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.