retiredmartin

April 2026. Cannon Street. London.

I’m always interested in The Honest View on Beer Quality. Chris Dyson and Paul Bailey always give their beers scores; folk on the “We love Bass, us” Facebook page seem reluctant to admit Bass can sometimes be less than perfect (though it always seems to photograph well).

Our American visitors know British cask well enough to tell an NBSS 3 from a 3.5 or a 4, and my sense was that the London pubs were a better than the beer, which is fine.

You come to the capital for the views of St Pauls,

the uncontroversial street art,

and the picturesque pub exteriors.

Actually the Pelt Trader under the arches at Cannon Street is possibly the ugliest pub in London, though the Spoons in the station runs it close.

But there’s half an hour to waste before the train back to another tea at Tunbridge Wells Spoons, and the Pelt Trader had been too busy in February.

It wasn’t heaving today, which presumably is because Thursday is the new Friday but Wednesday is the old Thursday, or something profound.

Does anyone where suits in the City anymore ?

You’ve no doubt read about the £10 pint in London, which is nothing as Sheffield has £27 pints; Sheffield leads in all things.

Well, the pint of Southwark Porter here was £5.20, which would have been even more of a bargain if it had that last degree of crispness it patently lacked (NBSS 3).

But, really, the only complaint I have about the Trader is that seating. I think Mrs RM is still trying to get down.