Beer: Marston’s Pedigree 4.5%
Two Wiggy visits in two days – this time it’s an early afternoon pre-dinner session with Steph and her folks. Again, the place is busy, but we manage to get a table in the main/front/lounge bar so can gauge the effect of the recent refurbishment – which has changed the pub into a branch of the “Sizzling Pub Grill” brand that nobody’s heard of. The most obvious change, for me, is that they’ve gotten rid of the wordy (boring, to be honest) history of the Wigmore family, misappropriated Holbein illustration and all, from the wall. This they’ve replaced with a big “Sizzler” decal screaming: “FRESH from our GRILL”… A beer mat on our table informs that Sizzler can provide us with a seasonal Cherry Bakewell Cocktail.
Have, Steph’s Mum wonders, they gotten rid of the lady who used to cook here? I suggest maybe not. I’m facing towards the bar and catch sight of the lady in question – apparently still employed in the kitchens.
Tables are full, mainly with family groups. A kid on the table next to ours is playing with his new Harry Potter wand. It’s all very convivial and noisy – the Wigmore regulars festive loud, but not boisterous. The tellies run through a selection of cheesy seasonal hits, thankfully the volume isn’t turned up as loud as yesterday. Macca is still enjoying his wonderful Chrismastime.
I have my back to the window. Steph and Roy are looking outside – gleaning a fair degree of entertainment from the steady, if not heavy, stream of cars driving into Asda – their drivers believing the petrol station and/or supermarket are open on Christmas Day.
Back in the pub, numbers fluctuate, but the place remains quite packed. Packed and festive and nice: Merry Christmas everybody…
Two Wiggy visits in two days – this time it’s an early afternoon pre-dinner session with Steph and her folks. Again, the place is busy, but we manage to get a table in the main/front/lounge bar so can gauge the effect of the recent refurbishment – which has changed the pub into a branch of the “Sizzling Pub Grill” brand that nobody’s heard of. The most obvious change, for me, is that they’ve gotten rid of the wordy (boring, to be honest) history of the Wigmore family, misappropriated Holbein illustration and all, from the wall. This they’ve replaced with a big “Sizzler” decal screaming: “FRESH from our GRILL”… A beer mat on our table informs that Sizzler can provide us with a seasonal Cherry Bakewell Cocktail.
Have, Steph’s Mum wonders, they gotten rid of the lady who used to cook here? I suggest maybe not. I’m facing towards the bar and catch sight of the lady in question – apparently still employed in the kitchens.
Tables are full, mainly with family groups. A kid on the table next to ours is playing with his new Harry Potter wand. It’s all very convivial and noisy – the Wigmore regulars festive loud, but not boisterous. The tellies run through a selection of cheesy seasonal hits, thankfully the volume isn’t turned up as loud as yesterday. Macca is still enjoying his wonderful Chrismastime.
I have my back to the window. Steph and Roy are looking outside – gleaning a fair degree of entertainment from the steady, if not heavy, stream of cars driving into Asda – their drivers believing the petrol station and/or supermarket are open on Christmas Day.
Back in the pub, numbers fluctuate, but the place remains quite packed. Packed and festive and nice: Merry Christmas everybody…
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