I'm a lot less enthusiastic about bottled beer than I used to be. My pantry forever had a revolving range of beers which I'd drink alone or with friends.
These days, mostly bottled beer feels just a little too fizzy. Also, since I go to pubs far more often than I used to, I guess I just get my beer fix in the place it was intended to be drunk.
Nevertheless, with a busy weekend ahead, a houseguest we don't know very well at all, and the prospect of not have much opportunity to got the pub I thought it would be as well to augment the supply of wine with some bottled beer and some cider (there's also plenty of water, juice, ginger beer and tonic water, I hasten to add).
It was really hard to choose. Ocado had a phenomenal range of old favourites and beers I've never heard of. How the hell do you choose?
Well, I stuck to beers I know and love in their draught form, from breweries I can hopefully trust not to screw things up too badly in the bottling process. So I've got Betty Stoggs, Citra (Oakham's version) and TEA. Cheers!
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Tuesday, 25 February 2014
Coffee vs Beer
Yesterday I had a meeting with someone I was helping with a project. We'd not met before and because neither of us have offices in our respective roles, we said we'd meet in a cafe.
By the time I arrived at the cafe, a sign said it was closed for the day. Sad.
That's the problem with some cafes, they often don't open beyond 4 or 5pm. Fortunately, it was just around the corner from The Dolphin which is a regular haunt of mine and I knew it would be open.
So we convened there, instead.
I knew it would be pretty quiet, welcoming and there would be good beer. Frankly, at that time of day beer's a better choice of refreshment for me, since any caffeine after about 2pm usually leaves me a awake well into the night.
When Penny joined me, she stuck to coffee and one of the things the Dolphin does really well is to make a good atmosphere for drinking, eating or simply getting a coffee. No matter why you're there, you're always made to feel like it matters and that you're welcome.
The Dolphin isn't remotely close to being one of my favourite pubs, but it's definitely one of my favourite haunts.
Nicely done, Rachael.
By the time I arrived at the cafe, a sign said it was closed for the day. Sad.
That's the problem with some cafes, they often don't open beyond 4 or 5pm. Fortunately, it was just around the corner from The Dolphin which is a regular haunt of mine and I knew it would be open.
So we convened there, instead.
I knew it would be pretty quiet, welcoming and there would be good beer. Frankly, at that time of day beer's a better choice of refreshment for me, since any caffeine after about 2pm usually leaves me a awake well into the night.
When Penny joined me, she stuck to coffee and one of the things the Dolphin does really well is to make a good atmosphere for drinking, eating or simply getting a coffee. No matter why you're there, you're always made to feel like it matters and that you're welcome.
The Dolphin isn't remotely close to being one of my favourite pubs, but it's definitely one of my favourite haunts.
Nicely done, Rachael.
Monday, 24 February 2014
Pubs to Visit #2
Another in the occasional series of pubs I like and if you don't know them - get and see if you like them too.
This time, the Evening Star in Brighton.
So much more than just a post-match beer venue - even though that's typically how we use it.
The first time I went here I didn't think I'd like it. It was rammed to the gunwhales and I feared we'd never get to the bar through the thronging football supporters. Not only that but there was barely anywhere to stand, let alone sit.
But the first pint of Hophead easily assuaged my fears.
So do I just like the beer there? No, there's far more to it. For a start, it's one of those places where tables are routinely shared. It means that if you can see a stool next to an empty bit of table, there's a fair chance if you ask the "owners" of the time 'would you mind...?' you'll almost always be invited to sit down as the incumbents shuffle over to make more room. This can lead to an interesting conversation or two, if you're in the mood.
It's also the only pub I've ever been to where another customer will ask if I need a hand in transporting three pints (it's happened three or four times now) to my seat.
The staff can not only lip-read...but possibly mind-read, too. Even with a couple of bodies between you and the bar, the staff know where you are in line, and you can indicate what you want by mouthing the name, nodding in the direction of the required pump, or pointing...
