September 2025. Cambridge.
Not quite sure why I was spending this Thursday afternoon in Cambridge, between visits to Dad’s care home.
Possibly the cancellation of the London train, or the tip-off about Bass at the Free Press, or more likely I needed a personal visit to the ornate Lloyds Bank on Gonville Place.
Acting as Mum’s executor has been stressful enough, but the multitude of financial institutions she dealt will insist on sending me cheques I then have to bank before transferring funds to Dad.
Still, you get a chance to admire a bank interior, and then the slightly opaque tribute to Snowy Farr,
and then have an internal debate about which pub in tourist Cambridge you ought to revisit.
The Brew Dog, obviously, but it’s too quiet (odd, that), and under blue skies a man should head for the Backs.
Or, at least, the mill pond.
The Mill is more famous for its seating area next to the punts than the interior,
and since it’s plastic glasses outside I realised I hadn’t had a “proper” pint in a decade.
It’s the venue for the UK visitors, the Japanese tourists seemingly sticking to the chain restaurants on Bridge Street. A young bloke mansplains “Triple IPAs” to his disinterested girlfriend, staff take Christmas bookings (in September !), it’s a nice microcosm of tourist Cambridge before the students return,
10 years ago it was Cambridge Pub of the Year, but has drifted a bit since then under City Pub Co., losing the famous record player,
and getting only a rather dull beer line-up in return.
Cambridge Brew House, Adnams, Nene Valley, Youngs…
Well, at least you get a cute Youngs handled glass for your Goldrush, which starts out OK,
and drifts out to…very good indeed (NBSS 3.5).
Well, who’d a thought it ?
retiredmartin 
Call Adnams dull one more time and I’m cancelling my subscription. What I’d give for a Broadside.
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Dull
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Cancelled. Isn’t that how things work these days?
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Dave,
The Adnams Southwold Bitter I had in Stafford’s Shrewsbury Arms on Wednesday was wonderful.
If only you could get over to Britain more often.
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“Acting as Mum’s executor has been stressful enough,”
Sigh, totally understand RM. 😒
I’m still dealing with my Mum’s estate from 2019, almost six years to the day. I’m hoping to have it wrapped up this time next year. 😏
“and then have an internal debate about which pub in tourist Cambridge you ought to revisit.”
Whichever one has the cheapest beer?
“Or, at least, the mill pond.”
(looks at pic below)
That’s bordering on back alley stuff that.
“The Mill is more famous for its seating area next to the punts than the interior,”
Oof. Does not bode well for the beer then.
“and since it’s plastic glasses outside I realised I hadn’t had a “proper” pint in a decade.”
Blimey. You are determined.
” it’s a nice microcosm of tourist Cambridge before the students return,”
And that screams ‘tourist prices’.
“and getting only a rather dull beer line-up in return.”
Good lord man, turn back now!
“Well, at least you get a cute Youngs handled glass for your Goldrush, which starts out OK,”
Aha! There’s those dimples and handle.
“and drifts out to…very good indeed (NBSS 3.5).
Well, who’d a thought it ?”
Certainly not I!
Congrats on seeing it through.
Cheers
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