Favourite Pubs and Why You Love 'Em

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 9:54 am

The best bits of my life have been defined by pub-shaped landmarks.

The Wheatsheaf in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. This used to be a biker and hippy pub which was my second home between the ages of about 16 and 26. It was where I found out about life, and where I made the first really close friends I ever had. I was pointed in the direction of so many great records and great books during those years. Sadly now, a shadow of its former self.

Then came the drought years, I rarely went out and drank and socialised little. I did a lot of writing and had some good friends where I worked, but... no pubs.

For the last nearly four years we have frequented The Plough in Kings Walden in Hertfordshire. A very small, traditional country pub in a tiny village. Not contrived or themed, and very basic, but it's home... In the winter the open fire puffs smoke out into the bar making it nearly impossible to see or breathe. Quite a bit of music goes on in there (or out in the garden), but no trad or folk stuff - YET (I'm working on 'em). Oh, and the Landlord is 6' 7" tall. The ceilings, on the other hand, aren't.

Lastly, O'Connors in Killarney high street, Co. Kerry. Full of tourists and locals - a good balance. Great music (Irish pub singalong with a bit of more trad stuff some nights), great staff, and a whole parade of local old drunk blokes who get repeatedly chucked out by the barmen and the manager.

The seat opposite the session corner by the door is mine, but you can sit anywhere else.

Ah well, The Plough'll be open soon, so I'd better get off home for me tea.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 1:18 pm

"Here's to the grand pubs of Yorkshire
The White Mare, the Star, and the Plough
The Admiral Ben, and the Parson's Revenge
How I wish I was drinking there now...."

You know, I wish we had Pubs with some character around here. I rather liked the King's Arms in London, and the little pub in Kilkerry we stopped in. And that pub in Dublin's Temple Bar that had a carvery at lunchtime. I wonder if those in the UK take that stuff for granted. America seems to be stuffed with TGIFridays and kitchy bars that just don't compare to the hominess of a good Pub.

OnTheMoor · Post by **OnTheMoor** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 2:02 pm

My favourite pubs are determined more by the people who frequent them than the pubs themselves. So they are mostly the North American paddy-whackery type places with expensive drinks but very good looking servers.

The two big ones around here are D'Arcy McGee's and the Heart & Crown (which doubles as the figurehead for the "Irish Village", a collection of 4 or 5 pubs and home base for the Irish Society). The H&C used to be my regular, but it has gotten rather silly, no one should ever have to wait in a line to get into a pub. Nuts!

D'Arcy's attracts the bureacrats and politicians, but great pub grub and a bit of an Ottawa landmark. That's where you'll find me these days.

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 6:37 pm

The two pubs in which I play music are both lovely pubs. My main one is the Tree Inn in Stratton, near Bude in Cornwall. Small rooms, open fire, ancient courtyard and Doom Bar of course. The other is St Kew Inn, in St Kew village (not St Kew Highway) near Wadebridge. Similar attributes inside and a nice big beer-garden sheltered from the good old Cornish breezes. Very friendly people in both - and the landlord of The Tree is one of the best Highland bagpipes players on the planet!

Gimme a list of good pubs around Hertford, Buddhu - I might be up there in a couple of weeks visiting my son! There's a very nice canal-side one near him near the town centre but I've forgotten its name...

Steve

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:10 am

SteveShaw wrote:The two pubs in which I play music are both lovely pubs. My main one is the Tree Inn in Stratton, near Bude in Cornwall. Small rooms, open fire, ancient courtyard and Doom Bar of course. The other is St Kew Inn, in St Kew village (not St Kew Highway) near Wadebridge. Similar attributes inside and a nice big beer-garden sheltered from the good old Cornish breezes. Very friendly people in both - and the landlord of The Tree is one of the best Highland bagpipes players on the planet!

Gimme a list of good pubs around Hertford, Buddhu - I might be up there in a couple of weeks visiting my son! There's a very nice canal-side one near him near the town centre but I've forgotten its name...

Steve

Actually, Steve, I'm afraid I really don't know pubs in Hertford. I'm quite a few miles from the county town and I think I've been there about 6 times in the last 5 years, if that. Sorry.

If ever you get as far as Hitchin (the town nearest our village) I have some mates who are real pub connoisseurs and I'll happily arrange a few beers for you in some quality watering holes!

