The Chip Foundation are never ones to miss an excuse for a celebration and August is the time of year when a certain Nick is in line for the birthday bumps. His Highness has even more reason to mark the occasion this year for he now qualifies for his OAP bus pass, gleefully giving him the freedom of England's entire local bus network. Our trip in his honour takes us to the HRH home turf of Warwick...
- Arrival at Warwick Station -
Wednesday 30th August 2023 heralds Episode 78 of the Chip Foundation Chronicles as the Beardsmores, Ken and I congregate at Wolverhampton station, debating Warwickshire's One Day Cup semi final capitulation at the hands of Hampshire. Hopefully we'll be making happier memories than that today as we progress via Birmingham Moor Street to Warwick where our grinning royal host is waiting to meet us on the Leamington-bound platform. Works to install a new lift facility mean that the station is partially a building site and the underpass linking the two platforms is currently out of action, not that this inconveniences us too much.
- The Lord Leycester Hospital -
Nick's initial plan is to take us on a gentle tour of Warwick town centre, starting with a Priory Park path beside the county records office. Barrack Street has an ancient gaol cell where we threaten to lock Mr B Senior up for the duration of the outing; alas he narrowly avoids such a custodial sentence and is therefore on hand to inspect the magnificent medieval frontage of the Lord Leycester Hospital, a Guilds building with over 700 years of history offering alms to deserving military personnel. The associated charity continues to support ex-servicemen and the hospital stands prominently next to West Gate and St James' Chapel at one end of the historic High Street. Throw in a Victorian pillar box and there's already much to see.
- A Brace of Beardsmores at the Racehorse -
Nick has been given free rein to pick his preferred pubs today so it's no surprise that the Old Post Office is going to feature. This micropub has gained new owners since my last visit but still retains its comical booted foot protruding down from a hole in the ceiling. We can't blame any accident-prone Beardsmores for that particular pratfall but instead imbibe of Phipps IPA or Hopback Summer Lightning when sitting in a bench-pewed back room next to a small shrine to St Francis of Assisi. 'Ken Spielberg' practices his mobile filming techniques before we move along to the Racehorse on Stratford Road, a smart Everards townhouse seemingly overrun with grey-haired diners. We won't be eating here so a table out on the front patio will do us nicely, quaffing halves of Tiger while a spiky spider plant attempts to comb my hair.
- Beware Brogan's Bar?! -
Nick knows better than to deprive Stephen of his gammon so our eating destination of choice will be the Thomas Lloyd Wetherspoons, invitingly located on Warwick's bunting-laden Market Place. The pub is named after a member of the Lloyd's banking family and is appropriately sited within one of their former branches; the food arrives with minimal fuss and quickly too, albeit our collective opinion decrees that the eggs are a tad overdone. Next for our attention is a HRH wildcard on the far side of the town's museum, namely Brogan's Irish Bar. This place only started operating last December in a shopfront which some years previously had been home to Wylie's Ironmongers shop. Much to our relief, the barman confirms we aren't rogue trespassers so he has no need to enforce any shotgun warnings. Happily spared, we safely partake of 3pm Guinness whilst admiring an interior boasting antique drawers, wooden cabinets and a pliers-shaped coat rack.
- Birthday Boy at Ronnie's Bar -
Brogan's was quite an experience - especially as we'd managed to gain access at the third time of asking - and the fun then arguably ramps up even further thanks to Ronnie's Bar on Jury Street. Nick first introduced me to this establishment during our 'Wonders of Warwick' tour last November and I was immediately enamoured by all the references to famous Rons and Ronalds from years gone by. Now it is the turn of Ken, Stephen and John to name their fair share of renowned Ronnies, including Messrs Atkinson, Reagan, Coleman and Moody. Drinks-wise there is more Guinness to be had although Mr May and I plump for the craftier charms of Beavertown's Neck Oil, served in a curious beaker receptacle with plenty of grapefruit zing. The beer garden here looks delightful with fishy art and trailing wisteria.
- East Gate -
Having duly inspected Nick's new bus pass - including scrutinising a photograph that makes him look far too young to be a venerable pensioner - we press on along Smith Street to see another of Warwick's medieval masterpieces. As with its western counterpart we saw earlier, East Gate is an impressive 14th century gateway representing part of the original town wall configurations. There used to be a North Gate too but that was apparently dismantled during the Tudor period, and Nick definitely isn't old enough to remember that! Smith Street is where you can find a variety of restaurants, a guitar shop and even a dog grooming parlour, not forgetting the Roebuck pub where once we saw some very suggestive leafage!
- Tonkoko at the Craftsman -
Our final port of call however is to be the Craftsman, a recently-launched beer cafe and bottle shop that offers up to 16 rotating draught taps. This place takes on the mantle from the former Warwick Real Ale off licence which used to be a few doors further down the street, but nudges things up a scale in terms of on-site drinking. It's all very stylish with high stools, barrel tables and an extensive menu designed to appeal to the craft connoisseur. Brew York's Tonkoko Milk Stout is always a winner as far as I'm concerned, although I gallantly trade my half of dark delight when Ken realises he's not so keen on his Watermelon Crush pink sour - the latter is very much in the category marked 'acquired taste'! A leisurely St John's stroll then returns us to the railway station with time in hand prior to the 18:04 Chiltern depature to Moor Street, and the whole day is deemed an undoubted success. Thanks to Nick for his Warwick wisdom!
No comments:
Post a Comment