September 2025. Teddington. London.
By Friday the trains were running from Cambridge to London again, and I could finally finish the capital’s GBG entries, just before the new Guide (ugh) landed at RM Towers.
Teddington is exactly the sort of place a tickers dreams of finishing a Guide chapter. You get a change of trains at Kings Cross (ESB at Parcel Yard potential), a look at the gleaming spires of Vauxhall,
and that odd sense that you’ve done the Anglers before,
as you’ve definitely walked along the Thames,
and over that bridge to Richmond. Or have I ?
There’s a torrential downpour as I leave the station, and the sensible action would have been to seek cover in the Builders Arms,
but how was I to know it would take the Anglers place in the Guide 2 days later.
My “issues” with West London have been more with Twickers (ugh) than Teddington, which seems a decent “proper” town, with a bit of culture,
and a friendly invitation to chat to people in the churchyard of St Mary with St Alban.
In smart London suburbs like this, the Fullers gastropub can be terrible, but at least hear the barmaid was cheery, actually told me the price of a pint (£6.05) rather than just shoving the card reader in my face (see : Notting Hill),
and the Pride was drinking well, enough, in the frankly huge riverside garden* that was busier than inside despite the deluge.
In the time it takes me to finish that pint, an estimated 3,228 school children file past me from over that footbridge.
Let’s follow them now (in an innocent way).
*Where, tellingly, the parasols say “Peroni” and “Cornish Orchards” and “Beavertown”
retiredmartin 
All ageing rock stars should have a meteorological aspect to their names.
As in Dylan
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…I’ll explain how to post links, as well as how never to appear anonymous too if you like…
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Is it legal to sell a Timmy’s beer that isn’t Landlord in London?
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If Golden “Best” were outlawed then I’d cheer that, Scott.
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“By Friday the trains were running from Cambridge to London again, and I could finally finish the capital’s GBG entries,”
Doesn’t CAMRA offer a mulligan (or two) for ticking a few after the GBG drops?
“and that odd sense that you’ve done the Anglers before,”
Pfft. The Anglers doesn’t even make the top 100 most common pub names in the UK.
“but how was I to know it would take the Anglers place in the Guide 2 days later.”
You should use Si’s trick on getting some ‘pre-emptives’ in when the situation arises. 🙂
“and a friendly invitation to chat to people in the churchyard of St Mary with St Alban.”
That’s a hint that you’re not in London proper.
“actually told me the price of a pint (£6.05)”
Yep. Definitely London territory.
“and the Pride was drinking well, enough, in the frankly huge riverside garden* that was busier than inside despite the deluge.”
And no plastic glass by the looks of it.
“Let’s follow them now (in an innocent way).”
Yes indeed. No imitating a pervy ice cream man (got that from Si).
“*Where, tellingly, the parasols say “Peroni” and “Cornish Orchards” and “Beavertown””
(shudder)
Cheers
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