A RARE NCTSS 5 AT THE LITTLE FAT BUDDHA

July 2025. Darlington.

This post is brought to you courtesy WiFi from Sam Turner’s farm shop in Piercebridge, as I conclude the first of three (3) nights in Darlington this month.

Yes, a rather slight post, but then much of life is slight, and a diary should record it all.

So let the record show that after that revisit to the Quakerhouse at what feels like about 1650 AD, so old are these posts, I quit beer for the night.

Talking of Quakers.

On my most recent visit I saw dozens of young people on a Darlington “fun run” which didn’t involve stopping at every pub.

You might not credit such a virtuous town with a GBG history that once had a branch of House of Fraser in the Guide,

and still clings on to two Wetherspoons,

the William Stead the quieter of the two.

With less willpower I’d have succumbed to Jaipur for £2.29 £1.79 to save pubs,

but virtue dictates some rehydration.

A decent Spoons, with quirky carpets and art,

to set me up for the half hour slog back to Cockerton, where the Little Fat Buddha was about to present me with an astonishing dish of chewy squid and honey chilli chicken that would undo any virtue,

but feed me well into the next day.

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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.

10 thoughts on “A RARE NCTSS 5 AT THE LITTLE FAT BUDDHA”

  1. Afternoon RM
    Sitting in the Ram, Widcombe, Bath enjoying a very decent Harvey’s as I catch up on your blog.
    I must ask a newbie question: what do your beer and food rating acronym stand for please?
    Regards
    Dom in Bath

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    1. Hi Dom

      Can’t remember if I’ve been to the Ram, but can imagine the view to Bath as I stayed in the Uni residences once.

      NBSS is CAMRA’s national beer scoring system. If you’re minded to stay for another pint of that Harvey’s it’s probably a 3.5 out of 5. If you go mmm it’s a 4 etc etc

      National Chinese Takeaway Scoring System etc is my own !

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  2. Thank you.
    I did stay for the other and it was definitely on the way to mmm.
    Have you ever found a 4.5 (Bass I presume) and is a 5 a real thing or just a myth?

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    1. Hi Dom. Good questions. Are you American ?

      It’s the quality of the publican not the brewer that determines beers scores ! Bass from a 4 pint jug in the Bath Star (I bought the t-shirt) has been as close to perfection as I’ve had, but Bass in Sheffield has often been a tad disappointing. Same with all beers; I expect if I was in Rye in Sussex tonight I’d get Harvey’s ranging from average to very good in pubs, depending on trade, cellaring and luck.

      Beer scoring isn’t a science but I guess I only score a 5 a couple of times a year. Frankly anything above 3.5 is great !

      Cheers

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  3. I am not RM, but I have brought an American to the fold of cask drinkers and readers of your blog. Hi PJ!
    I will take him to the Bath Star and we’ll try the Bass. 🍻

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  4. I am confused about Wetherspoon prices for Jaipur. Last week I was in Hastings and the pump clip showed £3.10. I ordered a pint and was asked to pay only £2.45 which reduced to £1.95 because I had a voucher.

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      1. I thought it must be a special offer day but I thought they did that on Mondays and my visit was on Tuesday. Also I thought that if they discounted the beer price they didn’t accept vouchers but I’m not complaining.

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