retiredmartin

February 2024. Leek.

An hour till Benks, my second Leek Guide debutant opened (hopefully), time to walk the bounds and take pictures of leaks in Leek.

and recall the “Dick Southworth Cheese Incident” in the Wilkes Head,

whose sign surely needs a trip to the Repair Workshop.

Mrs RM needed a trip to the Repair Workshop as well after a 80 hour week writing system documentation for the Dutch, and opted out of my walk in favour of a cup of tea and WiFi in the packed Spoons.

The Spoons provided one of the signature smells of Leek (boiled cabbage and chip fat), in a town largely visited by gentlefolk visiting cafes and the antique stalls.

Quieter than I remember, but it is February.

A good range of pubs include your free house, Belgian bar,

a Joules,

and a Titanic.

Pretty much all you need, then, with hardware shops (interesting smell from that, too), curry and a town trail taking in almshouses, churches and other essentials. The oatcake factory has just closed, but the wonderful smell lingers.

All three major churches were closed to visitors, so it’s no wonder the Spoons was so busy.

Benks must be busy later, I guessed, with a 3pm opening.

But 3pm had come and gone, and Mrs RM headed back to pick up the car while I admired a sign advertising the John Smiths and Fosters, always a good sign.

My attempts at polite conversation with a chap stood at the door floundered, and he headed off around the corner.

At 15:06 the door was silently opened, and I entered to find a simple classic open plan pub with Proper seating and Just The One Beer (is plenty).

And the chap at the door a minute ago already served.

“I always come in the back door” he says.

Mrs RM has got lost on the two minute walk back to the car, so I admire the old pub sign,

down a foamy pint of Bass in 5 minutes (“”WOW !” says the landlady) and rescue her.