retiredmartin

April 2023.

Lincolnshire GBG23 complete, we headed for the Humber, and a night renewing acquaintances in Barton upon Humber before crossing the river to tackle East Yorkshire the next morning.

Mrs RM demanded, and Mrs RM got, a night in a nice (cheap) hotel rather than the campervan. Apparently, boys have it easier when it comes to late night comfort breaks.

The George is the main refuge for travellers and for gentlefolk lunchtime diners based on my “pub observation” back in 2016, but on a Friday night it seemed the main gathering point for the town’s youth (yes, Barton has youth), drawn by the cutting edge craft range;

I had a half of the Acorn dark beer later that night, cool and rich (3.5), so what do I know ?

In the Gents I was greeted with “The toilet seat’s f****d, you’ll need to hover“, which I understand is something Blackpool Jane is an expert on.

“If you were thinking of eating with us tonight….” said the young man leading us to our room.

“Um“

“….you can’t“.

Unwashed coffee cups in the room, but it was cosy and had a great view over to a pub. So not bad.

But our target was the White Swan,

a Top 100 pub in anyone’s world except mine, where I ended the night with a better blog title in mind.

But it IS a Top 100 pub, so good this was my third (3rd) visit, and only one of them by mistake.

Part of the appeal of a night in north Lincs was the opportunity to catch-up with Christine Andrews, the link between BRAPA and Pubmeister (and me, I guess).

All the best people are called Christine, I reckon.

I joined Christine at her local on a night when hubby Colin was organising a charity event for the British Heart Foundation, a worthy cause.

A fundraising triathlon – golf, darts and doms. Pub games expert Corby Mark will be interested in this rare 1970s “four at a time” dartboard.

The dominoes session was held in a secret back room so this shot had to be taken surreptitiously from the bar.

No pics from the golf, even for Patronised readers.

What can I tell you about a night in the White Swan where I took (almost) no notes ?

Easier to show you the lacings on the Yorkshire Heart (NBSS 3.5).

You won’t find a livelier, cheerier pub anywhere. I mean that. I guess that’s what living safely outside Grimsby and with Hull across the river does for you.

Folk came and went, for no apparent reason, all evening. We tried all the beers, which seemed to selling really fast.

And were then joined by some folk from choir practice who were great company.

The chap was originally from Warwickshire and claimed to be called William Shakespeare, who I always assumed was more of a lager man.

Anyway, let’s hope no-one from CAMRA visits and sees these in the Gents.

As Mrs RM retired for the night, I searched for confirmation of Barton’s “classic town” status and found it at the Sunflower, a classic Chinese takeaway with the sort of heritage fittings last seen in an inter-war pub in Beverley.

The crispy beef comes dry with a tub of sweet and sour sauce, a novel twist on the old classic; the Singapore Rice a perfect accompaniment (NCTSS 4).

A lovely night with lovely people.