October 2025. Leicester.
36 hours in Leicester, loads to tick on Mrs RM’s “deer map“, let’s get my last Leicestershire tick (there WAS only one newbie, incredibly) and an early lunch at the Clarendon. In truth, a lot of Leicester seemed to open at four, while the Ale Wagon was actually “closing soon” with its trad 11-2 hours.
I’d finished Leics in a COVID-affected GBG21 here in Clarendon Park, too, even took a pic of this fella back then.
“Is he a Toby ?” asks Mrs RM.
I encourage her to admire the handsome inter-war exterior (top), but she’s already inside, awaiting her pint.
A bit functional sports-diner, but bright and cheery with a mixed crowd, though one subtly separated by the seating options.
You may have noticed all those seats underneath the TV sports are a bit “high table” for Mrs RM, and a quick recce reveals that the lounge is all low level seats. “For old folk” says Mrs RM, correctly.
The Clarendon was doing decent trade for a back street pub on a Wednesday in November, folk drawn in by all your naff US pop faves like “Rich Girl“. There really is no escape from Hall & Oates this year.
A tough decision on the 3 for £19 menu;
And another tough choice at the bar as “Two pints of Broadside please” becomes “Oh, OK, two Citra then“.
I ask you to note how two glasses of Oakham (cool, 3) poured at the same time look so different,
but then my photography made a meal of squid, superb onion bhaji and patatas bravas look rather beige,
and it was anything but.
Right, time for the Big Walk.
retiredmartin 
Poor cracked Toby gent. Love a bit of Hall & Oates 🙂
LikeLike
I think Hall & Oates must have been born in Leicester, Lana, as they cropped again not soon after !
LikeLiked by 1 person
I go to The Clarendon fairly regularly and was a bit surprised it was in this year’s GBG tbh. My beer scoring is the same as yours. Perhaps the CAMRA branch just really like Citra?
The food is very good though, particularly the chicken tikka sizzler.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that’s spot on.
I wouldn’t have thought “beer not good enough for GBG” though, a 3 is good. I might have thought “and the Cherry Tree isn’t in the Guide”.
LikeLike
The food was good. I’m sure the menu was very similar in Wigston’s Hall the next day.
LikeLike
“and an early lunch at the Clarendon.”
That sounds a bit posh.
““Is he a Toby ?” asks Mrs RM.”
I would say, definitely! But, I could be wrong.
“I encourage her to admire the handsome inter-war exterior (top), but she’s already inside, awaiting her pint.”
(slow golf clap)
You have a good woman there. 😎
““For old folk” says Mrs RM, correctly.”
Indeed.
“There really is no escape from Hall & Oates this year.”
Music is like fashion, is like decor… they all come back into style.
Besides, Hall and Oates would be de rigueur in the area where – the old folk sit.
“A tough decision on the 3 for £19 menu;”
That’s actually not a bad idea; good for sharing.
“And another tough choice at the bar as “Two pints of Broadside please” becomes “Oh, OK, two Citra then“.”
Hobson’s choice?
But then, Citra (blogger from earlier?) would’ve gone for that first.
“I ask you to note how two glasses of Oakham (cool, 3) poured at the same time look so different,”
One of ’em’s been sipped at.
“but then my photography made a meal of squid, superb onion bhaji and patatas bravas look rather beige,”
I do believe your phone is starting to show its age.**
“and it was anything but.”
See?
“Right, time for the Big Walk.”
Is that similar to the Monty Python silly walk? Big strides in weird angles and all that?
Cheers
** – You are not alone. My phone has informed me twice in the past week that certain apps wouldn’t work if I downloaded them. And my brother in France went to a place this past weekend where the menu, and ordering, was entirely by scanning a QR code; and his phone wasn’t up to the task. 😏
LikeLike