SUNSET OVER THE OLD NEPTUNE

December 2025. Whitstable.

I’d only been gone those 67 minutes in Sittingbourne, leaving Mrs RM in Whitstable Spoons to do what Spoons are there for; recharge your phone, use the free Wi-Fi, pop to the loo, and drink unlimited coffee (but not hot chocolate).

But the photo she sent as I headed back to the Peter Cushing told me she’d already moved on;

“Gin !”

“But it’s Locale gin !”

I recognised that pub, anyway, and dashed to meet my beloved via Middle Wall,

I’m easily distracted by street art.

Gorgeous, isn’t it ?

Yes, it’s the pub (nearly) on the beach, the photogenic one.

But is the OId Neptune any good as a pub ?

Well, it certainly trades more on the “garden” than the rather cramped interior, but it’s cosy enough with its lite jazz and “banter” about £340k Southwold beach huts, and Sheps Whitstable Bay is a solid and tasty pint (NBSS 3).

But you’re here for the sunset and the Instagram shots, really,

and I advise Mrs RM to get a move on with her pink gin and join me on the pebbles to catch the sight in all its glory.

Did she join me on the pebbles to catch it in all its glory ?

Sometimes, gin comes before glory.

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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.

15 thoughts on “SUNSET OVER THE OLD NEPTUNE”

    1. Yes, the Shetland equivalent is Shetland Reel and I think they do a vodka too. In Scotland, it’s an economic thing; Scotch whisky has to age for at least three years and one day, preferably longer. That’s a long time to leave your product lying around while you’re still paying the loan for the equipment. Answer: make gin or vodka which don’t have statutory ageing periods so you can knock it out straight away. Don’t know the rules for rest of UK.

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  5. “December 2025. Whitstable.”

    (looks up)
    Either your phone has corrected itself or you’re getting better at those.

    “pop to the loo, ”

    I read that too quickly as ‘poop in the loo”. 😊

    ““But it’s Locale gin !””

    Cunning woman your Mrs. ‘Locale’ just means something interesting happens there. I’d say drinking gin counts, ergo, any gin you drink where you are is ‘locale’. 😎

    “Gorgeous, isn’t it ?”

    Too much blue.

    “the photogenic one.”

    I was going to mention the bins but, as I scrolled quickly past to get to where I can type, I noticed bins have already been mentioned a half dozen times!

    “but it’s cosy enough with its lite jazz and “banter” about £340k Southwold beach huts,”

    There are times I can never tell if you’re joking but for this I will assume that price is right (or not bloody right in my opinion!).

    “But you’re here for the sunset and the Instagram shots, really,”

    I dunno. A nice pint watching the sunset from the comfort of the pub would do me.
    (while I am in the wrong location for sunsets over the ocean – we face the mainland of the west coast – I’ve been spoiled with gorgeous sunsets (and sunrises) deep in the heart of the Rocky Mountains)

    “Did she join me on the pebbles to catch it in all its glory ?”

    (looks up)
    Ok, that is pretty glorious.

    “Sometimes, gin comes before glory.”

    I can get behind that. Sunsets will always be there. But… good gin (or a beer?). 👌

    Cheers

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