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02-05-2024, 22:20
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2024/05/is-cheap-and-cheerful-pub-lunch-too.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWf13bmFttNUDYkdLk3CgH-5ktRPrTf9ff2tPcIKEE0MtJgrK-UNps8B6NID5PwK1a5C0gf2QZTPkSumVbpd7_1eerE1koE7zvPT 56bqUPokVDB8n9G4WdXRgxQdKDkHWJ6SsEccfBgTOPzuHntQOQ lpQ3KL66fS7KZWrrKQB7mp77fTs3EfaXgv9iCg/w400-h225/Cheese%20Roll.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWf13bmFttNUDYkdLk3CgH-5ktRPrTf9ff2tPcIKEE0MtJgrK-UNps8B6NID5PwK1a5C0gf2QZTPkSumVbpd7_1eerE1koE7zvPT 56bqUPokVDB8n9G4WdXRgxQdKDkHWJ6SsEccfBgTOPzuHntQOQ lpQ3KL66fS7KZWrrKQB7mp77fTs3EfaXgv9iCg/s4000/Cheese%20Roll.jpg)
I've been meaning to write a post on this particular topicfor quite some time now, and whilst I encounter its effects more often than Iwould like, for some reason I keep putting off trying to get to grips with it. It’shigh time then that I broached the subject and came clean, about what hasbecome a real bugbear of mine. I am talking about the increasingly divisivesubject of an affordable pub lunch, something that many of us will have takenfor granted but which, in these changing times, seems to have morphed intosomething completely different.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOs7wnuPV98pPoiA-SImsDZJrp_K6A-HF1eSSZRBjeSYPWsjTz-CTUVV6gsnKLnN7V95GVQXWgggmQfozLPyAfnS_tyDnbM-XALR-11GfOoXnFFtVmvHaYvYd4ZfBOPCwICHyKguR0TEHsHV_kesdK5 RCGouYcIhLT0KE0Hg3AsBvfjce1CJ-6ts3RL4g/w400-h225/Meat%20Pie%20Fat%20Cat.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOs7wnuPV98pPoiA-SImsDZJrp_K6A-HF1eSSZRBjeSYPWsjTz-CTUVV6gsnKLnN7V95GVQXWgggmQfozLPyAfnS_tyDnbM-XALR-11GfOoXnFFtVmvHaYvYd4ZfBOPCwICHyKguR0TEHsHV_kesdK5 RCGouYcIhLT0KE0Hg3AsBvfjce1CJ-6ts3RL4g/s4000/Meat%20Pie%20Fat%20Cat.jpg)
I don’t often get the chance to enjoy a pint or two atlunchtime, what with me still working three days a week, but when I do wellit’s a welcome treat. That applies equally to whether it’s somewhere familiar,and close to home, or a place further afield, such as on a visit to a new town,or different location. Those who know me will be aware that, on such occasions,I like to partake of a little solid refreshment, to accompany that provided bythe liquid enjoyment of a couple of pints.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqDfwBTGYc09Mb3PrCwI9QMu5R2iHIqDDMUMstbNyIR nQk4BIb9IlxMhIhR95us7feFZOJGScZSDgP-Ywnau7GhkJd2JRalyhSCEaMxNV8i3AJkoQx8fMmAnBlulZ6yEl GGjp7r5PEE__bvKnKFyW6rJwsCOdgt0lHMZ4yDHB_iITQi5WBh V1tpL2RN0/w400-h300/Hop%20Museum%20lunch.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqDfwBTGYc09Mb3PrCwI9QMu5R2iHIqDDMUMstbNyIR nQk4BIb9IlxMhIhR95us7feFZOJGScZSDgP-Ywnau7GhkJd2JRalyhSCEaMxNV8i3AJkoQx8fMmAnBlulZ6yEl GGjp7r5PEE__bvKnKFyW6rJwsCOdgt0lHMZ4yDHB_iITQi5WBh V1tpL2RN0/s4608/Hop%20Museum%20lunch.jpg)
