retiredmartin

November 2024. St Pancras. London.

3 London ticks on Sunday lunchtime, but I supposed I’d better head down to Rye to see my wife for the first time in a week.

One thing that always strikes me is how much ground those tube trains cover in minutes, so it was just my luck that a delay at Wood Green meant arriving at St Pancras an agonising 38 seconds too late for my connection.

Never mind, half an hour wait is perfect to explore the psychedelic tunnel between the two,

and find myself drawn to a completely unnecessary pint at the Barrel Vaults.

Yes, I know you’re supposed to do ESB at the Parcel Yard, but it’s nearing £7 now, and Stafford Paul is an advocate for the newish St Pancras Spoons,

and as usual Paul is right.

Two things jump out. Cask is a couple of quid dearer than in that Wood Green Spoons up the Piccadilly line, and it’s a much more interesting (and local) range than expected.

Not that I care for “interesting” or “range”, of course. But a Southwark Porter was cool and rich, though drifting a tad from my initial 3.5 to a 3+.

Historians in future centuries will wonder at that drift; I can only put it down to my covering the glass with a menu while I nipped to the Gents.

Look, it’s a station Spoons with uncomfortable seating. But all human life is here. Mums with toddlers, Japanese Harry Potter tourists, blokes picking up match tickets…

And if you can’t be swayed by local microbrew, Paul, fear not, the old favourites are still there.

But will it ever displace the Parcel Yard in the Guide, let alone BRAPA’s late night affections ?

Probably not.