retiredmartin

September 2023. Farnborough.

A Thursday night in Farnborough. We ticked the “Leisure” box on the Premier Inn on-line reservation system and could almost hear the computer thinking “Leisure ? Really !“.

I won’t claim that Mrs RM was in raptures in anticipation (that would have been Maidenhead), but she did seem genuinely intrigued. “What’s in Farnborough ?“.

Well, I could name the Airport (home of the air show), and at least one famous Pub Man called Tony, and four pub over the years, but more than that ?

A cheap Premier Inn, £3.30 to park from 6pm to 11am in a secure car park,

and a view from our fourth floor room to match any view in England.

Despite all that excitement outside, Mrs RM elected to do her VAT return (it was due by midnight to be fair) in the room while I did the pub.

This seemed to be the main drag, home to the Travelodge housing the Spoons.

I scuttled through, past the station (1 of 3) and immediately hit the suburb of Cove. This chap looks angry.

Wiki says ““Cove is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The entry from 1086, reads “Germanus holds from the Bishop 8 hides of this land in ITCHEL and COVE” “

See how hard I work for you. A few nice houses, a football team nicknamed the Wasps,

and now a GBG pub (top) called the Thatched Cottage that’s actually thatched. Blimey.

One of the hottest nights of the year as summer simultaneously starts and draws to a close, if I know Home Counties crowds right they’ve ditched cask for lager long ago.

Yes, Fosters is a good call at 30 degrees. I go for TEA. It’s cheerily served by staff wilting in the heat, and at £4.40 almost seems a bargain.

A rambling, quirky place, with canine visitors getting to drink in front of Elizabeth,

and some glorious creaking beams leading to Chesterfields and tartan rugs.

Not a night to be inside, even in a room like this.

so I take the Hogs Back (NBSS 3) out to enjoy the setting of the sun with a collection of lager lads, burger families and wine lasses. A proper collection of pub life, in fact.

Off to a flyer in Farnborough.