Regular readers will be familiar with my weekly journeys along the A14 to proper towns. The toughest section is the first bit. Even at 21:44 tonight, it would take me 1hr 39 to get to Rugby, for instance, missing last orders at the Half Moon. Fifteen years ago that would have taken 1hr 10. I… Continue reading GRAFHAM HAILS THE A14 HUNTINGDON BYPASS
NO NONSENSE NONSUCH
“Enough of all these attractive looking boozers,” you say “give us a South London suburban Spoons in a shopping precinct”. Pub experts will see past the great swathes of suburbia in the map above and identify The Hope in Carshalton, the Black Lion in Surbiton, and of course the Carling hit in Chessington World of… Continue reading NO NONSENSE NONSUCH
ANDOVER – PIGS IN BLANKETS
Yes, this morning I thought you probably needed a picture of oversized ladies underwear in Andover market. Probably a metaphor for something. To prove this blog isn’t computer generated, here’s the result from the Andover etc parliamentary elections overnight. Tells you all you need to know. I arrived in town on Saturday to be pounced… Continue reading ANDOVER – PIGS IN BLANKETS
CRAMMED INN. THE BARREL
Aldous Harding in Southampton. Half an hour walk into the centre for a lone GBG tick and then the expected Meantime/Camden/Peroni in The 1865, a new venue for me. Southampton is basically micros, big shops, 9-0 home defeats and cruise ships, but I can make the Old Town look very pleasing with a well chosen… Continue reading CRAMMED INN. THE BARREL
FROTH IN FREEMANTLE
No, not that Freemantle; No, even that BRAPA visit to Melbourne in 2016 can’t get Australia in the GBG yet. But it was Simon’s visit to Southampton a year later that made me change plans and visit another non-GBG last Friday, perhaps in sympathy with BRAPA’s unproductive but wonderful trip to Rugby the week before.… Continue reading FROTH IN FREEMANTLE
THE POLISH PUB IN SOUTHAMPTON
A night in Southampton is a rarity; a lack of cheap accommodation and tiled pubs compared to Portsmouth always sways me in favour of Pompey. And then there’s the locals. But tonight (actually last Friday, keep up) there’s a gig in the centre of town, a new GBG tick next door, and a £35 guest… Continue reading THE POLISH PUB IN SOUTHAMPTON
EXEMPLAR BAR BLOCKING IN ROMSEY
So what was I doing in Hook, you ask ? Apart from rediscovering the thrill of the tip. I was on my way back to Southampton (again !) for more sultry South Coast small pub fun, of course. But first, a diversion to Romsey for the annual new GBG pub that you can’t believe you… Continue reading EXEMPLAR BAR BLOCKING IN ROMSEY
BEER TIPPING NEAR HOOK
I should firstly apologise to young Citra. My unplanned and unannounced drop-in to the foothills of Hook denied him the opportunity to join me in a spot of home-brew tipping. He didn’t miss much. Except for a rare outing for “Chiquitita” in a Hampshire gastropub. By the same token, I failed to drop in on… Continue reading BEER TIPPING NEAR HOOK
THE PEMBURY
You left me in Motspur Park, (F) which at least I can tell my children I’ve seen now. Wiki tells me the area has had two famous residents; Nigel Winterburn and George Clinton. Nigel apparently played maracas on the video for “Do fries go with that shake ?“. Anyway, too exciting for me, so I… Continue reading THE PEMBURY
BOB and RUDOLPH
Pub 5 on the West London list, and getting tricky. I’d asked in the Black Lion where Motspur Park was and just got shrugs. Technically New Malden, whoever he is. So I took the train to New Malded and walked, hoping for art. With the greatest respect, it’s duller than Cheadle. At least dusk made… Continue reading BOB and RUDOLPH
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