retiredmartin

Culture you say ? retiredmartin has culture.

Even in the vast wilderness between Rotherham, Worksop and Doncaster.

There’s practically ZERO new GBG ticks within 90 minutes of me now, so I’m exploring the local(ish) area. I hadn’t been to Firbeck since that Spring of 2001 when I brought Sis and my (then) brother-in-law up to Worksop Travelodge for a weekend of exotic exploration.

We were surprised to find villages called Laughton-en-le-Morthen just off the A57, and the Black Lion was as smart as anything in South Cambs, even if it did serve a (top class) John Smiths Magnet, possibly my last ever pint of that much missed brew.

Look ! The blue skies followed us to Firbeck.

But sadly no-one else followed us into the Black Lion.

But somehow all the tables had “Reserved” signs on them at 13:00 (don’t get me started on that).

“Everyone comes in later” said the charming staff. I looked doubtful, but took the seat by the fire.

and the “improving” books.

Blimey, Firbeck is/was very posh.

Mrs RM and I were after some “proper unfancy food”, not fine dining, not ping.

The first thing on the Black Lion’s menu was their “Famous traditional shortcrust steak and ale pie“.

You must always choose the item marked “famous” on the menu; it’s the law.

Blimey, it was good. At £15.50 in South Yorkshire, it should be, I guess, but you don’t get that quality in Brunning & Pricey these days.

Good reading material, that gorgeous smell of crackling fire, a Motown soundtrack,

and a decent pint of Landlord (NBSS 3) though the head died quickly and it wasn’t a patch on that Magnet of old.

I apologised to the staff that I’d taken so long to finish, a good half hour.

“No, that’s a normal time to finish it !” she said. I bet if I’d finished it in ten minutes I’d have won another one.

Then, just as I was bemoaning the death of lunchtime dining, as well as drinking, the groups of gentlefolk started to stream in close to 2pm. Are folk waiting for a “quieter time” to go to the pub ? Were they just waiting for me to leave ?

I have no idea. What I CAN now tell you is that Walt Whitman invested hipsterbeards, so you know something you didn’t know 10 minutes ago, at least.