retiredmartin

Northants is a solid, consistent county for pubs, the Essex of the Midlands. Friendly guvnors and locals (particularly in the county town) and dependable beer, but a bit light on classic buildings.

And don’t even start me on the fate of Shipmans.

Easy enough to pick five, though the very best of the bunch is actually in Leicestershire, I reckon.

We’ll start with the county town, and the pub where we met the mayor on our Old Codgers trip. The ACTUAL mayor.

Northampton – Phipps Brewery Tap (Albion)

I’m nicking BRAPA’s external pic for this one, his repayment for the lifts he gets.

Such a lovely looking place, great Phipps beer,

and folk who made space for our little group on the launch of their “Straight Allies Campaign”.

“You’re still you, no matter what they say“. Exactly

And Wellingborough is still Wellingborough, despite the MP’s attempts to make it a laughing stock.

Two in the ‘Boro, including this corker handily places by the station.

Wellingborough – Little R’ale House

I was dead impressed.

“You’ll know my views on micros. You can feel like a leper, ignored by the drinking club. To join the conversation you have to make your move early to join the club, acknowledging a witty remark, providing a weather forecast, or asking a question about micropubs. I did all three.”

“The conversation turned, inexplicably, to moussaka and how it differs from lasagne. Burnt aubergine, apparently. At least they weren’t talking about hops.“

A common feature of these pub picks is the conversation.

Welford – Wharf

At the Wharf, in their gorgeous canal-side beer garden, we heard some terrific intoxicated conversation;

“To 50p or not 50p, that is the question”

“I am a little treasure. Lean on me”

You don’t get entertainment like that at home. Except when Mrs RM drinks 4 cans of Brew Dog in an evening.

But the Wharf’s real draw, apart from a cosy bar, is the Pedigree, a consistent NBSS 4 over many, many years.

Whether it will survive the impending loss of the Burton Unions is quite another matter.

The next pub, just south of Kettering (whose Piper would have been on this list without the change of landlord last year), had 2 visits in a month as I taxied BRAPA round east Northants in 2018.

Burton Latimer – Dukes Arms

Mann’s sign (top pic) apart, it’s no design classic, and there’s more cushions than in my Mum’s front room, but the Duke had a rare warmth about it.

Not to be confused with the Dukes in Woodford. And Burton Latimer is not to be confused with Barton Seagrave, whose estate pub doesn’t have a copy of Nicole’s Eurovision winner nailed to the wall.

“It smells of pub” said Si, who knows these things. 

“The pub is a riot of colour, with the biggest selection of sambuca in East Northants (FACT). And seems to be the HQ of the Burton Latimer branch of the Blyth Spartans supporters club.”

“If there’s a danger we start to treat pubs as informal art galleries, then so what ? Rather this than sit on a sofa watching Bake Off like the other 98% of the population.“

One more, from a place I’d never heard of before Mrs RM and I tipped up on a Sunday lunchtime looking for beer and crisps.

Ecton – Three Horseshoes

My post on this classic village boozer has had more views the Star in Bath, more views than there are people in Ecton I reckon. Here’s four of them, in this photo.

I really recommend you get out and explore villages like Ecton with their golden stone and thatched cottages and chat at the bar about, well, nothing really.

A homely place, we were welcomed as guests, and left with “Nice to see you”.

A simple thing, courtesy.  Why can’t all places be this good ?

Over to you for No. 6. Sorry, the Rifle Drum is still closed.