23 pubs, a record BRAPA low for the month of September. I'm surprised though. I feel like I've spent most of the month drunk .......
The reason for the low return is a combination of factors. No annual leave from work, only four Saturday's in the month, and no midweek/Fri night bonus BRAPA trips at the moment, just because it feels a difficult prospect, and my home/work routine has changed since lockdown.
The pubs were generally of good quality.
County Durham with Daddy BRAPA was a fun day. Durham rarely disappoints. In particular the pubs at Ryhope (Guide Post) and Seaton (Dun Cow) were stand out .....
A week later, I got very drunk in North Kent, note to future self, don't get on your 6th pint by 3:45pm. My favourite pub that day on balance was probably the Three Pillars in Gravesend, certainly the friendliest thought it was my 7th so can't remember too much.
A week later in Essex, the pick of the GBG entries was probably the South Benfleet Social Club as it was the only place with a traditionally old skool atmosphere, but I was impressed by Leigh-on-Sea as a town......
Although it can't be included in the figures, one of my favourite experiences of the whole month was the preemptive Hop Inn at Hornchurch, where Colin and I were treated like royalty, it was such a great place .....
And the month ended with an 'interesting' trip to Northants, a county I'd like to see more of. Some of the folk were a bit mean and moody, but the Three Horseshoes at Ecton was a real winner .....
The Piper in Kettering was also a strong pub, and the Saxon Tavern in Earls Barton was good in the weirdest way possible.
When I'm being more sociable (i.e. not pubbing alone), pub trips in my home city of York have become a more regular thing under my recent routine. We can safely say the Fox has been magnificent ......
The Volunteer Arms is even closer to BRAPA towers, and has been my new 'pub of the moment' as the month has gone on ......
.... and another great moment of the month was when Halifax pub legend Chris Dyson made an impromptu visit to York, and managed to get a seat in the backroom of the Blue Bell, he couldn't have done better, here he is in his natural habitat moving empties closer to the bar ......
The pub snackage has been strong this month ......
....but overall, I can't deny I'm disappointed with just 23 ticks.
But dry your eyes mates, cos better times are around the corner in October.
In fact, I might've eclipsed the September total as early as the 8th or 9th of this month with the BRAPA Autumn Holiday starting tomorrow in North Hampshire with our old mate Citra, who you might remember from my Croydon/Clapham Junction day in August. This is his home territory, so he is gonna show me the ropes.
I might also veer into Surrey to get 3 of the 4 pubs I haven't tried yet. Am possibly meeting a BRAPA debutant on Sunday noon in a very mysterious pub with zero social media presence.
Then, Mon-Wed will see my spread my wings further, probably walk down endless country lanes, taking obscure bus routes, in search of open pubs. Freedom, a week off work, can't wait!
The following Saturday will see Daddy BRAPA join me back in County Durham for one finally stab at it using the 2020 Guide, for I'm thinking us 'privilege club' members might get their 2021 CAMRA guides in the week after that. Hard to say for sure, but if it's out officially at the end of the month, we'd normally receive it two weeks before. Am I really ready for the horrors of 'cross-ticking' after such a sparse 2020? I'll probably end up going backwards.
Not to worry though, Saturday 17th might see the appearance of another #PubMan legend of old, depending on 'local restrictions'. The 24th sees me return to South Essex to pick up where I left off. Might even get into the Upminster Taproom this time.
And our Hallowe'en horrorshow could see the return of Tom Irvin in a BRAPA pub for the first time since March, depending how Swindon is looking.
Plenty coming up anyway. Stay tuned, thanks for reading, and hopefully in a month's time, I'll be telling you I've done a lot more than 23 pubs.
Cheers, Si
Dry your eyes, Si,
ReplyDeleteI know it's only 23 ticks but you should be made up,
Plenty more pubs near the sea.
Dry your eyes, Si,
I know you want to share how much that paltry tally hurts,
But you've got to catch the train. To Dover.
"23 pubs, a record BRAPA low for the month of September. I'm surprised though. I feel like I've spent most of the month drunk ......."
ReplyDeletePretty sure you can blame that on "that which must not be mentioned"*, and as for drunk well... duh! You were trying to make up for lost time!
* - not Voldemort. :)
"and my home/work routine has changed since lockdown. "
That which shall not me mentioned. ;)
"note to future self, don't get on your 6th pint by 3:45pm:"
Heh! Even I'm not that silly... anymore. :)
"one of my favourite experiences of the whole month was the preemptive Hop Inn at Hornchurch"
Agreed!
"We can safely say the Fox has been magnificent ......"
You mentioned that in a reply to one of my comments I believe.
"I can't deny I'm disappointed with just 23 ticks."
C'est la vie, as those folks across the English Channel say.
"This is his home territory, so he is gonna show me the ropes."
Blimey! I mean... huzzah! :)
"Am possibly meeting a BRAPA debutant on Sunday noon in a very mysterious pub with zero social media presence. "
Blimey! I mean... huzzah! :)
"and hopefully in a month's time, I'll be telling you I've done a lot more than 23 pubs."
Pfft. It's not the pubs; it's the journey.*
* - two pubs with your Da is worth a dozen elsewhere. :)
Cheers
You tell him, Russ. It IS the journey.
DeleteAnd 6 or 7 new pubs a week is still 350 odd a year which will get you to your goal of GBG completion as long as the ESB doesn't kill you.