To top it all off, should you arrive in the pre-match lull when it's relatively quiet it's a perfectly good place to hole up in a corner, with your pint and book and pass the time until the football supporters return and you know that if there are three pints of Hophead on the table by the time they arrive you will be declared hero :-)
This time, the Evening Star in Brighton.
So much more than just a post-match beer venue - even though that's typically how we use it.
The first time I went here I didn't think I'd like it. It was rammed to the gunwhales and I feared we'd never get to the bar through the thronging football supporters. Not only that but there was barely anywhere to stand, let alone sit.
But the first pint of Hophead easily assuaged my fears.
So do I just like the beer there? No, there's far more to it. For a start, it's one of those places where tables are routinely shared. It means that if you can see a stool next to an empty bit of table, there's a fair chance if you ask the "owners" of the time 'would you mind...?' you'll almost always be invited to sit down as the incumbents shuffle over to make more room. This can lead to an interesting conversation or two, if you're in the mood.
It's also the only pub I've ever been to where another customer will ask if I need a hand in transporting three pints (it's happened three or four times now) to my seat.
The staff can not only lip-read...but possibly mind-read, too. Even with a couple of bodies between you and the bar, the staff know where you are in line, and you can indicate what you want by mouthing the name, nodding in the direction of the required pump, or pointing...
To top it all off, should you arrive in the pre-match lull when it's relatively quiet it's a perfectly good place to hole up in a corner, with your pint and book and pass the time until the football supporters return and you know that if there are three pints of Hophead on the table by the time they arrive you will be declared hero :-)
Sunday, 23 February 2014
Beer and Football
I've drunk a LOT of beer this weekend.
There was football and because Wigan were visiting Brighton and Hove Albion, my Wigan-supporting nephew asked to come and spend the weekend so he could continue in his quest to visit as many football grounds as possible.
Thankfully, he's a proper beer enthusiast too, so it was nice to take him to some of our Eastbourne and Brighton pub haunts.
But this blog isn't about my nephew...
I quite fancied the idea of going to football, but since the usual boys all have season tickets, and a game is less fun standing on your own, I went to the away end with Adam.
Now, here's the great thing about Brighton's Amex stadium. Not only are away-stewards incredibly courteous and friendly (greeting us as we arrived, being very polite in the bag search, helping us with the bar coded tickets for the turnstiles, thanking us for coming on our way out) - but in all the concourse bars, they sell real ale - dispensed on order via handpump.
It means that after the game, rather than rush for the trains, home and away fans of football and real ale can hang back and have a drink and watch sports footage on the screens in the concourses. As a result, the pressure for exit is reduced along with our stress level.
Obviously, there's lager and soft drinks too...but it's unusual to have the treat of something we could happily drink (Harveys Best is the most usual). No other football ground I've been to seems to have this philosophy although I'm told Leyton Orient's bar is open to CAMRA members on production of a membership card.
So yeah, the beery highlight of this weekend was probably a couple of pints of Best served into plastic glasses (you have to forgive that, given the nature of the venue) - is there any reason other clubs couldn't follow suit?
There was football and because Wigan were visiting Brighton and Hove Albion, my Wigan-supporting nephew asked to come and spend the weekend so he could continue in his quest to visit as many football grounds as possible.
Thankfully, he's a proper beer enthusiast too, so it was nice to take him to some of our Eastbourne and Brighton pub haunts.
But this blog isn't about my nephew...
I quite fancied the idea of going to football, but since the usual boys all have season tickets, and a game is less fun standing on your own, I went to the away end with Adam.
Now, here's the great thing about Brighton's Amex stadium. Not only are away-stewards incredibly courteous and friendly (greeting us as we arrived, being very polite in the bag search, helping us with the bar coded tickets for the turnstiles, thanking us for coming on our way out) - but in all the concourse bars, they sell real ale - dispensed on order via handpump.
It means that after the game, rather than rush for the trains, home and away fans of football and real ale can hang back and have a drink and watch sports footage on the screens in the concourses. As a result, the pressure for exit is reduced along with our stress level.
Obviously, there's lager and soft drinks too...but it's unusual to have the treat of something we could happily drink (Harveys Best is the most usual). No other football ground I've been to seems to have this philosophy although I'm told Leyton Orient's bar is open to CAMRA members on production of a membership card.
