retiredmartin

Clickbait !

I thought Leicestershire would be a tough county to pick five sure fire winners in, but it was a doddle, even if you might find them surprisingly similar in style.

Well, one of them doesn’t sell Bass.

Whitwick (Greater Coalville) – Three Horseshoes (Polly’s)

But Polly’s does, and on my visit with Life After Football was better than ever, just an unchanging drinkers pub.

LAF has done more to promote these unspoilt earthy boozers along the A511 than anyone, and like me recognises the value of the outside toilet in pub culture.

Mrs RM, not so much.

Melton Mowbray – Half Moon Inn

Heading east to a market town of contrasting pubs, the Half Moon was very much the Old Boy’s 10am boozer on my visit, but by the time Simon and Pedro turned up last month the pint ladies were out in force (Pic : BRAPA).

Great Bass again, and they get a bonus point for the recommendation of the pork pie in the white wrapper from the authentic sounding Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe next door. These things matter.

All five pubs here are what Mrs RM would call basic,

Leicester – Ale Wagon

but the Ale Wagon was taking basic to new levels in 2010, before seeming to up its game on recent visits.

May have been something to do with the Foxes premiership win.

Richard loved the Ale Wagon on our epic crawl of 2017.

“Lifelong friendships were, no doubt, made over discussions on the merits of Flann O’Brien, which just proves my reference to Sun colour supplements on my last trip was far from the whole picture. All human life is here.”

I can’t remember Richard’s views on cobs, or whatever they call them in Leeds,

Earl Shilton – Shilton Vaults

but the cob in the Vaults was a classic.

A pint of Top 10 Bass and lunch for a fiver. Just a shame this was in that weird period of 2021 when you could only drink outside because Covid didn’t like pub gardens,

and this excellent cartoon in the Gents seemed to sum up the situation well. Ah, memories.

Bruntingthorpe – Plough

Taking a bit of a punt here as my only visit to this South Leicestershire boozer was 8 years back,

“The customers in the Plough at a quarter to five were much more your village tradesmen than its gentlefolk, and they provide the buzz, humour and beer turnover that makes the Plough so good.”

And the Bass was as good as that fire.

Wonder if it still is.

Right, over to you for the sixth, and remember the Stamford & Warrington is CLOSED.