Beer round here

I'd like to pop into the Greyhound for a pint (and a look), despite it now being off the beaten track for going for a drink. I have many happy memories of there particularly, both before and after V going; quiz nights, basket meals, snowy nights by the open fire, 30^th birthday parties, Sunday lunches and just wandering up for a pint & the company of noise on lonely evenings. Perhaps I should rally the troops and undertake the Penkhull Pub Crawl (The Greyhound, The Marquis of Granby, The Terrace, The Beehive and The White Lion) again for old times sake?

It's the last vaguely happy memory I have of my time with V, we did it on Christmas Eve Eve of 2005(?); I recall bits of the day- grabbing lunch in the Greyhound (always the best for food), the grubbiness of the White Lion, the blandness of the M.O.G, drinking a Christmas cider (Old Rosey Nosey) in the Beehive and witnessing an odd interaction between only to a man and woman. Only to discover they were ex-husband and wife that made us comment on how could you be so estranged whilst living in such close proximity, little did we know or more accurately little did I know.

I think even then she knew she was going to go, just unsure when. Time has led me to the conclusion that she was probably going to opt out of the Gathering, pack-up and leave that week-end, but something forced her hand making her go a few weeks earlier (also I'd of been suspicious). I'm glad, if she'd gone whilst I was in Llandudno that week-end would be forever slightly tainted, as it is now it makes me feel hopeful, brave, supported and optimistic 'cause I went two weeks following.

After her going I tended to go to the M.O.G; the Greyhound was too traditional and claustrophobic for many of my friends (an old man pub they'd say). I never returned to the Beehive, Terrace or the White Lion; and I probably don't think I ever will. But I would like to go to the Greyhound again, it was a fine establishment, pretty much a perfect community pub and the standard all are measured against.

I doubt the Wayfarer will have so much charm and I hope it’s not as potentially sterile as its sister establishment The Swan With Two Necks. No doubt they will follow the hugely successful Swan formula, but I hope they keep a bit of space for it being a traditional pub. If not it will be fabulous for an occasional visit, but I’d like somewhere which is a little closer to a community establishment- decent beers, welcoming atmosphere, perhaps a quiz night.

I’ve always longed for a soap-opera type pub, there was nothing near Parma (good or bad) and the Wayfarer wasn’t quite right prior to its eventual closure pre-refit (mainly it was just too big). They are also doing something to the long abandoned George and Dragon, which closed within a week of us moving into Huckleberry Heights, which maybe promising if the Wayfarer is too gastro and not enough pub?

It was never much cop apparently, a typical rubber and chips establishment, but not quite as plastic as the Darliston Inn which I’m sure only succeeds ‘cause of the child-minding potential of the Wacky Warehouse and the pile it high nature of their food (cheap & plentiful). The Darliston Inn has also very recently been repainted and refurnished, but remains a Wacky and a Big Plate Pub, so holds very little appeal to a middle class, middle income, childless couple.

So potentially two good places in easy walking distance, the Wayfarer has promise, the George & Dragon less so sadly. It could be improved, I’m not demanding much, a few cask ales and an up to date quiz machine. It doesn’t even have to do food; just bar snacks (crisps & nuts). See I could run it.

The Royal Exchange is always excellent, but always rammed and a bit far-off for a pop in (the same can be said of The Swan by the canal) we want somewhere equally good, close to home, that not too scuzzy but neither is it too refined.

I don’t see what has happened that has suddenly meant that there is demand for five pubs within a mile of the house, perhaps there’s more? The Stone Steakhouse maybe within that mile border, and I haven’t explored Walton heading off towards Eccleshaw. It could be realistically closer to ten (20 – 30 in a few miles) and it’s not exactly a densely populated area. I guess they are all focusing on very different clientèle’s, let’s hope there’s one that suits us?