So yeah, the beery highlight of this weekend was probably a couple of pints of Best served into plastic glasses (you have to forgive that, given the nature of the venue) - is there any reason other clubs couldn't follow suit?
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
Working on the Chain Gang
A debate flares up from time to time about the rights and wrongs of chain outlets versus independent businesses (indies).
We were thinking about this at the weekend and it's raised its head in a another forum - in a different context, so I've been musing on it some more.
Are big chains evil? Should we eschew them in favour of indies?
Actually, I'm coming to the view that they have their place.
Let's say you're going to a football match in a strange town and you don't have a copy of the Good Beer Guide to hand. Your priority for a pub visit is a couple of pints of decent beer - maybe something to eat purely for fuel (and stomach lining) purposes and then you need to get to the ground, so this is unlikely to be a leisurely lunchtime.
Looking at a high street of five pubs which are you going to choose?
You can see that three have hand pumps so you can discount two. What you can't tell from window is how well that beer is kept, how much they sell, etc.
I would suggest in these circumstances, in a town you don't want to culture a long term relationship with, you choose the Wetherspoons.
You know precisely what you'll get - decent, possibly even very good, beer which is well kept and properly served and where you know that if you have to return a pint, that'll be done with no fuss. Chances are, the service will be pretty efficient too.
Once you've chosen this venue, you can relax because you know what the customer experience will be - and you can turn your attention to the important matter of musing over the team's line-up and why someone's on the bench not in the starting formation.
If this is your home-team's town, then I'd hope you'd be prepared to try the other "real" pubs over time, after all, this is proper relationship, isn't it? It's worth investing more than money in.
Oddly, on Sunday, we broke completely with habit and for reason of proximity of railway station, we ventured into the London and County for a swift one. Actually it turned into a less than swift one simply because the beer was really good and a break from what's generally available in the rest of Eastbourne. We won't spend whole relaxed afternoons or evenings in this place...that's not what it's about. But I can certainly see our traditional "goodbye" pint being here from time to time in future. Sometimes a girl who lives most of the time in Sussex simply craves a pint of Oakham JHB.
Will it put other good pubs in Eastbourne out of business?
Not the really good ones, no. That day I visited the Crown and Anchor, the Victoria, the Dolphin and the Dew Drop (blimey, that's quite a list for an afternoon and evening, isn't it?) and all of them were lively and full of customers. Each of them has their own offering, their own character and we choose accordingly.
I think the best high streets are full of variety, with styles and there's a place for bland chains - their very sameness can be useful and comforting in their own right.
We were thinking about this at the weekend and it's raised its head in a another forum - in a different context, so I've been musing on it some more.
Are big chains evil? Should we eschew them in favour of indies?
Actually, I'm coming to the view that they have their place.
Let's say you're going to a football match in a strange town and you don't have a copy of the Good Beer Guide to hand. Your priority for a pub visit is a couple of pints of decent beer - maybe something to eat purely for fuel (and stomach lining) purposes and then you need to get to the ground, so this is unlikely to be a leisurely lunchtime.
Looking at a high street of five pubs which are you going to choose?
You can see that three have hand pumps so you can discount two. What you can't tell from window is how well that beer is kept, how much they sell, etc.
I would suggest in these circumstances, in a town you don't want to culture a long term relationship with, you choose the Wetherspoons.
You know precisely what you'll get - decent, possibly even very good, beer which is well kept and properly served and where you know that if you have to return a pint, that'll be done with no fuss. Chances are, the service will be pretty efficient too.
Once you've chosen this venue, you can relax because you know what the customer experience will be - and you can turn your attention to the important matter of musing over the team's line-up and why someone's on the bench not in the starting formation.
If this is your home-team's town, then I'd hope you'd be prepared to try the other "real" pubs over time, after all, this is proper relationship, isn't it? It's worth investing more than money in.
