August 2024. Canterbury.
If short of a witty blog title, fall back on a cliché.
We arranged to meet our local resident in the Monument at 6, which gave us 45 minutes to explore a few other local monuments, including the Norman castle still awaiting conversion to a Brunning & Price.
I’m sure falling masonry is no greater a risk than the falling spiders encountered in many a Kent micro. What a nanny state we live in. To prove my point, the upmarket microbrewery/bistro at the Foundry greeted us with a sign no less firm than the one at the castle.
“TABLE SERVICE ONLY. THAT INCLUDES YOU, DRINKERS“.
We moved on.
Canterbury looked finer than I’d ever seen it, and I’m sure I said that last year, too.
The Sheps pubs, unlikely to ever grace the GBG again because they’re, well, Sheps, looked particularly inviting.
and passing Westgate Towers,
brought us to a string of marvels along St Dunstans.
In contrast, the Monument feels a little plain, from anonymous sign,
to a front bar dominated by a giant table (which we commandeer), an odd arrangement of sofas occupied by a lone drinker, and then some more orthodox seating leading to the porch.
Mrs RM says, and I quote, “I don’t like things stood upright“, and I don’t wish to know what she meant.
A few pints of the local beer being drunk at the bar, though,
and it feels quite pubby early evening.
The Long Man, which I now remember is as foreign as the Dark Star, is cool and drinkable but a bit syrupy, always in search of that NBSS 3.
And then a confident man arrives at the door and says confidently;
“I’m looking for Retired Martin”, and we’re chatting to a chap called Dave I only know via Twitter who has no idea how he knows me except he once had an on-line conversation with a chap called Roger,
who might know a thing or two about beer.
I don’t know anything about beer, but we bantered about Bagpuss and B****t and bucolic Britain for an hour.
“Shall we have another here ?” asked Dave. I had a better idea.
retiredmartin 
Was the better idea the New Inn?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was the one I had in mind as “the revisit” when I set out, Alan, but actually it was a bit closer than that.
LikeLike
I don’t know why the Founders sticks to the table service thing – last time we went we just marched up to the bar – perhaps they are a bit stricter at the moment. I don’t blame you moving on ! A couple of weeks ago there was no Bishops Finger in the Bishops Finger – shortage of hops apparently – sounds like BS to me . Pauline
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haven’t seen Bishops Finger for years in pubs, always a favourite.
LikeLike
I last drank it last autumn in Mabels Tavern near Euston.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s all in Lidl, innit?
LikeLike
The Foundry has had the table service sign since lockdown, but they have no problem with you ordering from the bar. I imagine they get a lot of tourists who don’t quite know what they’re doing so it just makes it easier to keep them away from the bar.
There’s been problems with supplies of British hops in recent years and it’s possible that their contracts for bottled Finger have run up against tight supplies at the end of the hop year so the cask stuff has been squeezed out.
More remarkable is the way that in recent years, Spitfire has largely disappeared from Sheps pubs outside town centres.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t have a problem with pubs operating table service, it’s just not for me, as I like the ritual of walking to the bar and sitting down with my pint.
On the Bishops Finger, I saw that on the shelf in Asda this very day.
Agree on Spitfire. One of the greatest pints I ever had was that in Stratford Spoons (Goldengrove) 25 years ago. Even the Sheps pub in my in-laws Kent village seems to have given up on it. Like Bombardier, a classic brand but needs turnover.
LikeLike
It was lovely meeting the two of you … and seeing a shot of my twitter page brought a smile as big as that of “Big Cat” that looks out from it. Keep enjoying your travels, pubs, beers and any other adventures. All the best, Dave Asthouart
LikeLike
“I don’t have a problem with pubs operating table service, it’s just not for me”. I agree. I encountered it at the Two Lifeboats three days ago, saying that I’d be sat outside when I ordered a pint of London Pride. All the half hour it was drinking well I was concerned that I’d forget and they’d chase after me thinking that I’d done a runner.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have that concern too, Paul. When asked if I’d like to set up a tab I say “No, I’ll forget to pay and you’ll chase me and I run faster than you”. They think I’m joking.
LikeLike