CAN’T TOUCH DISS – NORFOLK FALLS

May 2024. Diss.

It is the actual LAW that any post on Diss MUST reference MC Hammer, just as any blogging about Ealing must riff off that 1982 Marvin Gaye classic.

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Mrs RM’s epic solo trip has given me a bit time between caring duties to do some local ticking, starting with the last tick in Norfolk.

No-one would choose a trading estate brewery tap to finish a GBG county, but that’s often the reality due to limited opening hours, and I was overjoyed to make a return to Diss.

Honest I was. Last time here in the Year of Covid when things were far from normal in the time of plague.

Pleasingly, the new entry is 10 minutes from the station in one direction, the town centre 25 in the other, so I’m forced to explore beyond the Mere, and find Gillings, the scrap metal merchants of your dreams. Look it up.

Diss has more pastoral attractions if you’ve 3 weeks to spare walking from Norwich to Ipswich,

but I head to a centre that I’ll confess looks scruffier and less enchanting than I remember pre-Covid.

But then I remember it’s a town of barely 10,000; little Eye down the road registers as a town (Trip Advisor: city) with 2k and a cottage hospital.

And there’s still medieval joy about,

though the actual lake can only ever disappoint the American who’s visited Lake Superior.

It looks far, far, better in Black & White.

It’s too quiet, but sometimes that adds to the charm.

Last time here the Saracen’s Head was a rare, rare, newbie in a lightly pubbed town.

This might be as good as Diss gets, now the legendary valve amp/vinyl shop has gone.

Folks, I forgot to buy the legendary sausage rolls from D.A. Browne !

Which was a shame, as I was an hour early for the artisan food court at Ampersand Brewery, and had to snack on those Huligan Crush pretzels that don’t fill you up but probably kill you, the worst of both worlds.

Actually, I was 2 minutes early for Ampersand Tap, too, but a few folk were already in, annoyingly for staff who hadn’t set out the seating yet.

That seating consisted of high stools around beer barrels, obviously, which is why I never warm to brewery taps, despite the Duo Hop being a cool, chewy 3.5+.

Anyway, a tick’s a tick.

Isn’t this the one Simon got the preemptive tip-off about ?

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.

14 thoughts on “CAN’T TOUCH DISS – NORFOLK FALLS”

  1. Speaking of Saracen’s Heads, the Saracen’s Head in Worcester has just reopened as a shiny new Black Country Ales pub. Standard William Morris wallpaper and everything! The beer list TV was broken, but the beer was in cracking condition!

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  4. As you know, I don’t like to argue, but I have to say that Diss looks gorgeous in your photos.

    And the lake looks much better in colour than B&W.

    I do agree with you about brewery taps though.

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    1. Diss is a delight, Will, I guess I was struck by it being quieter and a bit more chain dominated (Costa, Greggs) than I remembered.

      People who rave about brewery taps like beer not pubs. Not sure I could name one I really enjoyed.

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      1. “People who rave about brewery taps like beer not pubs”.

        Never a raver, I like pubs not brewery taps especially those pubs with wonderful beer, like a proper free house this evening that shifts a cask a day of Holdens and five a week of Hobsons and also has two other beers, rarely unknown ones, and gives change out of £4 for a pint.

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      4. Will, it’s already named the Swan at Whiston and is “remotely situated” nearly two miles west of Penkridge. “High quality, well kept ales and superb food make this a thriving pub” and my only criticisms are closure on Monday lunchtimes, a “Member Discount Scheme” I never use and loss a few years ago of its adjacent bus stops.

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