retiredmartin

Mrs RM wanted a beer on the way home; she is SO demanding.

So I took the high road, the M62, the highest motorway in England, and the views across to Halifax were glorious. Sadly, taking photos while driving remains an offence under UK law.

A first visit to Elland (pop.11,676), the “spinster of Calderdale” (the TIC can use that if they want), for more than a decade. Readers may not believe this, but back in the 2000s nearby Halifax and Hebden weren’t the hotbeds of hipster they are now, and Elland was a highly respected stop on the Pub Man trail.

Today it brings us back for a craft bar. Will it be another Morley ?

First impressions; a homely place, bench seating and those cushions Mudgie loves, but the perspex barricades !

There’s a half dozen in on Sunday afternoon, though that number doubles while we’re there.

The landlord is a bundle of energy.

“Do you have the App or can I take your details ?“

“Oh, we’ve checked in on the App“

“But now I won’t know your names !”

And he WANTS to know our names, as he introduces himself and then finds time to chat between welcoming the gentlefolk at the door and collecting glasses.

We talk vaccinations. “But you’re too young to be jabbed, surely ?” he tells Mrs RM, who blushes (it’s the beer).

It’s charm itself, we’re blown away by the friendliness, and the beer from Elland (“You have to when you’re in Elland, don’t you ?”) is lovely as well. He’s desperate to get rid of the barricades when social distancing ends.

It’s the sort of pub you’d bring your in-laws to, except they come themselves and get treated like royalty by this charmer.

Having been in a fair number of micropubs where I’m ignored, told off for only having a quick half, and get a grunt from a local when I ask to share the edge of his high table, this was a joy of a public house.

With a spring in our step, we headed off to the cinema…