It's an old habit, and one that relates to a dislike ofdrinking on an empty stomach. I’m not sure where that came from, although Isuspect it is due to me not wishing to miss my lunch. However, leaving asideany sarcastic comments from the likes of Cooking Lager about my waistline here,for what it’s worth, is my reasoning behind this. There's probably not a lot oftruth in the saying that solid food helps soak up the beer, when consumed reasonablyclose together. Personally, I think that it’s more the case that alcohol isn’t absorbedquite a fast when food is present.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClPncrqz0_gJwTrQWvx_PzGGnqTDX4q8gkonie9f7VF gL_6e9PCh9tM3DcDLVvqX5_CxWmjqcfCFDCVRYn58OUNDzAH8r ReylibCv3v_jkrwPO3l9E2MTZJfl_KJJ3LkAf8_YIqznWcl6tv TIn_j1j0V-f5JlQtEWf9YIh29Kxxy8ipoqlM-psk2psVc/w400-h225/Toastie.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClPncrqz0_gJwTrQWvx_PzGGnqTDX4q8gkonie9f7VF gL_6e9PCh9tM3DcDLVvqX5_CxWmjqcfCFDCVRYn58OUNDzAH8r ReylibCv3v_jkrwPO3l9E2MTZJfl_KJJ3LkAf8_YIqznWcl6tv TIn_j1j0V-f5JlQtEWf9YIh29Kxxy8ipoqlM-psk2psVc/s4000/Toastie.jpg)
So, all those Friday lunchtime sessions, of a few pints withone’s colleagues, probably have a lot to answer for, as none of us wanted toreturn to the workplace feeling half-cut, and a quick roll or sandwich at thepub, may well have helped maintain a sober demeanour. Pub-grub wasn’t thatsophisticated in those days, and a toasted sandwich, a scotch egg, pork pie, orsomething from the hot cabinet, usually sufficed. Fast forward 40 years or so,and unless I'm out for a meal with the family, or it’s a business occasion –incredibly rare these days, I still prefer a light snack at lunchtime. Pre-filledrolls remain the best option, and whilst these are really readily available in boththe Midlands and the North, the opposite applies in London and the south east.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-0BrIziwzQobTtCCQI-dHGjmAGF8OdkqNq0tUj673GU1o-YLzCv5r2eOREPX7OZEVtWlhKcoRDm8_qiSUWzU8GFKGk-kb21G_LUjoNKi0kzx9xscJDyqVARwBbekFLQtIUp8cN1TndvNZ M_FbVAvhSDLbTYsMH8JBtlNRLscqnSns2lXjwImCYoO3T8/w400-h289/Bartons%20Arms%20ext.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-0BrIziwzQobTtCCQI-dHGjmAGF8OdkqNq0tUj673GU1o-YLzCv5r2eOREPX7OZEVtWlhKcoRDm8_qiSUWzU8GFKGk-kb21G_LUjoNKi0kzx9xscJDyqVARwBbekFLQtIUp8cN1TndvNZ M_FbVAvhSDLbTYsMH8JBtlNRLscqnSns2lXjwImCYoO3T8/s2333/Bartons%20Arms%20ext.jpg)
In these parts of the country, the simple sandwich hasceased to exist, and if it is available, the description simple, no longerapplies. Instead, the hungry trencherman is served a filling, between thick-cutslices of artisan bread – nothing wrong with that so far, but when its embellishedwith some type of greenery, ranging from few springs of rocket to a full-blown,and largely unwanted salad, complete with a fancy dressing that’s going toaffect the taste of the beer, that’s a different matter. Even that is notenough for certain establishments, so why not chuck in a handful of crisps for goodmeasure?
