Garden Hermit Goes...North Pt II...Back To 1903

After arriving at Pontefract on Friday teatime and a quick 'Thai Fusion' takeaway meal - don't ask me - but it tasted ok...

... I went with my son Andy to his badminton club meeting, and while I was there even spent a few minutes trying to beat all the feathers off the shuttlecock with the metal edge of the racket (long, long time since I've played!).

 The important part of the evening though was the trip to the pub after badminton club, the 1903 at Hooton Pagnell,, which is a 'bar and kitchen'.

I had visions of a room full of worktops, a sink, fridge/freezer etc etc with a bar, but no - it's just a trendy modern name, and it actually looked remarkably like a pub inside, which was reassuring.  Let's call it a pub...

Looks like a pub...

 Inside, the first thing to catch my attention was a large plaque on the wall with the name of the pub and, underneath, a piece from Hilaire Beloc's essay 'On Inns' (see top photo).  Probably as relevant (or more so) now than it was in the early 1900s, and surely a clarion cry for that great pub and real ale campaign group CAMRA.  Beloc was clearly well ahead of the game in worrying about pubs.

Anyway the 1903 Session Blonde 3.9% (Chin Chin Brewing Co) was bang on after a strenuous evening watching people play badminton, cool, light and refreshing....

The second thing to grab (everyone's) attention, was a women with a group of people, who had a very loud laugh that was uncannily similar to a neighing horse. Unnerving...

I needed a half of the Cow Whisperer Milk Stout 4.6% (Chin Chin Brewing Co) after that, which was smooth and perfect for calming the nerves.

Time passing quickly...

Time passed quickly, as discussion amongst club members inevitably focused on their unbeaten top of league performance, and the possibility of staying unbeaten and winning the league (which they subsequently did),...

... with the occasional interjection of nearby 'neighing'.

The 1903 is a nice bar/kitchen/pub/inn* and the beer was excellent ( this is Yorkshire after all)!

* delete as appropriate.