I'm keeping a watching brief for now. I can't envisage an enjoyable experience in the circumstances, and I guess the beer choice will be much reduced.
I'm keeping a watching brief for now. I can't envisage an enjoyable experience in the circumstances, and I guess the beer choice will be much reduced.
Has anyone been yet?
'Beer is for all day, not just for breakfast'.
392CCD31-2AD0-40A3-8573-A7E57FCDE1C3.jpeg first in a pub since 22nd March
Just got back from the Gardeners Rest. Only three cask ales on, and two of them "blonde" or "gold", which is code for bland in my book, but the third was Empire West Coast Pale 4.3%, which could have been awful, but turned out to have a nice bitter finish and I had three pints. It's good to be back.
On checking times, it appears I drank three pints in a little short of three hours, but that must be quite a bit quicker than I've been drinking at home, as I'm not used to feeling quite this pissed (and that includes what I consumed yesterday - for anaesthetic purposes - during & after Luton Town's shocking performance against Reading, if performance is the right word).
Come On You Hatters!
I passed 24 pubs in total yesterday and only 10 were open. As per my intended watering holes (#6 above) only the Pineapple and Dartmouth Arms were open without prior arrangement. The Pineapple was essentially business as usual except with an obligatory squeeze of gloopy vodka to the hands on entry, thereafter social engineering had in effect been abandoned apart from table service for seated-only drinkers. All six pumps working but without specs I couldn't read them, so plumped for a pint of Ghost Ship. And at 8.48 it was one small sip for a man, one giant swig for mankind. Served in perfect condition and in an excellent pub, now that it was free from fizzed-up hen parties. The Junction Tavern was open but only by prior booking, which probably explained why it was empty. The Dartmouth Arms has changed hands, marginally for the worse, with only one of the six pumps working, an excellent pint of Five Points XPA. Again, no real social engineering apart from table service for the seated-only. No-one at either pub was dressed like riot police and no-one pointed a Taser at my head; no silly line markings or instructions either and no queues to get into either pub. All in, mission accomplished, the only problem was the very early closing, 9.00 and 10.00 respectively.
Last edited by Tris39; 05-07-2020 at 16:35.
Yesterday afternoon I passed 13 pubs, 5 were closed including one where the lease has expired and won't reopen any time soon anyway, one other closed one I was told about and didn't check. The other 9 were open with varying degrees of fullness and "bouncers" on the door to ensure social distancing and entry. A few of the 5 will open on Monday or Wednesday apparently according to rumour. Distancing seems to be a big thing and both pubs I entered were table service but allowed walk-ins, the spoons was allowing bar service as well, contact tracing was not top of their list
Went to the Express Brentford yesterday. All tables pre booked so about 150 people already there at 4.00pm.Right hand bar reserved for locals.(me).No restrictions on toilets,no details taken for contract tracing.Social distancing kept but lots of tables with 8 people from different households but young Londoners have been ignoring the rules for weeks.
Had 6 pints of very good cask and started with a good pint of fresh Harveys -sussex.