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2aFDy1gBF8Ed27O1QlIny09tbqGaoak5OsFm9p80gG 3WnGEuvxqL7CiCpl_XdcGOrm_nXj_B0jJdssRr-lIJgRUrlN42AT5OiuuuS8Dyd_oQ-3rHUM3oaGtbAGtRF9zI5K6jVDIoCEyQtMOrftZSj1RoEJkeEwv vVQsZ4dvV82xVvRJCEQYZSIvyDjg/w400-h226/Vine%20Ext%20detail.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2aFDy1gBF8Ed27O1QlIny09tbqGaoak5OsFm9p80gG 3WnGEuvxqL7CiCpl_XdcGOrm_nXj_B0jJdssRr-lIJgRUrlN42AT5OiuuuS8Dyd_oQ-3rHUM3oaGtbAGtRF9zI5K6jVDIoCEyQtMOrftZSj1RoEJkeEwv vVQsZ4dvV82xVvRJCEQYZSIvyDjg/s3901/Vine%20Ext%20detail.jpg)
No thanks if I want crisps, I will buy a packet, end of! Somepubs go a stage further and insist on offering chips with a sandwich as well. All these unwanted “extras” bump up the price,so much so that it’s not uncommon to be looking at £7 to £10 for a simplesandwich, especially in some of the posh “dining pubs” in the southeast. Thetrouble is, it is increasingly rare to find any pubs in this part of thecountry, where a simple sandwich or a filled roll is available.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkw-q9D-7EYQQ5D92sNdhS4m4GzXRiHNhZTOEwhOi9GJx4945q47NXT1YX a7nebeqctWlrRzea2gJd2PyCf1gHZXTtzCFntFhi4L4EpgTmIx sD5HuNV-KD7hh6nCS9QHpqcHsst7HQXhxy9J61TqIwiYg9Tm6kJ3Omiuxq VNvgMpgSG9SzQMJ2MjCaD_8/w400-h225/Vine%20lunch.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkw-q9D-7EYQQ5D92sNdhS4m4GzXRiHNhZTOEwhOi9GJx4945q47NXT1YX a7nebeqctWlrRzea2gJd2PyCf1gHZXTtzCFntFhi4L4EpgTmIx sD5HuNV-KD7hh6nCS9QHpqcHsst7HQXhxy9J61TqIwiYg9Tm6kJ3Omiuxq VNvgMpgSG9SzQMJ2MjCaD_8/s3709/Vine%20lunch.jpg)
Contrast this to the West Midlands, an area I have visited on two separate occasions,these past couple of years, where cheese rolls (cobs) are readily available inmany pubs (often from under a plastic cover, on the bar), and priced at just £3.00each. In addition, full-blown meals can also be obtained at bargain prices. Onour tour of the Black Country, local pub man, Stafford Paul and I enjoyed a lunchtimemeal of steak pie/faggots, chips, mushy peas, and gravy, for just £5.00 ahead, at the Vine, at Brierley Hill, (the landmark Batham’s Brewery tap). Theprevious year, participants on the “Proper Day Out” in Birmingham, had a choiceof two pubs to eat in, (Barton’s Arms, plus Hen & Chickens), both serving someamazing Asian food. Admittedly not as cheap as at the Vine, or in Sheffield’s FatCat – see below, but still at prices far lower than we encounter, in this partof the country.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZilEUA7esMtk0LAFZ6IYzPc6P_2yh6zEpN8SuNg9yo XptYyYq62_idOt7_ZVfqiqAK-sMQEyeZ166eFOZU3xg_FesH9Gu5R_DlkIR7FoC6epemoE3cI1M pVHV732QP6yGCvku57oEno1B2omI4EhZnL2cnuYPe6IdCQln7-Mtj4WU3GtKEylCfILwvE/w400-h225/Balti.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZilEUA7esMtk0LAFZ6IYzPc6P_2yh6zEpN8SuNg9yo XptYyYq62_idOt7_ZVfqiqAK-sMQEyeZ166eFOZU3xg_FesH9Gu5R_DlkIR7FoC6epemoE3cI1M pVHV732QP6yGCvku57oEno1B2omI4EhZnL2cnuYPe6IdCQln7-Mtj4WU3GtKEylCfILwvE/s4000/Balti.jpg)