Oddly, on Sunday, we broke completely with habit and for reason of proximity of railway station, we ventured into the London and County for a swift one. Actually it turned into a less than swift one simply because the beer was really good and a break from what's generally available in the rest of Eastbourne. We won't spend whole relaxed afternoons or evenings in this place...that's not what it's about. But I can certainly see our traditional "goodbye" pint being here from time to time in future. Sometimes a girl who lives most of the time in Sussex simply craves a pint of Oakham JHB.
Will it put other good pubs in Eastbourne out of business?
Not the really good ones, no. That day I visited the Crown and Anchor, the Victoria, the Dolphin and the Dew Drop (blimey, that's quite a list for an afternoon and evening, isn't it?) and all of them were lively and full of customers. Each of them has their own offering, their own character and we choose accordingly.
I think the best high streets are full of variety, with styles and there's a place for bland chains - their very sameness can be useful and comforting in their own right.
Saturday, 8 February 2014
Traditions
When S stays in Bristol, we make a point of trying to find a pub that he hasn't been to before.
We haven't failed yet.
Often, we don't even really need to try that hard.
This time we managed two - the Old Station in Hallatrow and the Small Bar in Kings Street.
Neither of these places were this year's new favourite or anything, but both had their plus points.
The Old Station has a quirky interior and perfectly well-kept beer...but we were a little disappointed with range of beers. Still, we had a couple of pints of a Oakham brew which hit the spot nicely before we headed home. I wouldn't rush back, but it was a pleasant enough diversion.
On the other hand, the Small Bar has a bit more potential. It's a wee bit self-consciously trendy but it had a good mix of cask and keg beers of various styles.
I think I liked the fact that you order from a board not from pump clips and the board is grouped into styles of beer. Nice touch.
Beer generally comes in "two-thirds" which would be a really nice size for trying a few more beers, but it pushes the price up a fair bit, which was a tad annoying. It meant that the Dark Star Hophead they had on cask worked out at just over four quid a pint. There's really no need for that.
I think that was my only quibble - and my Tiny Rebel Zool was lovely stuff.
I still prefer the Beer Emporium over the road...but S wasn't sure. Means we'll have to go back to the Emporium next time he's in town to double-check.
Has to be said, though, new pubs aside, the old favourites were like your favourite washed and worn jeans. The Barley Mow and the Seven Stars continue to deliver. And we love 'em for it.
We haven't failed yet.
Often, we don't even really need to try that hard.
This time we managed two - the Old Station in Hallatrow and the Small Bar in Kings Street.
Neither of these places were this year's new favourite or anything, but both had their plus points.
The Old Station has a quirky interior and perfectly well-kept beer...but we were a little disappointed with range of beers. Still, we had a couple of pints of a Oakham brew which hit the spot nicely before we headed home. I wouldn't rush back, but it was a pleasant enough diversion.
On the other hand, the Small Bar has a bit more potential. It's a wee bit self-consciously trendy but it had a good mix of cask and keg beers of various styles.
I think I liked the fact that you order from a board not from pump clips and the board is grouped into styles of beer. Nice touch.
Beer generally comes in "two-thirds" which would be a really nice size for trying a few more beers, but it pushes the price up a fair bit, which was a tad annoying. It meant that the Dark Star Hophead they had on cask worked out at just over four quid a pint. There's really no need for that.
I think that was my only quibble - and my Tiny Rebel Zool was lovely stuff.
I still prefer the Beer Emporium over the road...but S wasn't sure. Means we'll have to go back to the Emporium next time he's in town to double-check.
Has to be said, though, new pubs aside, the old favourites were like your favourite washed and worn jeans. The Barley Mow and the Seven Stars continue to deliver. And we love 'em for it.
Wednesday, 5 February 2014
Pubs to Visit #1
An inaugural post on the subject of "Pubs you should visit if you don't know about them already".
As I manoeuvred my way through London coming back to Bristol yesterday I was musing on navigation in the capital.
I always used to find hacking my way through London's streets a right royal pain in the bum. Either you had a copy of an AtoZ map and looked like a tourist, or you printed out a couple of pages of map from Google before your journey...and looked like a tourist.
Now we have smart phones with mapping apps to guide us...and...yeah, you look like a tourist.
