GREENE KING IPA MAKES AN EMOTIONAL RETURN TO WATERBEACH

As the Southworths know well, Waterbeach is a boom town, its progress to essential visit status only hindered by an absence of cutlery and plates.

Incidentally, I was reading on Mumsnet (my only reading these days) of the American obsession with the “house tour”

which might explain the Southworths enduring fascination with my Mum and Dad’s thatched cottage (here rendered in the form of a scale model with bonus light).

Hearing Dave shout “So THAT’S where the kitchen is !” will be my main memory of their trip.

I’d have taken our US visitors on a tour of the slightly younger White Horse, which reopened that weekend, but they had better options and it’s plain but pleasant, in the typical Greene King village way.

After several years as an Italian-run restaurant with public bar it’s just been opened by a family with more Proper Pub credentials.

Shockingly, they seem to share a (maiden) surname with my mum, though apparently their family connection is actually with her next door neighbour, which has confirmed my decision never to involve myself with family trees.

Whatever, the new guvnor at the White Horse was incredibly friendly on open weekend.

No food yet, but the Greene King van signals the return of a much-missed IPA.

I’m not kidding, a Fenland village needs its Greene King, and the obligatory Landlord as lone guest.

And it’s pretty good, honestly (3+),

but the real joy is seeing folk of all ages out for a beer or a bottle of Chardonnay on a Saturday night.

It’ll never replace the Sun in my affections though.

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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.

15 thoughts on “GREENE KING IPA MAKES AN EMOTIONAL RETURN TO WATERBEACH”

  1. “a Fenland village needs its Greene King” as does Cannock Chase.
    In the Barley Mow at Milford yesterday it was an IPA before and Abbot after a very pleasant autumnal afternoon walk, the centuries old oaks in Brocton Coppice being nearly as impressive as Lincoln Cathedral.

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    2. Bus from Stafford to Weeping Cross (about two miles) currently taking detour through Tixall, Milford and Walton on the Hill (seems like 15 miles!).
      Decided to alight by the Bod and enjoyed some delightful fresh Titanic Ales.

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      1. Yes, Anonymous, because of the A34 southbound out of Stafford being closed for road works the 826 has since 1st July been scheduled to run through Tixall, Milford and Walton on the Hill to Weeping Cross. I used that service on Saturday for Milford. On a Wednesday in August though the A518 Weston Road out of town was closed so there was a detour towards the A34 up Radford Bank which was actually navigable but then the A513 eastwards at Weeping Cross was also closed causing a further detour along the A34 via Brocton. As one of three cask Stafford pubs not used this year I should get to ‘The Bod’ within the next few weeks. What brought you to Stafford ?

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      2. Despite being about Stafford I could immediately tell that last comment wasn’t yours, Paul, as you’d never use the word “alight”.

        NB Unlike some blogs, I welcome anonymous comments about any topic on here !

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      3. On holiday in a narrowboat, moored at Radford Bank. We had walked in to town as the congestion was so bad and I didn’t see one bus catch us up. Took just under an hour at an ambling pace. (Retired Martin pace 22.3 minutes). The bus back was an adventure!

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      4. So you’re a mile south of me, suffered congestion, in dreadful rain and next to a pub that’s closed for refurbishment but was keg anyway. Stafford’s usually better than that.
        My only canal holiday was in October, 1980 and anticlockwise from Stone.

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      8. Paul, this was last week, our holiday is over now.
        Bringing this conversation back to beer/pubs, I noticed Titanic Brewery are supporting the construction of a new lock on the Riverway Link.

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      9. Yes, so that in a few years you’ll be able to sail into Stafford town centre, not a furlong from their Sun Inn – which I went to yesterday but left thirsty as no staff member appeared behind the bar. Adrian Wedgwood of the pottery family is another supporter. As is our neighbour across the road.
        Which were the best canalside pubs of your holiday ?

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      10. Best beers on my hols over the years have been in….
        Slater’s Tap r.i.p. Bird in Hand and now the Bod.
        In Stone, Borehole, Swan and Royal Exchange.
        All Wetherspoons, because they usually have a wide range of guests and willingly give tasters so I can choose and it costs about half as much as most other pubs

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      11. Thanks Anonymous.
        NBSS scores gave the Bird in Hand little chance of getting in the GBG but its licensee is irate (again) about being omitted.
        The Borehole and the Swan have also suffered from having too many beers on.
        Wetherspoons, on my rare visits, is usually a disappointment but that’s my fault with going for a pint that’s been in the line overnight. I’ve never asked for a taster.

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