The aforementioned visit to Sheffield, took place just undertwo years ago, and prior to meeting up with local pub connoisseur, SheffieldHatter, and adopted son of the city, Retired Martin and I enjoyed an equally goodvalue lunchtime meal of steak pie, with potato wedges, mushy peas, andgravy, for just £5.50, at the city’s legendary Fat Cat pub. Onecould expect to pay double these prices for this type of pub-grub in the southeast, and in some places triple.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5JEGkZwdS9Voj7Vg6Qs-3nFSPlkuGhthGvO7sdDFxVJkR3S2SLGwO8K4nqp-fpBr39dGgnwc4wfhOIzF6BlPpzN52upaS00Oswy155aibpM6IR BCBnK_cLa20jn6bpcOnKCy6PULXNNKFvx_J211fvjMSZwwGPtq C8YO378ahtET7F5VGsFIVyliCIk/w400-h240/Gt%20Western%20Cobbs.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5JEGkZwdS9Voj7Vg6Qs-3nFSPlkuGhthGvO7sdDFxVJkR3S2SLGwO8K4nqp-fpBr39dGgnwc4wfhOIzF6BlPpzN52upaS00Oswy155aibpM6IR BCBnK_cLa20jn6bpcOnKCy6PULXNNKFvx_J211fvjMSZwwGPtq C8YO378ahtET7F5VGsFIVyliCIk/s3754/Gt%20Western%20Cobbs.jpg)
It's unclear why there should be this disparity between the high priceof pub food in the south compared with the relatively low cost in the north, but it clearly exists, as theexamples shown above, prove. What is of more concern, is the way thisdivergence continues in the way it does, with the two areas of the country almostin blissful ignorance of what is happening in the other. The emergence of posh,high-end dining pubs has almost certainly help to skew the disparity, although withmuch of my argument resting on the relatively small number of northern pubs Ihave experienced in recent years, I may of course, be totally wrong.
Footnote: “Drinkers and diners have expressed theirsadness following the sudden closure of the Barton's Arms in Aston. Theleaseholder announced it was shutting the landmark pub and restaurant onWednesday (Jan 31) citing spiralling energy and business costs.” Birmingham Mail 1 Feb2024
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https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWf13bmFttNUDYkdLk3CgH-5ktRPrTf9ff2tPcIKEE0MtJgrK-UNps8B6NID5PwK1a5C0gf2QZTPkSumVbpd7_1eerE1koE7zvPT 56bqUPokVDB8n9G4WdXRgxQdKDkHWJ6SsEccfBgTOPzuHntQOQ lpQ3KL66fS7KZWrrKQB7mp77fTs3EfaXgv9iCg/w400-h225/Cheese%20Roll.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWf13bmFttNUDYkdLk3CgH-5ktRPrTf9ff2tPcIKEE0MtJgrK-UNps8B6NID5PwK1a5C0gf2QZTPkSumVbpd7_1eerE1koE7zvPT 56bqUPokVDB8n9G4WdXRgxQdKDkHWJ6SsEccfBgTOPzuHntQOQ lpQ3KL66fS7KZWrrKQB7mp77fTs3EfaXgv9iCg/s4000/Cheese%20Roll.jpg)
I've been meaning to write a post on this particular topicfor quite some time now, and whilst I encounter its effects more often than Iwould like, for some reason I keep putting off trying to get to grips with it. It’shigh time then that I broached the subject and came clean, about what hasbecome a real bugbear of mine. I am talking about the increasingly divisivesubject of an affordable pub lunch, something that many of us will have takenfor granted but which, in these changing times, seems to have morphed intosomething completely different.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOs7wnuPV98pPoiA-SImsDZJrp_K6A-HF1eSSZRBjeSYPWsjTz-CTUVV6gsnKLnN7V95GVQXWgggmQfozLPyAfnS_tyDnbM-XALR-11GfOoXnFFtVmvHaYvYd4ZfBOPCwICHyKguR0TEHsHV_kesdK5 RCGouYcIhLT0KE0Hg3AsBvfjce1CJ-6ts3RL4g/w400-h225/Meat%20Pie%20Fat%20Cat.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOs7wnuPV98pPoiA-SImsDZJrp_K6A-HF1eSSZRBjeSYPWsjTz-CTUVV6gsnKLnN7V95GVQXWgggmQfozLPyAfnS_tyDnbM-XALR-11GfOoXnFFtVmvHaYvYd4ZfBOPCwICHyKguR0TEHsHV_kesdK5 RCGouYcIhLT0KE0Hg3AsBvfjce1CJ-6ts3RL4g/s4000/Meat%20Pie%20Fat%20Cat.jpg)
