25.
Bank Holiday, post football match beers in Marylebone,
A re-union and gentle crawl was held on
Easter Monday where I was joined by Mark Giles and Richard Bradshaw after they
had attended football matches at QPR and
This was a reasonably good pub - described
by Richard as one of
Just round the corner was the quiet King's
Head where a French lady pulled us some good beers from the lager, bitter and
stout ranges. I had elected to have IPA in preference to Abbot. Bar snacks were
an improvement on what we had seen thus-far and the crowning glory was when she
actually came over and asked whether we would like refills. Magnificent!
Another quiet pub was next on the agenda, the morgue-like Duke of York on
Westmorland Street which was doing Sam Smiths products. Cheap
but not to everyone's tastes. The bar man even beckoned us in and the
plush leather 'banquette' chairs and highly polished tables made up for lack of
atmosphere.
An expensive table football table greeted
us at the Horse and Groom a bit further up the road as we passed a couple of
closed establishments. Unfortunately, the beer was restricted to John Smiths
and in general the place was uninspired, but the presence of Helen Seyler from the geology department [with her bloke] was a
point of interest.
The Seyler pair
seemed to think that the pubs were going to shut at 10.30, but we thought we
knew better so pressed on. As it happens they were right, but after a few
aborted attempts, we managed to get into Bradley's on Hanway
Street, just off Oxford Street. This is indeed a splendid establishment on two
floors and modelling itself as a Spanish bar. Choice
lagers were available - San Miguel, Cruzcampo, Bitburger and Budvar. We went
downstairs and failed to get last orders as the clocks were fast, but
fortunately a trip upstairs allowed one more. The vinyl jukebox played the
original Tainted Love by Gloria Jones too. A bonus. Mark had wisely spurned the
last round, so Rich and me had a tense trip back to Morden
on the tube which is just that little bit too far for comfort with a full
bladder, though a handy alleyway has been noted seconds from the station
forecourt.
Dan Lovegrove
dan@doctor-lovegrove.com
Last updated 26th April 2003.