April 2023.
Big news from Waterbeach where Chung Hwa is under (slightly) new ownership, or rather old ownership, and is as wonderful as ever. I feel the need to tell you that as some folk moaned about changes on Facebook. Never trust “folk”, particularly electric.
Back “home” I’ve been taking Dad out to the nicer bits of East Anglia, such as the Old Butchers Cafe in Balsham, a place worth visiting for the apple strudel,
and the thatch.
I’m going to try and be positive about East Angular, someone has to be, even if it is just about the cakes.
Out in Essex they have viaducts and steam railways, like the one at Chappel and Wakes Colne that houses the Railway Museum where I used to bring the boys to see Thomas the Tank Engine.
Quite how I missed the Swan Inn in Chappel back then I’ve no idea, and they made me wait till April to get it ticked (IF I’m ticking) by plotting a vast refurbishment for the first 3 months of 2023.
What Pub tells me the Swan Inn used to be the Swan, clearly a significant upgrade here, though it’s the “Fresh Fish is our Speciality” written on the ancient walls you notice first. Writing on walls is a sure sign you’re not about to enter a “boozer”, along with “Dining & Rooms” and “Pashminas Welcome Here”.
Whatever, it’s clearly popular, as there’s no room at the Inn, and after admiring the refurb I smuggle my Colchester Brewery whatever beer (I couldn’t see the two pumps) out to the garden under dreicht skies.
If I asked you to guess the NBSS score for an Essex pub, I bet you’d say “3.5”, wouldn’t you.
Bullseye.
retiredmartin 
I normally share your opinion on pubs with writing on the walls but oddly, I don’t mind that “Fresh fish” thing, it’s quite old-fashioned and charming. Don’t like the big writing on the gable end though.
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I’d have been happy if it had said “fresh cheese and onion cobs” Bill!
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Almost my nearest pub. Reliable food and enough trade for the ale. Fish claim is a bit of a reach.
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