I don’t often get the chance to enjoy a pint or two atlunchtime, what with me still working three days a week, but when I do wellit’s a welcome treat. That applies equally to whether it’s somewhere familiar,and close to home, or a place further afield, such as on a visit to a new town,or different location. Those who know me will be aware that, on such occasions,I like to partake of a little solid refreshment, to accompany that provided bythe liquid enjoyment of a couple of pints.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqDfwBTGYc09Mb3PrCwI9QMu5R2iHIqDDMUMstbNyIR nQk4BIb9IlxMhIhR95us7feFZOJGScZSDgP-Ywnau7GhkJd2JRalyhSCEaMxNV8i3AJkoQx8fMmAnBlulZ6yEl GGjp7r5PEE__bvKnKFyW6rJwsCOdgt0lHMZ4yDHB_iITQi5WBh V1tpL2RN0/w400-h300/Hop%20Museum%20lunch.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqDfwBTGYc09Mb3PrCwI9QMu5R2iHIqDDMUMstbNyIR nQk4BIb9IlxMhIhR95us7feFZOJGScZSDgP-Ywnau7GhkJd2JRalyhSCEaMxNV8i3AJkoQx8fMmAnBlulZ6yEl GGjp7r5PEE__bvKnKFyW6rJwsCOdgt0lHMZ4yDHB_iITQi5WBh V1tpL2RN0/s4608/Hop%20Museum%20lunch.jpg)
It's an old habit, and one that relates to a dislike ofdrinking on an empty stomach. I’m not sure where that came from, although Isuspect it is due to me not wishing to miss my lunch. However, leaving asideany sarcastic comments from the likes of Cooking Lager about my waistline here,for what it’s worth, is my reasoning behind this. There's probably not a lot oftruth in the saying that solid food helps soak up the beer, when consumed reasonablyclose together. Personally, I think that it’s more the case that alcohol isn’t absorbedquite a fast when food is present.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClPncrqz0_gJwTrQWvx_PzGGnqTDX4q8gkonie9f7VF gL_6e9PCh9tM3DcDLVvqX5_CxWmjqcfCFDCVRYn58OUNDzAH8r ReylibCv3v_jkrwPO3l9E2MTZJfl_KJJ3LkAf8_YIqznWcl6tv TIn_j1j0V-f5JlQtEWf9YIh29Kxxy8ipoqlM-psk2psVc/w400-h225/Toastie.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClPncrqz0_gJwTrQWvx_PzGGnqTDX4q8gkonie9f7VF gL_6e9PCh9tM3DcDLVvqX5_CxWmjqcfCFDCVRYn58OUNDzAH8r ReylibCv3v_jkrwPO3l9E2MTZJfl_KJJ3LkAf8_YIqznWcl6tv TIn_j1j0V-f5JlQtEWf9YIh29Kxxy8ipoqlM-psk2psVc/s4000/Toastie.jpg)
So, all those Friday lunchtime sessions, of a few pints withone’s colleagues, probably have a lot to answer for, as none of us wanted toreturn to the workplace feeling half-cut, and a quick roll or sandwich at thepub, may well have helped maintain a sober demeanour. Pub-grub wasn’t thatsophisticated in those days, and a toasted sandwich, a scotch egg, pork pie, orsomething from the hot cabinet, usually sufficed. Fast forward 40 years or so,and unless I'm out for a meal with the family, or it’s a business occasion –incredibly rare these days, I still prefer a light snack at lunchtime. Pre-filledrolls remain the best option, and whilst these are really readily available in boththe Midlands and the North, the opposite applies in London and the south east.