retiredmartin

16th January 2023.

“Sadly, after Retired Martin completed the Beer Guide, he rather lost the plot. Some days he stayed at home, he started mumbling about revisiting Maidenhead, and then he began to tick ALL THE PUBS IN GRANTHAM”.

And why not. Grantham is as good, or bad, as anywhere. I can even park our campervan in one of those big yellow pits at the foot of the photo showing the new southern relief road, which had been exciting us Great North Road completists this last year.

The new road (Tollemarche Rd North ?) connecting the A1 to an unbuilt retail park only opened this year, but I’d never seen ANYONE on it, so I’m claiming to be the first, rather like Scott of the Antarctic.

Scott failed to tick that micro at Hut Point, and I wondered if the White Lion would feel any warmer.

It really did, in all senses.

Five letting rooms if you need one, apparently; £50 each isn’t bad to stay in the same town as Margaret Thatcher’s statue. Years ago, the CAMRA guide to B & B recommended the Angel & Royal, a rather more salubrious place.

“One night stay during week away. Great value for money, clean and tidy. A great noodle bar next door and the crowd in the pub were very friendly.” writes Gary. You can trust someone called Gary. Mmm, noodles.

But the White Lion is welcoming, and has proper bench seating,

and What Pub says it serves Wainwright. So I ask for Wainwright.

“Wainwright ? We ain’t got Wainwright. But we’ve got Dizzy Blonde“. Of course they do. I see it now;

A typical town pub soundtrack seemed very Grantham.

One bloke on Guinness, one lady also on Guinness; I feared the worst in a pub that’s never (I think) graced the Guide.

But it was fine, not bad at all. A harsh scorer like Will would have said 2.5, a gentler marker a 3. I’ll go halfway.

I’m not sure the scratchings helped. But at least they weren’t crackling.

Anyhow, 1 down, many more to go. By October I’ll have reached the Spoons.