retiredmartin

I had two hours to kill in Darlington. There’s a railway museum just north of town that would interest some of you, but sadly the gallery celebrating the town’s football team (“QuakerShaker”) is still at the business case stage.

And Aruba awaits development as a cat cafe.

So I thought I’d better revisit an old favourite in a town with a stellar history of unusual Guide entries.

Almost EVERY sort of club has made the GBG, bar the Quoits (but give them time),

and us tickers fondly remember the year or two Binns bottle shop made the Guide selling cans of McEwans (possibly, it was 1997, long time ago).

Darlo was still busy as 2.30 came and went, so I followed the crowds to the Tapas bar, tucked between the new Guide rock pub and the Craft Union. A trio of pubs to not quite match those 3 in Manchester.

The Tapas Bar is a proper slice of the continent (wherever that is) upstairs,

but downstairs you can sit at the bar with a pint of Landlord or Ghost Ship or similar exotica. They used to be one of the few places doing that Theakston Cool Cask that was so successful (?) 15 years ago.

The Tim Taylors was flat but very tasty (NBSS 3+), DESPITE the horrific handle.

Sadly this menu seems to date from our visit 17 years ago (did they really have internet in Darlo in 2004 ?), but the contents are the same if not the prices.

Being very dull, I had the “platter”, which was well done but perhaps I could have done myself if there’s been a Booths nearby.

As so often, the stars are the lovely young staff, who even brought the bill quickly.

If you want to experience the real Darlington and hear “Let It Be” on flamenco guitar, I suggest you come here immediately.