Category Archives: Pubs

The Ostrich and the Bumble Inn

The Bumble Inn, in Peterborough, opened a couple of years ago, but it has unusual and short opening hours. As a result, it’s taken me ages to catch the place open.

It was mostly populated by middle aged, real ale types. But there was a nice feel about the place and a choice of unfined beer.

And, over a year since our last visit, we called in to the Ostrich. It was already one of the best pubs in the city, it’s now made the full switch to craft beer.

Most impressive was the guest ale board, with a Buxton tap takeover.

Almost every one’s fish free too.

CAMRA

I feel like a spy. Or something like that. We’re in Charters, which (as I’ve mentioned occasionally in the past) is one of my favourite bars. And probably the best in Peterborough.

This weekend, they have a beer festival, with around 20 guest beers on cask. There’s discount for CAMRA members too.

I almost paid full price until my second in command prompted me. While I don’t carry my card, the accepted its picture.

So, we’re members of the Tyneside and Northumberland branch. Which kind of makes us undercover.

Candlestick

We’re currently enjoying a beer in the Cluny, waiting for food. After shopping in Team Valley, the beer was hard earned.

We also called in to the vintage furniture place, under the arches, buying a lovely knackered old candlestick. That’s it above.

Out there in Ouseburn

On a sunny, but freezing, Sunday, we decided on a walk along the quayside. Attracted by the prospect of vegan yorkshire puddings in the Tyne Bar.

On our way, we stopped off at the Crown Posada, where the only unfined beer was Jakehead. While a little strong for a Sunday, I couldn’t resist.

Unfortunately, the Tyne Bar don’t seem to have perfected vegan puddings, so we opted for a drink instead. My second in command went with Sam Smith’s strawberry beer, while I had an Out There sour. The latter was kindof nice. For a sour beer.

In the Cluny, I decided on an Out There Space is the Place, a beer which first attracted me to the brewer.

Their beer’s mostly vegetarian/vegan and it’s local too.

Yesterday, we visited the Ship, also in Ouseburn, after a trip to the pretty amazing vintage furniture shop around the corner. We didn’t buy furniture, but we did have a gorgeous curry in the Ship.

I’m pretty sure it’s the only vegan pub in Newcastle. I’d love to be wrong though.

Andrew

Andrew is a hero. In South Shields. In McDonalds, where I went to pee. On entering I found security guard protected toilets; also, a young girl warned me to take care because strange things were happening in the Gents.

I barely hesitated, because my need was great. On entering, I found the boyfriend of the girl outsite, unbuttoning a man’s jeans.

I should say that he’d been asked to do so by the wearer of said jeans. Unfortunately, the jeans gentleman also wore jogging bottoms under his outer layer. Apparently, he’d anticipated below zero temperatures.

Worse still, his underlayer involved a tie-cord. Which was firmly fastened in a knot.

Andrew (the boyfriend of the girl outside) asked me for assistance because he bites his nails and struggles with knots. I also bite my nails and find knots an impossibility. I was mid stream at the time too, so helping would have been a challenge.

On leaving the Gents, I located my second in command. Andrew, who followed soon after, confirmed that the knot was undone.

All ended well. Although I suspect the multiple layered man might not have fastened himself back up sufficiently (he seemed to be wearing weed-scented aftershave).

Should I ever bump into Andrew again, I shall buy him beer.

A dozen and a half

The age of my eldest grandchild, that is. With reference to the Lovely Eggs. Who a number of us went to see last night (including said grandchild). Two of the eight weren’t too keen, but six were impressed.The support’s unusually worthy of mention. Because he was ridiculously good; Phil Jupitus.As were the eggs themselves.

Co-ordination of people wasn’t easy, but we all managed to find each other.The toughest part of the night was sneaking my grandchild into bars. But, strangely, not a single person challenged her age. Not that I’d buy alcohol for her (cough).She was struck by the resemblance between the ladies’ sign in the Cumberland Arms and her very own depiction of my second in command some years ago.