go through long periods of expecting to be as good at sport as the Southern Hemisphere is, but without actually putting in the training and lifestyle discipline too.
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Effort ? Ugh !
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This is for all of us
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Good pub. A useful lunch stop for us on the drive from Kent to Berwick, en route to Scotland. Not in 2020 though.
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Interesting, not an obvious stop but easy to access off the A1 and if you leave Kent at 10ish you’d pass by at lunchtime, I guess. After that I’d have probably recommended the Blue Cow in Witham.
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Been there too!
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“It’s the lowest pub in England; nine feet below sea level” – so undoubtedly Britain’s best pub for an uphill walk home to burn off the calories. .
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If you start in the Wash at King’s Lynn, yes.
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There’s that cereal grower right next to the pub isn’t there?
He called his smallholding “Sarcasm” – it’s the lowest farm of wheat.
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“It’s great to see the vaccine roll-out proceeding at pace.”
Blimey. Do you have to have a substantial meal in order to get the vaccine now as well?
“What will I blog about for 4 months ?”
Once my man shed/pub is (finally!) finished, you could take up a whole post with that. 😉
“It’s the lowest pub in England; nine feet below sea level.”
Six feet under would’ve been better. Just think of all the grave jokes going to waste.
““Need to wee” said Si.”
Pfft. That’s akin to saying the sky is blue.
“where we could sing along with “Lonely this Christmas” without stares.”
I thought you didn’t ‘do’ Christmas. 🙂
“Service was cheery but formal, which I guess is what Covid does to you.”
That’s why I try to be taciturn and informal… keeps the Covid away (as good as not going out after 10pm at least!).
“and Mrs RM never orders on my behalf ”
Aha! I thought that was here in the photo of the fireplace.
“and the “Food waitress” walked past them 3 times while we mouthed “Excuse me” in that English way.”
Ugh. Shades of some of the bars over here alas. 😦
” One pump pubs are great, aren’t they ?”
Like almost everything… within reason.
“Let’s not complain. ”
Especially considering what you’re going thru now!
“And then a fortnight later it was all over.”
It’s never over! At least, forever. Keep the faith my good man!
Cheers
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I “Do” Christmas in a classy, ironic way, Russ.
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