The Alan Winfield Memorial Pub Crawl - Stapleford and Long Eaton

Printable View

14-08-2018, 15:35
sheffield hatter

1 Attachment(s)

The Alan Winfield Memorial Pub Crawl - Stapleford and Long Eaton

http://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showt...-alan-winfield

I am planning on doing this memorial pub crawl on Wednesday, 5th September. Anyone who knew Alan through his contributions to Pubs Galore, or from his blog or his comments on other people's blogs, may want to join in. Apologies that it is rather short notice but my idea is that people could do this for themselves on any day they choose, if they are sufficiently motivated. It doesn't require large groups of semi-drunks to celebrate Alan's life and work. Most of Alan's crawls were by himself or with one or two companions, so I don't mind if I do it by myself - in fact perhaps it is better that way as I am not sure what sort of shambling, stumbling spectacle I will become after more than 20 pubs!
14-08-2018, 21:58
Mobyduck

I would love to join you on this Will, a great idea, unfortunately it's not currently logistically or financially viable for me at this date, I wish you luck.
15-08-2018, 12:12
Gann

Cracking idea which I too cannot support due to other holiday commitments..

But have fun and I see there will be the opportunity to sample John Smiths Smooth Crap and Worthington Cream crap on the way...
15-08-2018, 16:29
sheffield hatter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gann

I see there will be the opportunity to sample John Smiths Smooth Crap and Worthington Cream crap on the way...

Can't wait!
16-08-2018, 19:58
Quinno

A Wednesday isn't viable for me as it essentially constitutes two and a bit days leave, but I love the idea.

If it was a Friday/Saturday, however...
16-08-2018, 20:04
rpadam

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gann

But have fun and I see there will be the opportunity to sample John Smiths Smooth Crap and Worthington Cream crap on the way...

Although, hopefully, you will get the opportunity to say "... and this was a nice drink" at least once during the day!
16-08-2018, 20:47
sheffield hatter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quinno

A Wednesday isn't viable for me as it essentially constitutes two and a bit days leave, but I love the idea.

If it was a Friday/Saturday, however...

Yes, I understand. I just wanted to get it done as soon as possible, and I appreciate that this means doing it myself!

It can be done again, though. It doesn't have to be a one-off.

I'm going ahead with the crawl as planned on Wednesday, 5th September. But if someone else wants to propose a date far enough in the future so that people can commit to it, I'll be happy to join in and do it again!
16-08-2018, 20:48
sheffield hatter

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpadam

Although, hopefully, you will get the opportunity to say "... and this was a nice drink" at least once during the day!

There seem to be some pretty decent pubs along the way, so there's every chance. Whether I'll be able to read my notes the next day is rather doubtful, however.
17-08-2018, 10:52
Bucking Fastard

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheffield hatter

Yes, I understand. I just wanted to get it done as soon as possible, and I appreciate that this means doing it myself!

It can be done again, though. It doesn't have to be a one-off.

I'm going ahead with the crawl as planned on Wednesday, 5th September. But if someone else wants to propose a date far enough in the future so that people can commit to it, I'll be happy to join in and do it again!

I'm in the same boat as Quinno,I couldn't join in on the 5th and would need a bit of advanced notice.However it's a great idea and something I would be most certainly up for.From a London perspective there are direct trains to Long Eaton which seem to be a cheaper option for advanced fares.A Friday or Saturday would work in September/October apart from Sept 21,22,28th and Oct 6,12,26,27th
17-08-2018, 17:12
Real Ale Ray

Sorry Will, I too have commitments on that date, but we were in Alan's hometown last weekend and raised a glass to him in The Horse & Jockey
17-08-2018, 18:45
Tris39

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheffield hatter

http://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showt...-alan-winfield

I am planning on doing this memorial pub crawl on Wednesday, 5th September. Anyone who knew Alan through his contributions to Pubs Galore, or from his blog or his comments on other people's blogs, may want to join in. Apologies that it is rather short notice but my idea is that people could do this for themselves on any day they choose, if they are sufficiently motivated. It doesn't require large groups of semi-drunks to celebrate Alan's life and work. Most of Alan's crawls were by himself or with one or two companions, so I don't mind if I do it by myself - in fact perhaps it is better that way as I am not sure what sort of shambling, stumbling spectacle I will become after more than 20 pubs!

A very fitting tribute which I would have loved to attend, but alas it's on a day I can't make.
18-08-2018, 10:54
Aqualung

I can't make this one as unless I'm away somewhere Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are my days out and I'm out all three days that week. In addition, I doubt that cheap tickets would be available for that day at short notice. I'm glad the Stapleford JDW is on your list as I found it to be a decent one and he obviously knew it well.
I hope you have some very nice drinks along the way and don't choke on the smooth crap!
28-08-2018, 19:11
Perry

I always read Alan's reviews one hell of a lot when I travelled to the North, for work, pub weekends and for football matches with my friends (years ago). The advice that Al gave was always spot on and I am obviously grateful. An ale expert. Many thanks.
06-09-2018, 23:08
sheffield hatter

1 Attachment(s)

The Alan Winfield Memorial Pub Crawl took place as planned on Wednesday, 5th September.

Having posted links to this thread on Alan's blog, the Never Ending Pub Crawl, I was pleased to get a reply saying that Alan's brother Steve wanted to join me. We met at the Festival Inn at Trowell, which was just opening as we arrived.

