July 2024. Royston.
From St. Albans to Waterbeach via breakfast in Royston.
If ever an English market town deserved the title “unheralded” it’s Royston, with much to be unheralded about.
But in 2017, this was the site of the famed Wetherspoons Riots, when this chap kicked up a fuss over a faulty fruit machine.
“The real drama came on the way back to the bar, where an Irish chap was vigorously banging the fruit machine in a way not seen since Felixstowe Arcades c.1976. At the bar, the chap below was demanding to see the manager about a fruit machine that failed to pay out a week ago. Coincidence ? I think not. I’ll never know how it ended, unless I buy the Royston Crow, of course.”
The Manor House looks innocuous enough, doesn’t it ?
An impressive 18th century building typical of the town,
but away from the stairways,
and unfortunate Arsenal stickers,
lies a proper Spoons all-rounder. Two South Africans seems rather desperate, a pet had died or something, and a dozen bankers are about to carry their clubs to the first tee on Therfield Heath.
It’s lively and charming, even at 9:30 before the first pint is pulled. The star is the young lass front of house, as I believe they call it.
“Hello, sorry, I’m not sure if my table is 68 or 86” I ask, pathetically.
“Don’t worry, I’ll find ya !” she says. Young people are great.
As is the Miners Benedict, the one with black pudding and two (2) poached eggs. Spoons have upped their poached egg game of late.
I’ve an hour to kill exploring Royston’s heritage.
Let me tell you, that big rock is NOT a must-see.
retiredmartin 
It’s surely Tunnocks Teacakes under that sauce?
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hence the statue of a Tunnocks Teacake as the final picture.
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Nothing would surprise me with Spoons.
They really are the master innovators.
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There is a Big Rock worth a glance nearby if you ever want a banked Bass again and take my recommendation of the train to Thornaby-for-Stockton.
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A woke yolk.
If breakfast is not fried to within an inch of its life I’m not interested.
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Maybe not a must see, but that stone has had plenty written about it, so it would seem to be of interest to some. https://www.roystontown.uk/memorials-landmarks/
I must agree, it does look fairly dull.
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The sort of folk who think Stonehenge is worth a visit, I bet.
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But Stonehenge is worth a visit, if you’ve never been there before.
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It’s just stones. Very dull visitor attraction.
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The sheer effort and organisation put in by ancient man, in putting these stones into place, after dragging them halfway across the country, is surely something to be admired and held in awe.
So much more than just stones, Martin.
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Why couldn’t they have done something useful with those stones like build a pub ?
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Perhaps they did build one, but it fell down due to lack of custom, or exclusion from the CAMRA guide.
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Cask breathers, Paul.
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If you’ve ever seen that ‘charming’ 90s claymation series, Gogs, you’ll know to what use they put those stones…
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We have many wonderful buildings, and not only pubs, across the land dating back centuries but, as far as I’m aware, none of any consequence that were built during my lifetime.
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