PLEASED TO MEET YOU, MORPETH

July 2024. Morpeth.

A day of snatched halves on the way to Wooler, where I’d snagged the accommodation bargain on another weekend of outrageous UK hotel pricing.

Morpeth is the smart stop 20 minutes north of Newcastle Central, akin to Marple or Ely I guess.

I thought I’d been loads of times, but there’s only 4 entries on the big spreadsheet and one of those is a pre war Tap & Spile so a proper survey is overdue.

Morpeth uses its winding river well, but Carlisle Park is the star, and the 2 main streets are pleasant but a bit dull.

So Pleased To Meet You, which has taken over the main hotel, stands out.

At least, I think that’s what it’s called, though the menu on the tables says Emily’s, named after my niece who lives in the Toon.

It’s packed with gentlefolk in its warren of raised rooms and Laura Ashley snugs, so I despatch Mrs RM off to hunt a table.

Look ! She’s found the one by the bar.

I assume it’s the bar, though I’m the only one to buy anything at it the 45 minutes we’re there (table service reigns), during which time I take back a half of vinegar, exchanged with grace, and rate a replacement Alchemy rather higher though Mrs RM looks suspicious.

The staff are great, the cheese and onion toasties decent enough, and the afternoon tea looks like something out of the Ritz.

One for our Pauline, 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.

31 thoughts on “PLEASED TO MEET YOU, MORPETH”

      1. Yes, it did remind me of a hotel too, but I couldn’t remember where it was. Somewhere in Somerset, I think? We were there supporting local activists for a by election following the resignation of one of the ‘naughty’ tories.

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      4. Ah yes, the Swan. In there early this month I enjoyed a pint of 3.4% ‘Coachman’s Wheel’ from the St Austell Brewery. The ‘House Bitter’ label on an empty cask out the back suggests it’s St Austell’s Cornish Best which I’d expect to have to go all the way to Cornwall for. It was a nice change from Doom Bar or Twin Coast.

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  2. Lovely ! I see Barnacre Alpacas on the map -we had a lovely week staying here -alpacas morning noon & night.I was in heaven .Pauline

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  3. Lovely -I see Barnacre Alpacas is on the map -we had a weeks holiday there in a cottage on the farm.Alpacas morning noon & night.Cats,chickens goats & donkeys too.I was in heaven

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  4. I’ve never stopped off in Morpeth but the train slowing down for the ‘curve’ means I’ve had a better view of it than many other towns.

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      1. Well, believe it or not, my passing through Morpeth four months ago was towards my micropub for this year, the Rat Race in Hartlepool.

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      1. Stop fishing, RM.

        This came on yesterday. Hardly ever gets played, but knocks “Blowin’ in the Wind” into a cocked hat if you ask me

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      4. Speaking of Dylan and outrageous hotel prices, I was having a look for a hotel room near the Albert Hall in November. Anywhere nearby was between £500 and a grand for one night! They were rather swanky gaffs, though. I wouldn’t fit in at all. Found a Premier Inn a few stops down the Piccadilly line near Hammersmith for £44. That’s much more me.

        As an aside, I suspect Premier Inns must think I look like Ted Rogers; as the last two times I’ve stayed in one, I’ve been given room 321. Fingers crossed for the hat-trick!

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      7. Chapeau, Bobby!

        But this was all started by RM’s pretending that he didn’t know that Sympathy For The Devil was written by the Rolling Stones

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      9. Bobby, I once got booked by the firm into The Gore Hotel round that way – 1990s-ish it would have been.

        It was full of people with more money than sense, and women, apparently looking for some of it to be spent on their favours.

        No thanks.

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      10. It’s coming back now.

        You had to take breakfast “next door” at Anthony Worral-Thompson’s “Bistro 190”. I had to share a lift with him on the way down. In later years he turned out exactly as I’d expected.

        It was the first time that I’d encountered this opaque, viscous substance, called “eggs benedict”.

        You can get it in Wetherspoons now.

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