Personally I'm something of a beer philistine, only drinking Guinness and lager, so I'm not really qualified to rate pubs myself - at least not on the quality of the beer. :roll:

My wife's family live in St Austell. Next time we head SW I might try an' check out the places you mentioned.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:19 am

Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA.

The Half Time Rec.

The stinkiest, scummiest, dive-galore of a place that also used to be the home for some of the best Irish Music in Saint Paul. I met and made a ton of friends back in the day, and have also had great craic performing there. It used to have an air of 'family', and that spirit carried up onto the stage.

Nowadays, it is simply a dive. The owner has decided not to pay for great entertainment, opting for little known groups of questionable talent from well out of state...... *sigh*.... all good things....

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 2:35 pm

I don't go to pubs. No. I drink alone until I'm smashed then bust up the furniture because I can't play my instruments correctly.

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:26 pm

Flyingcursor wrote:I don't go to pubs. No. I drink alone until I'm smashed then bust up the furniture because I can't play my instruments correctly.

I do all that as well but I do it in the pub...after I've beaten up the bodhran "player" of course...

Steve

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:32 pm

buddhu wrote:Actually, Steve, I'm afraid I really don't know pubs in Hertford. I'm quite a few miles from the county town and I think I've been there about 6 times in the last 5 years, if that. Sorry.

Never mind. It looks like I'll be in central London now anyway and not Hertford. Cheers!

buddhu wrote:My wife's family live in St Austell. Next time we head SW I might try an' check out the places you mentioned.

Even though you'll be in the land of St Austell brewery try to avoid their products and seek out Doom Bar! I'll even buy you one if you're passing by (though the A39 probably isn't on your route

)

Steve

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 3:29 am

SteveShaw wrote:
Flyingcursor wrote:I don't go to pubs. No. I drink alone until I'm smashed then bust up the furniture because I can't play my instruments correctly.
I do all that as well but I do it in the pub...after I've beaten up the bodhran "player" of course...

Steve

I'll have to try it. Actually we just don't have good assortments of music around here. It's either Country Western or Rock bars.

Goldie · Post by **Goldie** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:39 am

buddhu wrote:The best bits of my life have been defined by pub-shaped landmarks.

The Wheatsheaf in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. This used to be a biker and hippy pub which was my second home between the ages of about 16 and 26.

I went to that pub half a dozen times in the mid eighties, having 2 brothers that were into bikes. Although can't remember much about it apart from there being a room out back for pool?
The Swan and The Compasses in Abbots Langley were old haunts of mine, They were great, I would cycle uphill all the way there and freewheel a lot of the way home

It would never have worked the other way round.

We have a really good Pub 5 min walk from our house that brew their own beer which I would say is of the BEST I have ever tasted but I still rarely get round to going round there. last time was in May

The food is great and sometimes have a Dixieland Jazz band playing.

For me a lot depends on the people I hang out with so when I lived in England I was in pubs every week because I played quite a bit in pubs, rarely drinking as I normally had to drive there. My friends here don't tend to go to pubs so I am not often in them.

The good thing here is that if you do decide or "happen" to get drunk here is that the hangover is MUCH less if at all as there are fewer chemicals in the beer.

Colin

ISU Trout Bum · Post by **ISU Trout Bum** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 7:59 am

I'm from the States, but did PhD work in England and fell in love with a number of pubs while there (my wife would probably tell you that I fell too much in love with the pub life

). Without question, my favorite was "The Swan & Three Signets" right on the river in Durham. The interior of the pub is beautiful, it is cheap, and if you sit on the patio you have a great view of people walking by the river.

It is not a good place for people older than 25 on Friday or Saturday nights however - lots of undergrads come rolling in, and you quickly become an "old man", and many of them let you know it.

Other than that, it is a great place and I highly recommend it!

oscartherabbit · Post by **oscartherabbit** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:48 am

Many many years ago, my mate and I went to the lake district for a camping holiday. We stayed near The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, and it was there that I first heard and fell in love with traditional music. That was also where I first drank Old Peculier. I suspect the two may well be connected.

One day I may go back - I read that they still have session nights - but I wonder if it will match up to the memories?

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Favourite Pubs and Why You Love 'Em

Favourite Pubs and Why You Love 'Em

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