164. Tue 12/9/17: The Gardeners Call, Luton

Beer: Marstons EPA 3.6%

Sneaky pre-match pint in the newly refurbished GC. It’s alright in here – they’ve got ale in again (just the one, such as it is) – which is a good start for a latterly run down local, but one which has had relatively recent cause to trouble The Good Beer Guide. The refurbishment seems to have run to a good few pots of paint – particularly outside where GK green has turned blue; there’s lots of orange in the doorway too – are they looking to tempt the LT crowd? Not sure, they’ll have to improve the beer selection.

They’ve also made a stage area in the fireplace (there’s a PA set up), and are advertising weekend entertainment – I think we’ll have to wait for the Robbie Williams tribute; beforehand it’s Harmonica Lewinsky, “fun cockney act”… and all on my doorstep. They’re also looking to start a ladies dart team. It’s heartening. Having lived over the road for a couple of decades, I can remember this place as a thriving community local and it’ll be nice if it can be that again.

The Tuesday evening clientele is small but noisy. I feel disinclined to whip out the DSLR and start taking some surreptitious snaps on my phone instead: although, when the couple on the nearby table move on I get the camera out. On the way out I’m recognised by a local (possibly a neighbour) “do you still drink down the Bricklayers?”

“Yes, just on my way down there now”. He goes on to name a few regulars, most of whom I recognise/remember, and I can mostly confirm whether they still frequent the boozer. The chat moves on to the match tonight and the debacle at the weekend, and involves the barlady who is wearing a Luton Town sweatshirt.
It’s too far away to suggest as a pre/post match pint pub and, as suggested, the beer selection isn’t special… but The Gardeners does seem to be looking up.

159. Sat 2/9/17: The Wigmore Arms, Luton

Beer: Sharp’s Doom Bar 4.0%

The Wiggy is looking a bit tired and the ale choice, once we’ve established that Abbot and Bombardier are off, is GKIPA and Doom Bar. Ho hum.

It’s an international weekend with the football so the place isn’t packed with polyester Prem’ fans, it’s quite nice and quiet; just a shame that, in this pub which was relatively recently listed in the Good Beer Guide, we’ve got better (Asda/M&S bought) beer at home.

That said, this is still a vibrant, bustling and good humoured community boozer.

Back at the bar for a second Doom Bar (I drink twice as fast as Steph) there’s some excitement as the bar staff are apparently pulling the Bombardier through. But, no, it’s 6pm… they’re cleaning the pipes. A sneaky coupla pints at The Wigmore isn’t as appealing as it has been.

172. Fri 29/9/17: Bricklayers Arms, Luton

Beer: Island Yachtsman 4.2%

The pub is very quiet, and quite dim. We play the quizzer. I bring the 1973 film The Three Musketeers up for discussion; I’ve recently watched it, having videoed it from one of the film channels. All-star cast – rubbish film. Michael York in particular, in my opinion is (always) woeful.

To be fair, the trailer looks pretty good - Ed

We go on to discuss hair growth with Brad. He’s growing his hair. We discuss North Korea (what are they thinking?), Luton Town, The Beatles (specifically how much better they’d have been if John Lennon was replaced by Liam Gallagher), Arndale, Sitges, Benidorm, Hendrix at Monterrey, Dolenz at Monterrey…

A sole Scand’ Hatter is circulating, noisily, around the pub. He’s the fellow who, on a previous (again, apparently solo) visit, offered me £50 for the LT badge I was wearing on my Harrington collar. It’s a nice ‘50s example, of the boatered player in black and white strip kicking an oversized football. I didn’t sell it, out of principle. I relay the anecdote to my brother, who suggests I probably should have.

174 Sat 30/9/17 : The Bricklayers Arms, Luton

Beer: Black Country Brewery Pig on the Wall 4.3%

LUTON TOWN 3 NEWPORT COUNTY 1

Post-match pints. The pub is already reasonably populated, and notably by a group of Bricklayers’ regulars all dressed in suits (complete, in many cases, with LTFC ties) preparing for a memorial visit to the St Albans Masonic Lodge, latterly frequented by a sadly departed member of their brethren. They stand in a big cluster (they’re big blokes) before being mini bussed out to Hertfordshire.