The first time I didn't feel like a tourist in London was on a day when I was off to meet S and a bunch of friends for an evening of beer and food and catch-up.
S & one pal were in Brighton for football, I was in Eastbourne, other folk were coming from Portsmouth and near-Guildford.
We thought the best option was to meet in a central pub that we all knew - The Harp.
It's close to Charing Cross station but it's not immediately obvious unless you know where it is. I had my phone so I knew I could track my way. But there was a lovely feeling as I emerged from the station and walked to the pub. I knew where I was going.
Not only that, I knew exactly what to expect when I arrived, and I knew how to behave.
The Harp is a lovely place, with top beer and efficient staff...but my, does it get busy.
The trick is to hold your nerve.
The place feels entirely shoulder to shoulder when you arrive but you do get served quickly and there is always a little corner you can stand in whilst you scope out a place to sit.
And so it was, I barely had time to squeeze my way to the bar and look at hand pumps before someone was cheerily asking me what I wanted. Usually, expecting S imminently, I would have bought beer for him too...but there was no where to put it so I got me a pint and scuttled off to a corner.
It wasn't long before a group of chaps were leaving a table so I caught their eye and played the "dead men's shoes" game. They passed the table onto me with a smile.
So there I was, perched, waiting for the guys and another chaps sidled up nervously and asked if he could rest his pint on "my" table.
That's the thing, when you know a place, and don't feel like a stranger to it other people seem to notice it too.
Anyhow - this is all by way of telling you to visit the Harp - and not be put off by the number of people in there. It's a pub that works well.
As I manoeuvred my way through London coming back to Bristol yesterday I was musing on navigation in the capital.
I always used to find hacking my way through London's streets a right royal pain in the bum. Either you had a copy of an AtoZ map and looked like a tourist, or you printed out a couple of pages of map from Google before your journey...and looked like a tourist.
Now we have smart phones with mapping apps to guide us...and...yeah, you look like a tourist.
The first time I didn't feel like a tourist in London was on a day when I was off to meet S and a bunch of friends for an evening of beer and food and catch-up.
S & one pal were in Brighton for football, I was in Eastbourne, other folk were coming from Portsmouth and near-Guildford.
We thought the best option was to meet in a central pub that we all knew - The Harp.
It's close to Charing Cross station but it's not immediately obvious unless you know where it is. I had my phone so I knew I could track my way. But there was a lovely feeling as I emerged from the station and walked to the pub. I knew where I was going.
Not only that, I knew exactly what to expect when I arrived, and I knew how to behave.
The Harp is a lovely place, with top beer and efficient staff...but my, does it get busy.
The trick is to hold your nerve.
The place feels entirely shoulder to shoulder when you arrive but you do get served quickly and there is always a little corner you can stand in whilst you scope out a place to sit.
And so it was, I barely had time to squeeze my way to the bar and look at hand pumps before someone was cheerily asking me what I wanted. Usually, expecting S imminently, I would have bought beer for him too...but there was no where to put it so I got me a pint and scuttled off to a corner.
It wasn't long before a group of chaps were leaving a table so I caught their eye and played the "dead men's shoes" game. They passed the table onto me with a smile.
So there I was, perched, waiting for the guys and another chaps sidled up nervously and asked if he could rest his pint on "my" table.
That's the thing, when you know a place, and don't feel like a stranger to it other people seem to notice it too.
Anyhow - this is all by way of telling you to visit the Harp - and not be put off by the number of people in there. It's a pub that works well.
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Two New Beers
In the last couple of days I've tasted two beers that are new to me, and they were both memorably pleasant and perfectly kept.
The first was in the Euston Tap on our way home from the away match with Watford. Now, the Euston Tap is a fabulous place. It's a small railway building that was converted to a pub a few years back - and its pair was, a little more recently, turned into a cider bar.
It's definitely treading a fine line between great pub and a bit achingly trendily craft beer bar, but the building more than makes up for any shortcomings, I think.
My first beer was Redemption brew which was nice, but not memorable. S had a Burton Bitter which was much the same.
