January 2024. Southborough. Royal Tunbridge Wells. We spent a couple of nights round Mrs RM’s Mum and Dad’s, seeing how my father-in-law is getting on after a lengthy period of hospitalisation and rehabilitation. He just wanted a Chinese takeaway and a trip to the pub, bless him. Only 8 minutes to the Imperial; you remember… Continue reading SMALL STEPS, BUT FATHER-IN-LAW MAKES IT TO THE PUB
Tag: Imperial
LURED INTO THE IMPERIAL BY “NEWKY BROWN IN A WINE GLASS” ERNIE
September 2023. Southborough. Just a pint in t’Wells at the Grove then a bus back to the in-laws. We’d even managed to walk past the alluring entrance to the Imperial, the gorgeous but dull pub on th corner. Well, nearly. A chap holding a wine glass jumped out and waved at us to come in.… Continue reading LURED INTO THE IMPERIAL BY “NEWKY BROWN IN A WINE GLASS” ERNIE
MY FATHER-IN-LAW’S FIRST CHINESE TAKEAWAY SINCE 1980
July 2023. Royal Tunbridge Wells. A week ago we were rushing down to Kent where my father-in-law had had a bad night and was getting an emergency referral to Pembury Hospital, birthplace of Mrs RM and other adverts for healthy living. Pembury is only 10 minutes from the in-laws Southborough home but the quickest route… Continue reading MY FATHER-IN-LAW’S FIRST CHINESE TAKEAWAY SINCE 1980
A SEARCH FOR SUPPABLE BEER IN SOUTHBOROUGH
Loads of posts from (checks notes) Alton Towers, Wigan, Darwen, Bodfari, Cambridge, Bridport and Tonbridge to come, but here’s one from this very night, while I remember. All the relevant points of interest there, including Pashmina Pauline Mansions (there’s a new GBG pub in Maidstone, must go). I’ve mentioned Southborough’s Imperial (the ONLY real pub… Continue reading A SEARCH FOR SUPPABLE BEER IN SOUTHBOROUGH
“MOST IMPROVED PUB”
On Sunday morning we headed off to the in-laws, after the traditional small English breakfast at Hitchin Spoons. Truly, there is nothing sadder than a Spoons before John Smiths Smooth can be served. The biggest obstacle to the 90 minute trip round the M25 and down the A21 to Southborough is remembering the top-up of… Continue reading “MOST IMPROVED PUB”
THE ONLY BASS IN GLOUCESTER
9th March 2020 National Bass Day coming up on 11 April; I’ve no doubt you’ve all got your orders in to Samlesbury already. Upset a CAMRA, support Draught Bass. In the Turks Head I had a lively conversation about Bass and Pedi with a lovely bloke who assured me the Imperial always had it on.… Continue reading THE ONLY BASS IN GLOUCESTER
TWO ITALIANS
Snow gives you the incentive to tidy up your photo collection, and find that I haven’t written up two pre-Christmas meals at pubs run by Italians. Nothing that unusual about that, but they’re the two main locals in my village and my in-laws in Kent. The White Horse in Waterbeach has been through the ringer… Continue reading TWO ITALIANS
BORN PIPPY -A MONDAY NIGHT IN WORCESTER
There has to be a Top 100 pub in Worcester really. A year ago it would probably have been the Paul Pry, never the most predictable pub and apparently closed again. My visit on General election night was a year’s highlight, this pint of Hobsons a classic. On Monday night I met a couple of… Continue reading BORN PIPPY -A MONDAY NIGHT IN WORCESTER
THE IMPERIAL, SOUTHBOROUGH
It’s only in the last few years that our regular trips to the in-laws have become bearable. By that, I mean of course the pubs in Tunbridge Wells have improved, as Paul Bailey has reported recently. Little Southborough isn’t Tunbridge Wells though. What it gains in views over the Weald it loses in terms of any… Continue reading THE IMPERIAL, SOUTHBOROUGH
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