SNAITH – BOUNDARY ISSUES, HERBERT NAPPY ASKE AND JACK PUNTON THE WALKING MAN

December 2023. Snaith.

Pubs are fine, but what you really want (possibly) is a compelling reason to visit small, unsung, market towns on your UK holidays.

Towns like Snaith (pop. 3,176 souls), an improbable 55 minutes by train from Leeds (not on Sundays, nothing happens on Humberside on a Sunday).

Your reward at the rail station or bus stop is a shelter urging you to be happy. Just like me.

Leaving the station you’ll find the imposing sight of Wetherells Plastics,

responsible for these classic products;

and a hairdresser called “Mane Attraction”. It’s that sort of town. Actually, it’s a very self-sufficient looking place, with Henry Jubb Hardware,

J Punton DIY,

RM Kealey Butcher (huge queue), Confidential Records (no idea) and a nice church of St Laurence where you can go to drunkenly sing “Hark the Herald Angels” at Midnight Mass tomorrow night.

The busy A645 leaves some buildings looking a bit careworn, but the actual High Street is spared the traffic and feels quite upmarket in places.

And they’re aiming for the high value walker market,

the chap like Jack Punton (who ?) that walks from power station to power station in December.

Even in December the accommodation options were well outside our budget. Pubwise, Old Mill Brewery run a smart dining pub on the edge of town,

but the Bell & Crown and Black Lion seem the liveliest places,

Then there’s the revitalised Plough, and the crafty beer place that used to be Yorkshire Ales has just re-opened,

and is arguing with CAMRA about something. Always a good sign.

Six pubs, a fire station, a Chinese takeaway, and an argument with CAMRA whether Snaith is East or North Yorkshire rumbling on. Good for at least 90 minutes of your time, I reckon.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

26 thoughts on “SNAITH – BOUNDARY ISSUES, HERBERT NAPPY ASKE AND JACK PUNTON THE WALKING MAN”

  3. Boundary issues are part of the fun of being active in CAMRA. When Manchester city centre was still divided between three branches, the northern boundary of ours (Stockport and South Manchester) was Portland Street. It was a bit like being in postwar Berlin or Vienna when they divided into separate zones by the occupying powers.

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  4. Perhaps any confusion could be avoided if their Facebook page actually had the correct name, you know, the one of the pub.

    Boundary issues are one thing, but calling Beal “Goole” means you better avoid Selby for a while.

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      2. Paul,
        I’m not sure about that.
        Despite his enormous wealth Humphrey’s a down to earth sort of bloke, no smart clothes, flash car or anything like that.

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      4. At one time Humphrey’s brewery was – I was led to believe – the only traditional established family one which had never contributed to the Tory party’s funds.

        I’d guess that was probably more to do with his being a Yorkshireman than any political consideration however.

        I’ve been led to believe quite a few things in my time on the other hand.

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