The Hatter's Inn - Bognor Regis

Visited 6th February 2012.
 
It is nearly thirty years since I last visited Bognor Regis and it didn't seem to have changed a bit. We parked up and walked around the corner to the 'Hatter's Inn'. By now it was lunch time so we ordered a Pepsi for Mrs S. and an Apple and Raspberry J2O for myself and as we were feeling only a little peckish a plate of Nachos to share. The pub itself was scruffy and run down but the staff were friendly and efficient and obviously popular as it was pretty busy. We finished our Nachos and drinks and left intending to have a bit of a look round the town. As it happened we ended up on the beach where I was totally unable to persuade Mrs S. to dip a toe in the water. As we were walking back to the car we saw a bookshop selling second hand books, something we are always unable to resist and ended up making several purchases. We drove back home to the snow, which was still hanging around. Not a bad weekend and if I had to choose I would pick 'The William Webb Ellis' as our favourite pub of the last three days. I wonder where we'll end up next...

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The Quay - Poole

Visited 26th June 2011.
 
Having managed to cook ourselves on the beach (caught out by a thick, cooling mist that, at the time took the sting out of the sunshine) we jumped in the car and almost immediately got caught up in a traffic jam. We poodled along at about ten miles an hour for several miles, before clearing a T-junction that was the root of the problem (peak-time lights or a mini-roundabout would have calmed the anguish). We decided to make a detour and take some time out to let any traffic on the M27 and M3 clear. Instead we headed to Poole intending to visit 'The Lord Wimborne' but couldn't find it, so we switched to plan 'B' and drove to 'The Quay' instead. This was a popular pub with many people sitting outside still enjoying the sunshine. We, on the other hand, had had our fill of sunshine for the day and went indoors to cool off. Inside the ceiling was a long way up, giving a very spacious and airy feeling to the place. We bought our drinks, a half of 1664 for Mrs S. and a pint of forty niner from the Ringwood Brewery for myself. We also took the opportunity to ask the barman directions to 'The Lord Wimborne' which we knew couldn't be very far away. As it turned out it wasn't and we hadn't missed it by much when driving around earlier. We finished our drinks and then set off walking to find the missing pub.

© John Sinner. None of the material contained in this post, or this blog as a whole, may be reproduced without the express and written permission of John Sinner. All rights reserved.

The Blackwater Stream - Broadstone

Visited 26th June 2011.
 
The weatherman had been saying all week that we were in for a very hot Sunday so we made our plans to head for the coast (along with most of the rest of the country). We set the alarm for an early start in an attempt to miss any traffic. As it happened things did not go entirely to plan so it was about about half past nine before we finally left the house! As it turned out we didn't encounter any traffic and pretty quickly found ourselves in Broadstone. We found our target pub and the car park round back, for patrons only... (£1 refundable when you spend £5 or more in the pub). The pub was fairly busy with everybody ordering breakfasts. We joined the queue and ordered our breakfasts, toast and coffees. Although it was hot outside it was pleasantly cool inside and even though there were a lot of people ordering it wasn't to long before our food arrived. We had places to be so as soon as we had finished eating it was back to the car for the final stint to the beach.

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The Mechanical Elephant - Margate

Visited 26th February 2010.

Today is the day of the dance but we have a whole day to kill until dinner. Traditionally the girls go shopping and the boys head to the pub. We decide to embrace tradition with open arms. As it was still early (about 11.30am) a decision was made not to bloat ourselves up with pints. In retrospect an afternoon spent drinking double buffalo trace and coke was probably not the best idea ever (but it did mean that I was first on the dance floor three hours later). A strange name for a pub but having visited it once a year for the past six years I can say it has plenty of character and an upstairs bar and balcony from which it was fun to watch motorbikes racing on the beach a couple of years back. Long may this tradition continue.

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The Mary Shelley - Bournemouth

Visited 14th February 2010.

An easy walk from The Moon in the Square takes us to The Mary Shelley, a large pub where we sit and plan our next move. We actually remember to get our coffee card stamped this time. The pub is nice and the toilets are very nice. (Whenever we go anywhere our children always have a burning desire to check out the toilets and this has kind of rubbed off onto us). Plans are formulated and we exit the pub where we meet a guy who cannot resist a few quips regarding our hats and the high visibility they provide. We wander through the lantern lit gardens to the beach where it turns out to be dark and cold (but at least it's not raining) and the paddle that had seemed a good idea in the pub was quickly put on the back-burner for another (warmer) day. We have enjoyed our day in Bournemouth but all good things etc and now it's time to go home. We know we haven't been to all of the Wetherspoon pubs in the area so we will be returning in the summer... and we'll definitely be having that paddle!

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The Parchment Makers - Havant

Visited 31st May 2009.

OK, so I was feeling bored one Sunday afternoon. It was one of those rare sunny days so I decided to fire up the bike and head off to the coast. Beach of choice today was Hayling Island. Don't believe the signs, Sandy Point isn't! What it is, is a steep, stony beach which today was a fairly lonely place. And dry. So after a short twenty minute walk - just enough to work up a thirst it was time to head for the nearest Wetherspoon watering hole.
Which just happens to be in Havant. The map shows it to be only a five minute drive away but this doesn't allow for all the people trying to get off the Island via only one bridge. So twenty minutes later I arrive at The Parchment Makers. An unexciting exterior doesn't do justice to the cool and friendly inside. I was spotted taking my photos by a pair of natives who quizzed me and then offered to take my photo. By the time I got inside word had spread of my mission and everyone including the barmaid was pointing in different directions trying to indicate the next nearest Wetherspoons for me to visit. All in all a pretty decent way to spend the afternoon!

© John Sinner. None of the material contained in this post, or this blog as a whole, may be reproduced without the express and written permission of John Sinner. All rights reserved.