There’s Chelsea v Man City on the telly too – so there’s quite a few polyester Prem’ fans in, cheering on the television. We look down on that kind of fan… but they don’t have a match to walk back from, so get in first and grab all the seats. We stand outside, until it rains, then we come back in.

Match was good (Town 3-0 up at half time, then decide to make heavy weather out of it). John is in good form, the beer is good and Steve is looking better.

Steph and I are flying to Alicante (en route for BENIDORM) tomorrow.

171a Wed 27/9/17: The Railway Tavern, Dalston, London

Beer: Adnams Mosaic 4.1%, Five Points Railway Porter 4.8%

Solo visit. Reflecting on the walk from Highbury and Islington station that many pubs in the area have been closed but signs and external signs and furniture are preserved. Also spent a thought for Grant Hart, RIP, and popped some Husker Du on my mp3 player.

In the pub, a middle aged, well to do woman was busy swearing about a "minor breakdown". This sounded like a relationship breakdown, but turned out that she was cock-a-hoop about the success of her kitchen restaurant. Gratuitous swearing; "If you told me I'd be doing 150 covers a year ago, I wouldn't have fucking believed you". People still have dreams. This lady's - of feeding people - were coming true. She was accompanied by two work colleagues, who managed her well enough, but who also swore too much.

167 Fri 15/09/17: The Bear Club, Luton

Out: AJK

Beer: Leighton Buzzard Restoration 4.6%

Second Bear jazz excursion in as many weeks; this week it’s Tony Kofi and the Organisation. Tonight is even busier than last week, and the crowd seem younger. They seem keen enough, but far too involved with their mobile phones – either texting or taking pictures. Those incessant light intrusions are a bit annoying, as is the fact that a significant minority are chatting through the jazz. Seems rude to me.

Can’t say I’m becoming an evangelic jazz convert very quickly. There’s too much on-stage name dropping, and solos and necessity to applaud solos (or some solos – some apparently insignificant solos don’t warrant a ripple).

After the set, we nick off back to the Bricks.

168 Fri 150917: Bricklayers Arms, Luton

Beer: Burton Bridge Sovereign Gold 4.0%

Been to The Bear – so back for a couple of late drinks at The Bricks. It’s quiet. I have the second volume of my Every pub I’ve ever been to ever log which I present for my brother's perusal. The plan is that he’ll contribute too.

       

Other than that, the only notes record a discussion regarding the Pink Panther films. Were they any good? Really? I express some doubts, while my brother is more enthusiastic about the series.

169 Fri 220917: White House, Luton

Beer: Kelham Island Pale Rider 5.2%

It’s ridiculously busy at work, and they’ve sanctioned overtime (without sanctioning additional overtime rates), so I’m going into work as early as possible on Saturday morning - and using the time accrued to take the day before we fly out to Prague off.

With that in mind, and after forty minutes in the gymnasium, I head for a few sneaky pints at the JDWWH. Again, on me tod, I find this perfectly acceptable. The very early evening clientele seem somehow less desperate than those stuck here later on. And where else in town are you going to get a pint of Kelham Island?

         

Actually I wasn’t too impressed with the beer, bitter to the point of astringency, but (and as there wasn’t much else as an alternative) the second went down better. I ponder over whether or not to get a curry in – and decide against it. I start reading the latest Boak and Bailey tome – but the beer is strong, and I don’t get much further than the first chapter.

End up having three, get some emergency corner shop beer – and home to watch Game of Thrones.

Early night – I’m at work for 07:30, and leave at 11:30. After that, finding myself too late to go home and too early to go the pre-match pub, I flounder around for a couple of hours… put a bet on… wander round the Arndale looking for eats… eventually have a Don Millers bacon bap. I really wanted a sausage bap, but they only had one sausage left. At approx 13:25 I headed toward L’Chavel Noir dans l’rue Hastings.