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-0BrIziwzQobTtCCQI-dHGjmAGF8OdkqNq0tUj673GU1o-YLzCv5r2eOREPX7OZEVtWlhKcoRDm8_qiSUWzU8GFKGk-kb21G_LUjoNKi0kzx9xscJDyqVARwBbekFLQtIUp8cN1TndvNZ M_FbVAvhSDLbTYsMH8JBtlNRLscqnSns2lXjwImCYoO3T8/w400-h289/Bartons%20Arms%20ext.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-0BrIziwzQobTtCCQI-dHGjmAGF8OdkqNq0tUj673GU1o-YLzCv5r2eOREPX7OZEVtWlhKcoRDm8_qiSUWzU8GFKGk-kb21G_LUjoNKi0kzx9xscJDyqVARwBbekFLQtIUp8cN1TndvNZ M_FbVAvhSDLbTYsMH8JBtlNRLscqnSns2lXjwImCYoO3T8/s2333/Bartons%20Arms%20ext.jpg)
In these parts of the country, the simple sandwich hasceased to exist, and if it is available, the description simple, no longerapplies. Instead, the hungry trencherman is served a filling, between thick-cutslices of artisan bread – nothing wrong with that so far, but when its embellishedwith some type of greenery, ranging from few springs of rocket to a full-blown,and largely unwanted salad, complete with a fancy dressing that’s going toaffect the taste of the beer, that’s a different matter. Even that is notenough for certain establishments, so why not chuck in a handful of crisps for goodmeasure?
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2aFDy1gBF8Ed27O1QlIny09tbqGaoak5OsFm9p80gG 3WnGEuvxqL7CiCpl_XdcGOrm_nXj_B0jJdssRr-lIJgRUrlN42AT5OiuuuS8Dyd_oQ-3rHUM3oaGtbAGtRF9zI5K6jVDIoCEyQtMOrftZSj1RoEJkeEwv vVQsZ4dvV82xVvRJCEQYZSIvyDjg/w400-h226/Vine%20Ext%20detail.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2aFDy1gBF8Ed27O1QlIny09tbqGaoak5OsFm9p80gG 3WnGEuvxqL7CiCpl_XdcGOrm_nXj_B0jJdssRr-lIJgRUrlN42AT5OiuuuS8Dyd_oQ-3rHUM3oaGtbAGtRF9zI5K6jVDIoCEyQtMOrftZSj1RoEJkeEwv vVQsZ4dvV82xVvRJCEQYZSIvyDjg/s3901/Vine%20Ext%20detail.jpg)
No thanks if I want crisps, I will buy a packet, end of! Somepubs go a stage further and insist on offering chips with a sandwich as well. All these unwanted “extras” bump up the price,so much so that it’s not uncommon to be looking at £7 to £10 for a simplesandwich, especially in some of the posh “dining pubs” in the southeast. Thetrouble is, it is increasingly rare to find any pubs in this part of thecountry, where a simple sandwich or a filled roll is available.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkw-q9D-7EYQQ5D92sNdhS4m4GzXRiHNhZTOEwhOi9GJx4945q47NXT1YX a7nebeqctWlrRzea2gJd2PyCf1gHZXTtzCFntFhi4L4EpgTmIx sD5HuNV-KD7hh6nCS9QHpqcHsst7HQXhxy9J61TqIwiYg9Tm6kJ3Omiuxq VNvgMpgSG9SzQMJ2MjCaD_8/w400-h225/Vine%20lunch.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkw-q9D-7EYQQ5D92sNdhS4m4GzXRiHNhZTOEwhOi9GJx4945q47NXT1YX a7nebeqctWlrRzea2gJd2PyCf1gHZXTtzCFntFhi4L4EpgTmIx sD5HuNV-KD7hh6nCS9QHpqcHsst7HQXhxy9J61TqIwiYg9Tm6kJ3Omiuxq VNvgMpgSG9SzQMJ2MjCaD_8/s3709/Vine%20lunch.jpg)