There were three hand pumps here: Abbot, Old Golden Hen and GKIPA. The barman seemed like he had only just woken up, for he dozily poured two halves of the Hen rather than one Hen and one IPA. My IPA when it arrived was not in good nick, but we swiftly downed our halves and went out to catch the next bus. When we arrived at the Man of Iron, which WhatPub says opens at 11:15, it was clearly not yet open, so we caught a bus to the Sherwin Arms where the Abbot pump clip was reversed, so we had the GKIPA - fortunately in tip top condition this time. We then walked over the footbridge across the busy main road, to Bramcote village and the White Lion. We were a couple of minutes before opening time, and could have found ourselves waiting quite a long time for the front door to open, but luckily Steve suggested going round to the back door...

There were five hand pumps available, plus a few boxed ciders. It's still very much like a village pub, though the Winston Churchill commemorative latrine was a surprise. My half of Black Sheep Bitter was a very nice drink and we thought this was a decent pub to have a drink in. We then caught a bus into Stapleford. The next four pubs are close together, and I also got a chance to photograph Alan's favourite pub in his home town, the sadly now closed Feathers. The Horse and Jockey has 13 hand pumps, two of which were being pulled through while we were here. There's a fantastic range of beers and this one really deserved a longer visit. Steve told me that Alan's wake was held here.

The Old Rock, formerly the Chequers, was at the other end of the scale. Alan had reviewed the pub early in 2017, when there were four hand pumps on the go, but this experiment appears not to have been a success, because even the keg beers here were disastrously bad. Steve couldn't finish his half of John Smiths Smooth Crap, and I struggled with my M&B Mild. Nearby was another pub with No Real Ale, the Old Cross. It was my turn for John Smiths Smooth Crap, which lived down to its name - a shame, because this seemed like it could have been a nice pub. Larrys Bar, in an unpromising building that used to be a bank (a 1960s bank with a flat roof), was quite pleasant. The barman was just pulling through a fresh barrel of Falstaff Fist Full of Hops as we arrived, which was worth waiting for and it went down a treat.

We bypassed the Wetherspoons and went next to the former West End Club, which is now a pub with four hand pumps. The Midland, on the next corner, had no real ale at the time of our visit, the solitary hand pump having a reversed Doom Bar clip. (Steve told me that Alan lived just up the road from here.) I had a half of lager that I was unable to finish. We were going to walk into Sandiacre but a bus arrived just as we were passing the stop, so we got on.

The Red Lion is an okayish sort of pub, but the only real ale was Old Speckled Hen, which is too sweet for me. Next was the Plough, which smelled of sliced onions so we took our beers out into the garden - it was a very pleasant and sunny day and the pub backs onto the Erewash canal. A choice of beers here: Purity Ubu and Sharps Doom Bar. Next was the Blue Bell, which was a very pleasant pub with five hand pumps. We asked the lass behind the bar to take a photo of the two of us here (see below). Steve reckoned he'd reached his limit (six pints) so he left after the next pub, the White Lion in Sandiacre (Doom Bar and Timothy Taylor Landlord); he agreed with me that Alan would certainly have approved of our commemorative pub crawl.

I had to run to catch my next bus, and the rush hour traffic was against me, but luckily there was a pretty young woman going for the same bus, and she waved at the driver and he waited for us to cross safely. Next pub was the Bridge, which had yet more Doom Bar, plus Robinsons Blonde (now called James Blonde instead of Dizzy) and something else which my notes fail to reveal - and I also forgot to take a photo of the pump clips in this one. The next bus took me into Long Eaton where the first pub was the Sportsman. And yet more Sharps Doom Bar. Across the road though was the very nice Mill and Brook, which has numerous hand pumps (two banks of five, if my notes are to be believed) and would probably reward a longer and more sober visit.

I used the canal tow path from here to get to the Hole in the Wall, a very nice back street local with five real ales and a cider. I went for the Bass, but can remember very little about this pub as I was by now fairly stocious. Pub number 18 was the York Chambers, a decent sized micropub with the beers served from the stillage. Next was the Stumble Inn, which I did. I had Castle Rock Harvest Pale here, according to my notes, but I really can't remember if I walked or took the bus to the last pub, the Bell Inn at Sawley. (I can remember walking past the station after photographing the Soldiers & Sailors - another former club which is now a pub - which fortunately wasn't open yet when I was passing.) I had Dancing Drake Ay Up in my 20th and final pub before making it to the station in good time for the 19:22 train to Derby.

Which then broke down in a tunnel.
07-09-2018, 06:14
Mobyduck

Brilliant Will, well done, It wouldn't have been right if you hadn't had any John Smiths smooth crap.
07-09-2018, 08:11
Quinno

:notworthy:
07-09-2018, 10:01
Soup Dragon

A nice tribute, Will.
08-09-2018, 17:52
Bucking Fastard

A very fitting tribute,and a good read. :notworthy:
08-09-2018, 21:28
sheffield hatter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mobyduck

Brilliant Will, well done, It wouldn't have been right if you hadn't had any John Smiths smooth crap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quinno

:notworthy:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soup Dragon

A nice tribute, Will.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucking Fastard

A very fitting tribute,and a good read. :notworthy:

Thanks, guys. You're very kind. Much appreciated.