GLOUCESTERSHIRE HAS FALLEN – A CHARFIELD CRACKER

I like to imagine my readers in their condominiums (nothing to do with prophylactics, apparently), following my progress round the UK on giant maps or Google Street View, perhaps mirroring my mileage on their exercise bikes.

Here’s on Journey to Glory (random Spandau Ballet reference for Mark C) completing Gloucestershire.

Charfield , tucked in the plain bit between Stroud and Brizzle, is a typically average place to finish an average county, and as Bristol City fans will know there’s nothing wrong with being average. I was here five years ago for the Pear Tree, a micro still waiting for the end of Covid before it re-opens, with opens the door for another, er, micro.

Mrs RM could sense my excitement as I approached another county completion, or was it the sexy tractor or Hancock’s sign ?

Nope, definitely that nervousness that always comes before your feet actually cross the threshold and you know there’s not a private party or the pub is closing at 17:15 today.

The Plough is an odd ‘un, self-styled micro but somehow carries off a healthy “lager-in-the-garden” trade, a pizza trade and an “old boys discussing the England opener by the fire” trade.

They were there, and then they went.

Yes, it’s a quirky, welcoming place, with a classy soundtrack typified by Louis,

and some genteel Gents humour.

Mrs RM loved it too, especially the Gnu, and the only thing against it was a fairly average Bath Ales. If they could just add Bass they’d have a real Star.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

11 thoughts on “GLOUCESTERSHIRE HAS FALLEN – A CHARFIELD CRACKER”

  1. Yes nothing wrong with being average 😉 Although we still have the memories of that Carabao Cup quarter final win over the other Manchester team a few years ago! I’ve still not been to the Plough and I hear that the Pear Tree may not reopen at all.

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  2. I usually get distracted by Old Spot at Dursley and Fleece at Hillesley when I’m out that way, but I must give the Plough a try next time.

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  3. The Plough is good but I don’t understand why either pub describes themselves as ‘micro’. The Pear Tree is more understandable as it is half the pub it once was. I would rank Gloucestershire as distinctly ‘above average’ excluding their football teams of course.

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      3. Definitely above average for pubs if you use GBG definition – “Gloucestershire & Bristol”. Still average for football though 😉

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  4. Looks a bit big to be a real micro from the photos. Is the tractor to pull in visiting MP’s? The photo on the front of the old farming times could easily be illustrating a ‘welcome’ to Cornwall poster put up by the locals..

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