The Hope and Champion - Beaconsfield

Visited 23rd March 2014.
 
A new 'spoons has recently opened only a few miles away. It is at a motorway service and has made the news and sparked a little controversy over pubs on motorways. I felt it was time to pay it a visit so Mrs S. and I jumped in the car and hit the road. Twenty minutes later and we were parked up and taking a look around and a few minutes after that we were sat down in the 'spoons looking at the menu. I had the Chilli dog and Mrs S. the nachos and both of us had a large Pepsi each. The food arrived quickly, the staff were attentive and after we were finished, the plates were quickly cleared. The place was modern and fresh and was similar upstairs. If you plan to visit though there is one thing to watch out for, there are no toilets. A sign on the wall says so and after another look around it appeared to be very true. (If you do need a toilet there is one in the food court next door).

© 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 Cribbar - Newquay

Visited 1st December 2013.
 
We did a little holiday shopping and then went looking for The Cribbar. We missed it first time as it looks a little bit different from a lot of the other Wetherspoon pubs, a theme that is carried on inside. It was easily the most interesting pub of our three day visit and quite unusual from any of the other 'spoons we have visited. Very summery with its surfer theme and quite at odds with the Christmas tunes being played. It was very quiet and we had no problem finding somewhere for us to sit, me with my half of Doombar (rapidly becoming one of my favourite beers) and Mrs S. once again with her large tea. We chilled out for a while and then as it was to be our last pub of the day before heading home we went to "spend a penny". And the pub held another surprise - I think it's worth a visit just to check out the men's toilets and I was told by Mrs S. that the ladies loos were equally unusual. We had an uneventful trip home, which after a long weekend is always welcome and as usual on these trips we both disagreed on the pub of the weekend. Not that it matters but my favourite was The Green Parrot at Perranporth, Mrs S' was The John Francis Basset in Camborne but The Cribbar should definitely be on your list of 'spoons to visit.

© 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 Black Horse - Birmingham

Visited 17th October 2012.
 
Following my week away I have another week to go before I have to go back to work so I've decided to spend a day visiting a few 'spoons. Birmingham here I come!
The plan is to try and visit eight pubs on the first day, find a cheap hotel or B&B to stay over and then follow up with another six pubs on the second day. Everything starts well and I find myself at the first pub on my list in time for breakfast. From the outside 'The Black Horse' looks impressive and it is just as nice inside although I did trip over the step on the way in while looking at the sign that says to mind the step. I ordered the large breakfast and a large latte which arrived promptly and with the eggs cooked just the way I like them. The place even has its own car park where you can stay for up to three hours. The only downside were the toilets, they were in a bit of a state to the point where I was reluctant to use them. I tripped over the step again on the way out although I was a little preoccupied thinking about how far it was to the next pub on my list and would I be able to use the toilet when I got there. 

© 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 Exchange - Banbury

Visited 3rd September 2011.

I have planned a little surprise for Mrs S. and a couple of friends today. I have been on Groupon again and splashed out for a few tickets for something that I don't think any of us have done before. The general idea is to all meet up early (for us) and drive to Banbury to visit a couple of 'spoons and then come back to Oxford for the main event in the evening. As is completely predictable for anything involving the four of us things don't go entirely to plan! (I was once charged with organizing a leaving do for a work colleague and managed to get him and myself to one pub and the rest of the company to a completely different pub - enough said!)

We had arranged to meet up about 10am, by the time we did meet up it was nearer 12. Never mind our plans were fluid and we can at least now set off for Banbury... Oh no, wait, first somebody has to refuel a plane... Fortunately it's not an airbus a380, but it is in a big, windy field and the girls are soon complaining about their windswept hair, the cold, the lack of toilets (No!It's not ladylike to go behind the shed), no coffee, no food and about a hundred other things. Eventually we are back on the road and Stiggy is having to listen to us chat about the sea, fountains, fast running rivers and sudden downpours along with the rules of toilet roulette whilst being bounced up and down as we travel over what must be some of the bumpiest back roads in England.

