The Red Cow, Market Harborough

Having gone past it for thirty years I finally went in this week. I loved it all,the sign with a nicely-painted cow on it, the wooden floors, the original 20's brick fireplace with a real fire in it, the local notices on the wall, the well-kept Abbot Ale,the big white glass globes above the bar, the view out into the street of fighting drug addicts at 5pm. But why oh why do they spoil it all with a huge Starship Enterprise gaming machine bleeping and flashing against the wall? Most of our conversation was about how we could hoik it out into the street and shove it under a lorry without the barmaid noticing.

19 Jan 2007 11:08

The Rugglestone Inn, Widecombe in the Moor

Read all about this pub in the utterly amazing book Unmitigated England.The author looks back on how it all was in the 1970s. How I wish I'd been there with him.

19 Jan 2007 09:49

The Crown Inn, Tur Langton

This is a pub I've known for thirty seven years. It's still very good once you've got used to seeing your distorted reflection in the hideous 'brass' columns that support the bar area roof; it's still right up there in terms of the quality of gorgeous pouting bar staff; and finally, and probably the most important, it's still called 'The Crown', NOT 'Rose and Crown'.

19 Jan 2007 09:07