retiredmartin

Day 2 of the Great Northern Campervan Crawl a fortnight ago, and the first of Mrs RM’s stints working in a pub.

Due to some big French IT project (French : “Le IT project”) she’d agreed to work a week of mornings that week, telling Claudes and Jean-Pauls to turn it on and off again in a perfect Tunbridge Wells accent.

At 08:00 I parked up the campervan in Stanhope Green and escorted her the 5 minutes to Darlo’s clubland where WiFi awaited.

Just as the hearse was passing the Spoons.

It could be seen as a portent of doom ahead of the latest Wetherspoons financial results, or the death of cask. Who knows ?

I’d warned Mrs RM that the Tanners Hall was unlikely to be a library, being the more boisterous of the two Timbo Towers in town, though the ’90s style bookshelves suggested otherwise.

Mrs RM found herself a nice alcove to work in, then decided it was too dark and moved to a window seat, leaving me behind to work on my blog for an hour over a full English. That’s the Barton Stacey post, isn’t it ? Feels a lifetime ago.

It feels a lifetime ago that Spoons did those lovely Eggs or Mushroom Benedicts; their breakfast range seems focused on cheap breakfast baps and rock hard hash browns these day.

But their beer is still good enough here for a place in the current Guide.

Some classic reading there, the Italian section of the Football Grounds of Europe is wonderful.

What were the Darlo Old Boys drinking at 09:00 on Monday morning ?

I’d love to tell you it was Black Dragon and Old Peculier, but in reality it was Carling and Cappucino.

I added my vote to the Ale Suggestion Box (top) and went for a wander.

I know I say it every time, but Darlington really is a delight, particularly with its summer pedestrianisation.

It’s the little lanes, or “Yards”, enticing you down to a rejuvenated market place with its bubbling streams,

outdoor greengrocers,

Which other town offers you town centre palm reading, hmm ? I’ll wait.