We finally make it Banbury and pass 'The Exchange' while looking for a place to park. After a few requests to "Get on with it", we park and take a short walk to the pub. There is a little more leg crossing as Stiggy is grabbed and forced to pose for the photo shoot but she finally breaks free and like chocolate at a Weightwatchers meeting is gone.
By now we are all hungry and four all day brunches were swiftly ordered along with a pint of 'The Pride of Oxford' for me and a Disaronno and Pepsi for Mrs S. with the other two opting for a gin and tonic and a pint of lager. We sat in a small booth drinking and waiting for our food, which arrived after not to long a wait and was served by a very friendly member of staff. The pub itself was long and dark and had a pleasant atmosphere which we continued to enjoy over coffee. I asked at the bar for directions to the next pub, which turned out to be only a short walk away. We would have been there quite quickly but had to stop at a sweet shop and then a toy shop on the way. What a bunch of kids!

© 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 Assembly Rooms - Epsom

Stiggy having her soul stolen.

Luxury seating in "the ladies".

Check these out if you want a blow job with style.

Visited 21st February 2011. 

I have a few days holiday from work to use up. "Use it or lose it", I'd been told. I didn't need telling twice! An old friend (Stiggy), who has done a few of these trips with Mrs S and myself previously has come along for the ride. We trundle around the M25 (again), playing spot the hold up, narrowly avoiding the future delay which will soon appear as we swerve around a fresh accident. The police had already arrived and appear to be about to close a few lanes... We arrive in Epsom and find a place to park, at the opposite end of town from where we want to be. We knew this as we had already driven pass 'The Assembly Rooms' as we entered town. This gives us the opportunity to have a little look around which we start to do but then Stiggys' teeth start chattering and we decide it's just a little to cold. "Fortunately" there are some ladies clothes shops that seem to be full of "interesting" things to try on, what luck!

We eventually make it to the pub where the usual "don't photograph me, you'll steal my soul" arguments take place and finally we make it inside. The first thing you see is an impressive looking bar and then you start to realise that this is actually a rather nice pub inside. It didn't look to bad from the outside either.

Stiggy is hungry and as we cannot find a breakfast menu decides to order the 'all day brunch' instead. Then just for good measure orders a couple of rounds of toast each as well. It's an impressive amount of food and I voice the opinion that she has bitten off more than she can chew, so to speak.
I'm not a gambling man, in fact I have never been inside a betting shop. This is something Stiggy wants to rectify but she has decided to start me off slowly. We end up shaking hands on whether she can eat all the breakfast, the loser pays for the next round of coffees. She is only the size of a leprechaun so I know I'm on to a winner. After watching her wolf down her own body weight in breakfast I know I've been hustled. But all that coffee takes its toll and she needs to pay a visit. She returns swiftly telling me how fantastic "the ladies" are and that I should go and check out the gents. I do and return somewhat disappointed to tell her that they are nothing special and seem to be like many other Wetherspoon toilets. "Come with me", she says. I'm led upstairs and after she checks to make sure I'm not going to upset any 'sitting tennants' she takes me in. From her reaction I'm guessing that not all 'ladies' are made this way but gentlemen, we have definitely been short changed at 'The Assembly Rooms'. If you get the chance, check them out. (Have a lady friend check for the all clear first and remember to turn and smile for the ever present security camera watching your back).
A little more shopping ensues and then it's time to make a move back to the car. On the walk back we (almost) pass a betting shop... Stiggy decides to enhance my education and I learn about a 'lucky' something or other. We pay our monies and are each handed our receipts. Woohoo, I'm going to be rich! Due to our detour we are running a little late so it's a swift walk back to the car and then an unusually straight forward trip home. We enjoyed our visit to Epsom and 'The Assembly Rooms' makes it into my top five Wetherspoon pubs.


For anyone having stuck with this post so far you may want to know how our horses did. Later that evening I checked and found that none of my four horses had come anywhere useful, Stiggy on the other hand managed to select three first place horses out of five. That's why I don't gamble and why she does!

© 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 Regal - Gloucester

Visited 8th June 2010.

As it turned out Gloucester had a surprise for us in the shape of The Regal. The barmaid at The Water Poet was absolutely correct - The Regal was only a brisk two minutes walk away and we were glad that we had made the time to go see it. As could be guessed from the name it was in an old picture house and was huge inside. We liked the mixture of the different seating types and areas and especially liked King Kong waving his fist. Mrs S. was so impressed by the mirrors in the ladies toilet that she felt compelled to take a photo. More coffee and J.D. was drunk but as you may, by now, have realised we were not eating today. Our hosts have planned to cook for us, hence the reason for our tight timescales. With a little regret it was time to be moving on (and it had stopped raining) but The Regal is on our list of places to revisit.

© 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.