retiredmartin

July 2023. Moorthorpe, West Yorkshire.

I can’t claim the South Kirkby is as exciting as Kirkby, Merseyside, or even South Elmsall across the rail bridge with its occasional Guide entry in the Barnsley Oak, but at least I’d been. And you haven’t.

Moorthorpe is hardly noticeable on that map extract, seeming to exist only as the name of the station, but in fairness I didn’t have time before my 14:20 train to explore.

What Pub reveals a future Guide entry in waiting which no doubt the Sheffield Hatter will explore fully to see if Shop Local’s range extends beyond bottled Doom Bar.

For now, we have a pre-emptive cert in the Mallard, which had just recovered from a bout of “plumbing issues” speedily attended to by the heroes at Yorkshire Water and was now keen for custom.

It’s a solid looking building,

the wall display charting the conversion in detail,

simply decorated with a range of seating (is that a Chesterfield for one ?) and some great LNER posters.

As you’d hope, a solid mid-80s soundtrack from Whitney and Billy,

and gleaming handpumps from Jolly Boys dispensing beer for £3.50 a pint.

I wondered where the trade was coming from, but 10 minutes after opening there was half a dozen in, most of them seemingly bemused by being in Moorthorpe. How do you end up in suburban Pontefract by accident ?

Well, one chap with a Guinness had been trying to reach Castleford from Leeds and got on the wrong train. We’ve all done that. I gave him complex instructions to walk to South Elmsall station and try again; he’s probably in Goole as I write.

I’ve had great beer from Jolly Boys, and rubbish beer as well; this was the former. Cool, rich and fruity (3.5).

I almost stayed for another hour to have the Porter and go and visit the the Sawmill with its cages for “youngsters” (Anyone under 59 is a youngster in my book).

Almost.