Despite the anticipation, it was all a bit of a damp squib really in truth, we arrived not too long after opening to find a heaving pub we could barely get to the bar in (the staff did a good job of getting everyone served in truth). It turned out it was the start of some CAMRA group pub-crawl of Leicester. Dad perched into a seat in the corner, Ben and Alan joined us, and the bar seemed to be a central point to various seating areas, similar to many pubs in Glasgow. Three strong ales were grouped together, with three lighter ones to make choosing easier and they were well kept, Blackhorse Stout being my favourite. Ben said the whole thing was a bit of a "sausage fest" and even though the CAMRA people soon left, the pub hardly reached any kind of cosy community feel levels (East Midlands influence perhaps?). The toilets were disgusting, blocked with piss and someone had also been sick, the landlord was enjoying his 'unblocking' role as I went in! It often wins pub of the year awards, but Dad and I preferred our earlier Ale Wagon experience, whilst Ben and Alan wish they'd stayed in the non-guide listed Globe, another former favourite.
Dad declared his best drink of the day a stout we had in Last Plantagenet, a non-guide Wetherspoons with the slowest staff ever! We popped into "the Pub" after the game, which was okay despite the egg-chasing and post-match rush.
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| Early morning (empty) pub scene at our pub of the day, the Ale Wagon (reviewed in my archives) |
I am no longer on cat duty (yippee!), so my midweek West Yorkshire pub tour can begin again. It should have been this week in truth but a bit of man-flu means I'm resting up for Saturday, the "biggest" BRAPA day in the calendar year so far. I need to be well for that! But from next Tuesday, I'll crack on with it, firstly in Elland and maybe a bit more Huddersfield.
See you soon for more archives and a comprehensive report from "Bedfordshire II : the return".
Si
Ooh found a post without a comment.
ReplyDeleteLeicester is weird. I can't work out where it fits on the overall League Table of pub towns, certainly not 3 points clear of Manchester and 50 ahead of Hull. Oadby is better.
All the basis pubs in the north of the city are no longer in the Guide (nor is the Salmon) and the best pubs (Kings Head) has horrific rugby fans.
Glad you like the Ale Wagon, surely the most basic pub experience in a major city, but strangely irresistible.
Yes, always felt Leicester flattered to deceive as we know lots of people through football who've told me time after time what a great town it is.
DeleteSalmon was talked up to 'pub of the year' levels, but it was rubbish. I too have been to lots of de-guided pubs now but nowhere save Ale Wagon convinces and a Leicester chap told me it was boring!
Never 50 points ahead of Hull, oh dear! Oh, and Nigel Pearson was representative of the kind of men you find in Leicester pubs. Hope they reappoint him soon!