S.A.D.C.A.T.S.®

  Sunday Afternoon Drinking Club @ The Saxon ®                                                                  

Sun 12 Feb
Longs Arms, Steeple Ashton

A village not too far from and similar to Lacock with many Tudor buildings.  The pub is old but I couldn't find any history.  4 hand pulls offer: 6X, Henrys IPA, Sharps Cornish and a guest - 3 Castles Barbury Castle 3.9%
We had the 2 course Sunday lunch at £13-95 which was excellent.  Friendly pub mostly given over to eating although it became apparent that it changes with the time of day and who's about.  Sunday afternoon was definately for watching the rugby!  Beer Festival on 14 April - 16 beers in marquee in rear beer garden.
Worth a visit I would think!

We also went chasing The King near Wootton Bassett................

6024 King Edward I approaches Langley Burrell running 50mins late with
the 10:07 Paddington-Bristol, Cathedrals Express.

Sat 11 Feb
Yet another visit to The Three Crowns and thanks to Clive it became the 'Blue Shirt' Launch!!  And finally our 1st group photo of the year in the pub!
Another 5 new beers moves pub into equal 10th place on my beer list. [Total 72 beers]

Friday 3 Feb ~ 3 Crowns again!
Still no photos!!  But with 3 more new beers this pub moves up to 12th place in my beer list. [Total 67 beers]

Wed 1 February ~ Torquay
Torquay is a lovely place to visit with its own sub-tropical climate, and of course it's where Kathy used to live.  Despite being, or possibly because it is, a tourist trap the pubs are not particularly to my liking.  I think it's true to say most aim for the 'Batchelor Party' market and real ales are thin on the ground.  Kath used to live not far from Torquay's oldest pub, The Hole in the Wall at the bottom of the steps in Park Lane.  Now that was a cosy pub, but today we are at the other end of town visiting Kath's brother Stuart.  His local is The Printers Elbow II, and I think it's worthy of a write up and consequently issued Visiting Card No.252.

In the mid 1980's Eddie Thomas, Landlord of The Printers Elbow in the centre of town (pub lost to re-development some years ago) moved out to Torre to take over The Globe, a Courage house, and promptly renamed it The Printers Elbow II.  Present Landlord Barry Owen and his wife took over the lease in 1987 and for the last 25 years have kept the pub in the original condition it is in today.  It's a classic boozer with Darts & Pool in a large bar where the old 2 room split is still part of the atmosphere.  A walled rear area doubles as outside drinking in the summer and smoking area.  5 hand pulls offer:  Courage Best, Directors, John Smiths, and a guest which they choose to take from local Teignworthy Brewery subject to suiting the taste buds of their regulars.  It's a pub with no food!  Not often you find Courage Best these days, in our parts at least, and this was particularly well kept, a CAMRA 4.  I also sampled Teignworthy Winter Daze 5.4%.  A sample was pulled for me and it was in cracking form despite being the 1st of the session.  Well done Barry, you keep a fine pub, probably one of the best in Torquay.  It's a shame you declined to be in the pictures, but many thanks for your hospitality.

Pub No. 252

Saturday 28 January ~ Salisbury Winterfest
Roger, Gwyn and I went to stay with Tony & Teresa at 6d Handley and we all went to Salisbury on the bus for £5-30 each return!
This is a small CAMRA festival which started 15 years ago in the Scots Lane Social Club to showcase 'Winter' ales.  The mix of Social Club, small number of beers, and generally dark ales never appealed to me, and of course the main festival was always the June one in the old church!  So I never did the WinterFest and I thought the one in the church (Now Salisbury Arts Centre - in Bedwin St) ceased some years ago.  Now I know why I didn't bother with the WinterFest, but luckily I found a flyer for the Church Fest 16 June, and it says it is the 32nd, so I've missed a few!!

We met up with NW Wilts CAMRA boys and when the festival started saving beers for the evening we left and went on a pub crawl and took visiting New Zealanders Leonie & Martin with us!  Someone took a group photo for us in The Anchor & Hope, but sadly managed to blur the shot!  Sorry guys!  I wasn't wering my glasses when I checked!

Royal George                                                         Anchor & Hope

The Winchester Gate.

And we made it safely back to the last bus home at 5:45 and ended up in The Roebuck at 6d Handley for a final pint.  Ringwood and not best!

Saturday 21 Jan ~ 1st Visit of the year to The Three Crowns!
No pictures!!  But a good selection of beers.

Saturday 14 January 2012

A few beers to start the New Year
and thanks to Clive for kicking off the New Shirt Order!

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

SHIRTS
This is the first time we haven't had a Christmas Dinner.  In the current climate I thought better of pushing the idea, although one person did ask and said they would have a go at organising.....  Anyway, without that event we were also without the Shirt Voting!  So I'm really pleased to say several members have asked me what was happening about New shirts and one in particular asked where his was!  Needless to say I was urged to get on with it!  If you remember last year, you'll know I changed supplier and to get the best price we had the range with very few colours.  Therefore not much choice to get something different for this year.  So limited in fact that I have magnanimously gone for Royal Blue with white stitching.  Price is approx £10-50 inc VAT.  Thick Fleeces (400g) are £16-80 inc VAT.

I'll be visiting the suppliers in Andover on the morning of Monday 23 January as I will be on my way to pick Mark up from Gatwick and almost go past the door.  I have some of my own garments for them to put the logo on (£4-80 per item inc VAT) so I can drop them off with the order.

Anyone who has not spoken to me who requires a shirt needs to call me before then.  Likewise if you have any garments you want to put the logo on.

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Last modified: 03-Feb-2012