The rest of our tour was just as puzzling with the upstairs living accommodation reflecting the emptiness of the public bars. No chairs, no settee and no beds, apart from a large mattress on the floor piled high with the debris of single living. But no TV? Moonlit flit sprang to mind.
Two of the reasons we'd chosen to view this pub was - 'an attached annex ideal for B&B or staff accommodation' and - 'a little garden cottage with pretty picket fence sited within the pub grounds, ideal for owner or manager,' or in my mind, elderly parents?
There's nothing like a little bit of hope! The attached annex was a bare shell and obviously a recent unfinished addition. The mottled pink and grey plaster told a tale of hurried work and I for one did not believe his 'it's only been used a couple of times for staff after a very late night disco.' Ah well, may be the garden cottage would be this pubs saving grace.
A sweeping lawn dotted with fruit trees, framed by flower borders full of promise. At the end of the garden was ... the cottage, but no sign of a pretty picket fence. The only comment, and I felt obliged at this point in our tour to say something, was 'it has great potential.' At this the landlord became very excited. 'There are so many uses for this building,' he said. 'In the summer when we are really busy our relief chef lives here. Everyone who has stayed here loves it.'
It was at this point that Himself butted in.
Thursday 22 January 2009
Thursday 15 January 2009
First Impressions
From the outside the pub looked anything but a traditional country pub. A post war building with numerous recent additions it looked in need of some TLC.
On paper this pub ticked several boxes, but location? Hell no. 'I wonder what time the builders start?' My question was ignored. Himself, seeming inclined to continue the inspection, was standing by the builders gateway viewing the pub roof. It wasn't long before before we were spotted and out rushed a very excited landlord.
'Come in, come in,' he said rubbing his hands in a Faganesque way. 'Would you like a coffee, cup of tea, or something stronger?' At this point a G&T would have gone down well but I resisted and asked instead for the ladies cloakroom.
My mother insists that you can tell a great deal about a pub, or restaurant, by its loos. If they smell fresh they are probably clean. If they look clean too then you can bet that you're not going to get food poisoning from the restaurant. This loo was basic, looked clean but smelt of stale wee. I was thankful to have turned down refreshments.
The inside of the pub had fared no better. Dark, grubby paintwork littered with out of date posters advertising everything I hate about pubs. Karaoke, live rock bands and disco nights. Our host enthused about the many wonderful evenings they'd had, people came from far and wide to support them. The bar did not back up his words and looked remarkably under stocked. Whilst Himself got down to the technical stuff I wandered through a swing door and found myself in a large, bright, very red room. A wall of windows overlooked the garden in what I assumed must be the function room - but a function room devoid of furniture. This pub was beginning to feel 'closed.'
On paper this pub ticked several boxes, but location? Hell no. 'I wonder what time the builders start?' My question was ignored. Himself, seeming inclined to continue the inspection, was standing by the builders gateway viewing the pub roof. It wasn't long before before we were spotted and out rushed a very excited landlord.
'Come in, come in,' he said rubbing his hands in a Faganesque way. 'Would you like a coffee, cup of tea, or something stronger?' At this point a G&T would have gone down well but I resisted and asked instead for the ladies cloakroom.
My mother insists that you can tell a great deal about a pub, or restaurant, by its loos. If they smell fresh they are probably clean. If they look clean too then you can bet that you're not going to get food poisoning from the restaurant. This loo was basic, looked clean but smelt of stale wee. I was thankful to have turned down refreshments.
The inside of the pub had fared no better. Dark, grubby paintwork littered with out of date posters advertising everything I hate about pubs. Karaoke, live rock bands and disco nights. Our host enthused about the many wonderful evenings they'd had, people came from far and wide to support them. The bar did not back up his words and looked remarkably under stocked. Whilst Himself got down to the technical stuff I wandered through a swing door and found myself in a large, bright, very red room. A wall of windows overlooked the garden in what I assumed must be the function room - but a function room devoid of furniture. This pub was beginning to feel 'closed.'
Tuesday 13 January 2009
A pub with potential!
Our first viewing is of a pub which, according to the agent's details, is 'just of an A road in a popular tourist area'. Half an hour after arriving at X marks the spot on our map we are still travelling backwards and forwards on said A road and Himself is not looking happy. My suggestion that this pub may be one of Hereford's best kept secrets does not go down well, but he agrees that the narrow lane we have just passed for the 3rd time might be worth investigating.
100 yards down the lane we pass a hand written sign rammed in to a hedge. 'What did it say?' he asks as we sail past . 'Flooding' I reply. And flooding there was. Just where the lane dipped down and became too narrow to turn sat a large pond of water. On the opposite side of this pond the lane rose and though the hill was small it was just steep enough to block our view over the top.
Why is it when faced with adversity it's always the woman's fault? Having vigorously defended my map-reading skills I volunteered to walk through the water to test its depth. My offer was turned down, somewhat ungraciously in my opinion, as Himself decided driving slowly through the water was all that was required. In silence we rolled forward and keeping a steady but firm speed (his words not mine) we parted the waters to the other side. I remember when I first learnt to drive, my father telling me that if you drive through a river you must stop and test your brakes. I never understood why he told me this living as we did miles from the countryside, but nonetheless, I've been waiting 30 years for just such an event. Unfortunately, not only am I not driving but this is definitely not the moment to be offering advise.
I don't consider myself particularly superstitious but I will admit I had my fingers crossed and as we drove over the brow of the hill there it is. Our pub with potential, sitting in its secluded setting off the beaten track - and opposite a large untidy builders yard.
100 yards down the lane we pass a hand written sign rammed in to a hedge. 'What did it say?' he asks as we sail past . 'Flooding' I reply. And flooding there was. Just where the lane dipped down and became too narrow to turn sat a large pond of water. On the opposite side of this pond the lane rose and though the hill was small it was just steep enough to block our view over the top.
Why is it when faced with adversity it's always the woman's fault? Having vigorously defended my map-reading skills I volunteered to walk through the water to test its depth. My offer was turned down, somewhat ungraciously in my opinion, as Himself decided driving slowly through the water was all that was required. In silence we rolled forward and keeping a steady but firm speed (his words not mine) we parted the waters to the other side. I remember when I first learnt to drive, my father telling me that if you drive through a river you must stop and test your brakes. I never understood why he told me this living as we did miles from the countryside, but nonetheless, I've been waiting 30 years for just such an event. Unfortunately, not only am I not driving but this is definitely not the moment to be offering advise.
I don't consider myself particularly superstitious but I will admit I had my fingers crossed and as we drove over the brow of the hill there it is. Our pub with potential, sitting in its secluded setting off the beaten track - and opposite a large untidy builders yard.
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