Contrast this to the West Midlands, an area I have visited on two separate occasions,these past couple of years, where cheese rolls (cobs) are readily available inmany pubs (often from under a plastic cover, on the bar), and priced at just £3.00each. In addition, full-blown meals can also be obtained at bargain prices. Onour tour of the Black Country, local pub man, Stafford Paul and I enjoyed a lunchtimemeal of steak pie/faggots, chips, mushy peas, and gravy, for just £5.00 ahead, at the Vine, at Brierley Hill, (the landmark Batham’s Brewery tap). Theprevious year, participants on the “Proper Day Out” in Birmingham, had a choiceof two pubs to eat in, (Barton’s Arms, plus Hen & Chickens), both serving someamazing Asian food. Admittedly not as cheap as at the Vine, or in Sheffield’s FatCat – see below, but still at prices far lower than we encounter, in this partof the country.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZilEUA7esMtk0LAFZ6IYzPc6P_2yh6zEpN8SuNg9yo XptYyYq62_idOt7_ZVfqiqAK-sMQEyeZ166eFOZU3xg_FesH9Gu5R_DlkIR7FoC6epemoE3cI1M pVHV732QP6yGCvku57oEno1B2omI4EhZnL2cnuYPe6IdCQln7-Mtj4WU3GtKEylCfILwvE/w400-h225/Balti.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZilEUA7esMtk0LAFZ6IYzPc6P_2yh6zEpN8SuNg9yo XptYyYq62_idOt7_ZVfqiqAK-sMQEyeZ166eFOZU3xg_FesH9Gu5R_DlkIR7FoC6epemoE3cI1M pVHV732QP6yGCvku57oEno1B2omI4EhZnL2cnuYPe6IdCQln7-Mtj4WU3GtKEylCfILwvE/s4000/Balti.jpg)
The aforementioned visit to Sheffield, took place just undertwo years ago, and prior to meeting up with local pub connoisseur, SheffieldHatter, and adopted son of the city, Retired Martin and I enjoyed an equally goodvalue lunchtime meal of steak pie, with potato wedges, mushy peas, andgravy, for just £5.50, at the city’s legendary Fat Cat pub. Onecould expect to pay double these prices for this type of pub-grub in the southeast, and in some places triple.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5JEGkZwdS9Voj7Vg6Qs-3nFSPlkuGhthGvO7sdDFxVJkR3S2SLGwO8K4nqp-fpBr39dGgnwc4wfhOIzF6BlPpzN52upaS00Oswy155aibpM6IR BCBnK_cLa20jn6bpcOnKCy6PULXNNKFvx_J211fvjMSZwwGPtq C8YO378ahtET7F5VGsFIVyliCIk/w400-h240/Gt%20Western%20Cobbs.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5JEGkZwdS9Voj7Vg6Qs-3nFSPlkuGhthGvO7sdDFxVJkR3S2SLGwO8K4nqp-fpBr39dGgnwc4wfhOIzF6BlPpzN52upaS00Oswy155aibpM6IR BCBnK_cLa20jn6bpcOnKCy6PULXNNKFvx_J211fvjMSZwwGPtq C8YO378ahtET7F5VGsFIVyliCIk/s3754/Gt%20Western%20Cobbs.jpg)
It's unclear why there should be this disparity between the high priceof pub food in the south compared with the relatively low cost in the north, but it clearly exists, as theexamples shown above, prove. What is of more concern, is the way thisdivergence continues in the way it does, with the two areas of the country almostin blissful ignorance of what is happening in the other. The emergence of posh,high-end dining pubs has almost certainly help to skew the disparity, although withmuch of my argument resting on the relatively small number of northern pubs Ihave experienced in recent years, I may of course, be totally wrong.
Footnote: “Drinkers and diners have expressed theirsadness following the sudden closure of the Barton's Arms in Aston. Theleaseholder announced it was shutting the landmark pub and restaurant onWednesday (Jan 31) citing spiralling energy and business costs.” Birmingham Mail 1 Feb2024
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