We ummed over a second drink...but didn't take much time to decide to stay for another. With Dark Star APA on tap, it was almost a foregone conclusion...but at the last moment I saw that "Clouded Minds" (of whom I've never heard) had a beer called "Catholics Choice" which was a mere 2.8% abv. Now, I'm a sucker for trying beers that are lower in alcohol because they can make great session beers. The beer was, as the brewery name suggests, a little hazy but in great condition.
It was flavoursome, crisp and slightly citrussy - probably not the perfect pint for a cold February Sunday, but I could imagine spending a summer day gardening drinking this all day yet still able to operate power tools safely. See what you think!
Second was from a brewery I've encountered before - The Hopping Mad Brewery. We took a colleague for dinner at The Highlander who regularly stock their beers so it was no surprise to see it on the bar, ranged with Tring and Greene King Ales. This time it was a golden, hoppy number (name not remembered) ad I'll bet folding money the cask was only very recently tapped.
The result was a sparkling bright, well balanced beer that warranted a second pint.
Our guest, who is from Poland, was looking forward to "proper English beer" really enjoyed it too...although he did think it was a bit like lager.
I realised that, these days, it's quite hard to impress me with beer. So many perfectly good pints get the "yeah, it's fine" vote from me. So to have two "yum!" pints in as many days is a good thing indeed.
The first was in the Euston Tap on our way home from the away match with Watford. Now, the Euston Tap is a fabulous place. It's a small railway building that was converted to a pub a few years back - and its pair was, a little more recently, turned into a cider bar.
It's definitely treading a fine line between great pub and a bit achingly trendily craft beer bar, but the building more than makes up for any shortcomings, I think.
My first beer was Redemption brew which was nice, but not memorable. S had a Burton Bitter which was much the same.
We ummed over a second drink...but didn't take much time to decide to stay for another. With Dark Star APA on tap, it was almost a foregone conclusion...but at the last moment I saw that "Clouded Minds" (of whom I've never heard) had a beer called "Catholics Choice" which was a mere 2.8% abv. Now, I'm a sucker for trying beers that are lower in alcohol because they can make great session beers. The beer was, as the brewery name suggests, a little hazy but in great condition.
It was flavoursome, crisp and slightly citrussy - probably not the perfect pint for a cold February Sunday, but I could imagine spending a summer day gardening drinking this all day yet still able to operate power tools safely. See what you think!
Second was from a brewery I've encountered before - The Hopping Mad Brewery. We took a colleague for dinner at The Highlander who regularly stock their beers so it was no surprise to see it on the bar, ranged with Tring and Greene King Ales. This time it was a golden, hoppy number (name not remembered) ad I'll bet folding money the cask was only very recently tapped.
The result was a sparkling bright, well balanced beer that warranted a second pint.
Our guest, who is from Poland, was looking forward to "proper English beer" really enjoyed it too...although he did think it was a bit like lager.
I realised that, these days, it's quite hard to impress me with beer. So many perfectly good pints get the "yeah, it's fine" vote from me. So to have two "yum!" pints in as many days is a good thing indeed.
Monday, 3 February 2014
The Combining of Beer and Architecture.
Our weekend didn't turn out quite how we expected.
There was a nascent plan to meet in London on Friday evening, since I couldn't leave Eastbourne early to travel north. But when the time came (around 4.30pm) to make a decision, neither of us were keen to brave the grim weather any more than we already had.
So, I caught the train to Hitchin, S picked me up in the car and we bypassed our usual sojourn in the Nightingale, headed straight home for homemade curry and a bottleored to chase away the damp and chills.
Saturday we decided to walk to Letchworth Garden City (3 or 4 miles away via footpaths) to gawp at the architecture of a planned town, and see what beery delights they had on offer.
We were disappointed on both counts, really.
In some ways it's nice to see a town (started in 1904 or thereabouts) which gives as much consideration to the aesthetics of public space as the need to drum up cash via shopping centres. On the other, the result is rather too sterile. We can't find the Hertfordshire Pevsner at the moment to see what the great man made of it all.
