3rd March 2023.
And finally…
Bass, Bass, Bass, Pedigree, Bass, possibly another Bass, homebrew.
The Night Inn claims that much sought-after GBG place alongside Uttoxeter’s Bass shrine Wetherspoons, and there couldn’t be a bigger contrast between the traditional one pump boozers and this cafe-cum-micro.
Oh look ! Shiny hand pumps. I challenge you to choose one of those based on those clips. So much easier when the choice is Bass or Carling or Guinness.
I can’t remember the beer at all here. In fact, I doubted I’d recall anything after the Vaults but I’ve just found these notes which I expect are self-explanatory.
They make as much sense as Will’s notebook, I guess.
A soundtrack of Lily Allen and the Fratellis was no match for “the Reverend Blue Jeans“.
I’ll wait for Will to add his review of the Night to Pubs Galore, I think.
I’m not sure if Paul’s face reflects the pub, the beer, the soundtrack, or the threat of having to visit another micropub before his bus trip home to Stafford.
Us rail travellers have at least one advantage over bus trippers, as long as it’s not out of order.
Quite why I felt the need to revisit the Horse & Dove, where I asked for a half and was served a pint of (excellent) Ainsty before confessing my Chinese takeaway plans to Leon, you will have to speculate.
Not bad Chinese takeaway, for Upperthorpe.
retiredmartin 
I rather like a micro/cafe combo -there is one in Maidstone -Craft Brewed where we often end up on Friday afternoon -we double up & have both a coffee and alcohol -bit expensive but we enjoy it -better still it is opposite a fancy barbers shop where we can watch all the action & also a fab Bulldog who regularly sits in the window.
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It makes perfect sense to me to have a cafe/pub that gets good use out of a building and spreads the heating cost and rates over a whole day; I guess that’s the Wetherspoons model, too.
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The Black Dog in Whitstable is a barber’s shop – besides a micro pub – Pauline.
Lots of Proper Pubs make nice coffee too these days. My local does.
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HI Etu Th black Dog has sadly been closed for abut a year now. I think you may be thinking about the Thirsty Scarecrow in Dover which operated as both a cider micropub with hairdressers in the rear. A husband and wife operation This closed in September but reopened in December as the Staggered Inn a beer micropub with no hairdressers
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Not 100% sure but i think Black Dog has closed ,unless it has re opened in last couple of months -used to like going in there too
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Thanks both, sorry to hear that.
I guy had a haircut when I was last in there a year or two back.
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There used to be a cafe/pub/bunk house combo in Clapham, North Yorkshire. Remember a classic night enjoying the beer and then being able to sleep in the bunk house. Great use of the building
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Bit like the Irish model where a lot of rural pubs double as shops.
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Martin,
I can’t remember what my face reflected at that time of the afternoon.
I’ve already commented that “my Uttoxeter Bartley Bitter in the Night Inn had most definitely “gone” but was willingly replaced by a fresh Final Furlong for my final pint of the day. I am sure which five pubs deserve to be in the Good Beer Guide and which one doesn’t. I don’t know of another town that within a couple of acres offers four proper pubs selling exemplary Draught Bass, but you might. It was indeed “great company” which helped make it a wonderful day”.
Your several articles here are a lovely reminder of that first Friday this month.
Yes, “it makes perfect sense to me to have a cafe/pub that gets good use out of a building and spreads the heating cost and rates over a whole day” and “that’s the Wetherspoons model, too”. I think the trouble though can be that they become a “Jack of all trades” offering adequate beer, adequate food and adequate everything else. All too often nowadays I read of new venues that “specialises in” four or more things rather than one and, other than for the company, I wouldn’t be minded to move on from the best Bass in town to such premises.
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On reflection the Titanic Brewery “bod” model I saw in east Stafford is a good example of a multi-use pub. The beer and food and diversity of customers was impressive. I could only really dislike the seating.
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Yes, I’ve only used three of the now seven Bods and they weren’t bad.
I didn’t get in the Stone Bod with the local branch two days ago. I certainly disliked the seating, mostly very high stools, in Stone’s new new Joules pub.
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