09/12/18 - Good Beer Guide Ticking in Rugby

Number of Pubs - 5
Good Beer Guide Ticks - 345-349

A first overnight visit to Rugby.   A marginal amount of research undertaken - birthplace of egg chasers and jet engines.   Flashman went to school there.   Slightly more research in plotting a route to take in five of the eight ticks available in town.  Even then, mistakes were made.

The Merchants Inn, 5-6 Little Church Street, North Cotswold Brewery Winter Solstice

We can call off the search for who has been placing all the winning bids on Ebay for brewing paraphernalia.   The first thing that hits you when you enter this ancient, roomy establishment is that every inch of wall is covered in a a beer related advert.   This, and a wing back chair, made me feel most at home.

Merchants Inn by Night

The View from a Wing Back

Despite the dying moments of the Newcastle vs Wolves game, the large screen around the corner is showing the Rugby.   When in Rome.

9 real ales on offer from hand pulls.  I know, because I counted them.  Mainly to try and determine the odds of me choosing the only one that required the bar staff to disappear around the back and pull from a gravity fed barrel around the back.   The result of my Winter Solstice, this;

Lifeless in Rugby

My random trips to towns with Travelodges/Premier Inns always pulls up a gem.  I'm adding the Merchants of cracking pubs that I found instantly delightful. 

The Raglan Arms, 50 Dunchurch Road, London Pride

I spend literally seconds on my photo compositions to take the snap just as someone is emerging out of the front door.

Got away with it

A spacious, traditional boozer complete with a skittles table, a game that no-one really knows the rules to.

I enjoyed having the snug to myself.   Gave me plenty of room to spread out the Sunday Times.

All alone, but Proud

The Squirrel Inn, 33 Church Street, Cotleigh Red Nose Reinbeer

This is as mad as pub ticking gets and I only wish I had been braver to take more photos.

To start with, the pub is tiny and stands architecturally alone from the adjacent buildings.

The Squirrel, all very low ceilings

There's far too much noise coming from inside for 8pm in a Sunday night and all is revealed, once I find the entrance and crouch down to make my way to the bar.

At the far end, a band have setup to play.  Synth Machine, a three piece doing exactly what its says on the tin.   Absolutely hilarious, yet spot on, covers of Tears for Fears, Communards and Depeche Mode that the punters were both loving and joining in with.

Beer was decent - and yes, I have spelt it correctly.   The brewery commented on my disparaging Untappd check where I thought the quality deserved a less awful name of Red Nose Reinbeer with a "ho, ho, ho, Merry Xmas".

I didn't mean to sound like the Grinch.

If I hadn't got two more ticks to get, I would have stayed for the 2nd Set.

Wonderful, joyful stuff.

The Alexandra Arms, James Street, Hooky

The warnings were there, have you ever seen a more post apocalyptic pub sign?

In the event of a nuclear attack...

I was probably in the wrong part of the pub, as there were signs of life.   Glimmers of people and music coming from a back room that its not obvious how to get to.

Not only was the bar unstaffed but I couldn't find the bell to summons them.

Ghost Town

Disclaimer:  Except on Sundays.

Eventually, someone comes.  I ask where the bell is and he is unsure.   We eventually agree it might be the tiny thing under the speaker on the right hand side. 

I should have gone for one of Atomic Breweries beers but played safe with a fairly dreadful, hazy Hooky.

I bet Synth Machine are doing Yazoo right about now.

The Seven Stars, Albert Square, Castle Rock Midnight IPA 

Christmas in Rugby

Its that time of year, where you can settle down with a pint and imbibe with someone with an Elf hat on.  Complete with fake ears.

The pub is a blueprint on how a traditional, locals boozer can be run and worthy of its CAMRA Pub of the Year 2017 award.

Nothing fancy, just good beers, pleasant atmosphere and run by a man that knows and loves what he is doing.

Well run, traditional locals pub

The Sunday Times was completed but alas, Rugby Pub Ticking was not.   A couple of challenges were always going to be out of reach (non Sunday opening Tap houses and clubs that you have to sign in) but there's little excuse for not turning the page.

The Victoria Inn waits for another day.