Bearing in mind it was a fine (if chilly) Saturday afternoon, the shopping area which had many independent shops, lovely facades and a sense of style - was all but deserted. This, in itself, seemed odd. The only place we saw lots of people milling around was a rather more bland development containing Iceland, Poundstretcher and other bland chains. Does make you wonder what people actually use in their High Street vs what they say they want. But that's another story.
So we decided to stop for refreshment and "beer in the evening" suggested the Colonnades would be worth a try - with Cask Marque accreditation.
Well, it was busy.
But the service was truly awful - with the few bar staff there were not even acknowledging that they realised you were waiting for them (seriously, how hard is it to smile and say "I'll be with you in a moment"?).
We were just about to leave when we were service - a couple of pints of Cottage - one Rorke's Drift, the other Endeavour. Both a bit bland, both possibly a little past their best too. Sad.
So we tootled over the way to the only pub in the GBG - The Three Magnets.
Again, the atmosphere a bit lacking but at least the Dark Star Hophead was tasty (although served through a sparkler...hmmm).
When all's said and done, it's a Wetherspoons and, as a rule, we're not that keen on them so we were never going to hang around there for long.
So we made a last tramp around town and stumbled on our third pub - the Arena. Actually, it wasn't too bad. The beer choice wasn't fantastic, but it was OK (looked like a Greene King tied list) and the service was certainly friendly.
As a pub it probably had the best potential, but I don't imagine we'll be rushing back.
So, we left Letchworth feeling a little subdued by the experience.
Just like you can't manufacture a "pub" atmosphere very easily in a chain pub...it seems you can't really manufacture charm into a planned town. Maybe all these things have evolve.
There was a nascent plan to meet in London on Friday evening, since I couldn't leave Eastbourne early to travel north. But when the time came (around 4.30pm) to make a decision, neither of us were keen to brave the grim weather any more than we already had.
So, I caught the train to Hitchin, S picked me up in the car and we bypassed our usual sojourn in the Nightingale, headed straight home for homemade curry and a bottleored to chase away the damp and chills.
Saturday we decided to walk to Letchworth Garden City (3 or 4 miles away via footpaths) to gawp at the architecture of a planned town, and see what beery delights they had on offer.
We were disappointed on both counts, really.
In some ways it's nice to see a town (started in 1904 or thereabouts) which gives as much consideration to the aesthetics of public space as the need to drum up cash via shopping centres. On the other, the result is rather too sterile. We can't find the Hertfordshire Pevsner at the moment to see what the great man made of it all.
Bearing in mind it was a fine (if chilly) Saturday afternoon, the shopping area which had many independent shops, lovely facades and a sense of style - was all but deserted. This, in itself, seemed odd. The only place we saw lots of people milling around was a rather more bland development containing Iceland, Poundstretcher and other bland chains. Does make you wonder what people actually use in their High Street vs what they say they want. But that's another story.
So we decided to stop for refreshment and "beer in the evening" suggested the Colonnades would be worth a try - with Cask Marque accreditation.
Well, it was busy.
But the service was truly awful - with the few bar staff there were not even acknowledging that they realised you were waiting for them (seriously, how hard is it to smile and say "I'll be with you in a moment"?).
We were just about to leave when we were service - a couple of pints of Cottage - one Rorke's Drift, the other Endeavour. Both a bit bland, both possibly a little past their best too. Sad.
So we tootled over the way to the only pub in the GBG - The Three Magnets.
Again, the atmosphere a bit lacking but at least the Dark Star Hophead was tasty (although served through a sparkler...hmmm).
When all's said and done, it's a Wetherspoons and, as a rule, we're not that keen on them so we were never going to hang around there for long.
So we made a last tramp around town and stumbled on our third pub - the Arena. Actually, it wasn't too bad. The beer choice wasn't fantastic, but it was OK (looked like a Greene King tied list) and the service was certainly friendly.
As a pub it probably had the best potential, but I don't imagine we'll be rushing back.
So, we left Letchworth feeling a little subdued by the experience.
Just like you can't manufacture a "pub" atmosphere very easily in a chain pub...it seems you can't really manufacture charm into a planned town. Maybe all these things have evolve.
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