retiredmartin

11th February 2023.

Apart from being good company, Preston’s Matthew Lawrenson has the rare quality of being able to walk at my pace.

So we arrived in the heart of Preston before the North End fans returned from their hammering at Burnley, before the pubs got too lively.

Last time here with Matthew I’d forgot to visit the Black Horse*.

Well, you can make a mistake like that once, but not twice.

If there’s a better way to waste an hour than drinking Plum Porter in the Black Horse I’ve yet to find it.

“What are you telling us, Retired Martin ? Is this your favourite pub ?”.

Does it matter ? It’s never disappointed, and I’ve been half a dozen times.

What makes it so great, I wondered, staring at the floor.

Obviously, the beer is wonderful (NBSS 4 the last 3 visits), and it’s gorgeous and all that.

And the soundtrack of George McCrae, Boney M and the Buggles takes some beating,

particularly with the locals singing along with the “Oooh Oooh Ooohs” on the Doobies’ “Listen the the music“.

Good company is important in a pub; look out for the bloke in paisley and ask him about cassettes and Cliff Richard.

Note the betting slips on the wall.

Matthew was tempted by the 1/6 on that I’d succumb to a half of Old Tom.

He’d have won, too.

*I think it was full.