After a full week of working from home, and a last minute "oh no all systems are down and bookings are being lost" false alarm, I finished work on time and went to the new bar in Cheriton last night. This was my first proper Friday pub session following Dry January and then the funeral, so I had been looking forward to this.
Not sure about the new bar really. It is nice, and it is good for Cheriton, but it's not quite the micropub experience for me. It's relatively big, which is good for them, as it was busy. It's very bright and I really do like their lighting - lots of downlighters, LED uplighting from the skirting boards, feature filament bulbs above the bar, and some clever LED lighting strips around the dart board. There is a big TV on the wall, though it was not on, and the toilet is very big (wheelchair accessible) and clean. The whole place feels very clean and fresh.
I had a Gadds Seasider, and a Gadds Number Five, and Curious Brew (all in the name of research...) and all were quite good. One friend had another beer that was a bit flat and the other friend had a Seasider at the same time I did and it was a bit flat too, not sure what was going on. The beer did seem to trickle out of the taps a bit slowly, so maybe some strange pumping system.
They do have the bar stools that have pedals and chains on them, but they are fixed, so no exercising while you drink. They felt a bit wobbly too.
I would really like the lighting they have there in my house, it was great, but maybe a little bright for a pub. It's more of a bar than a pub though, and is probably just enough of everything for everyone and just what Cheriton needs. Clare may well go there and enjoy it, and they do have a great range of other drinks (though I am over the gin craze now), but it will not take over from the Inn Doors for me.
We went to the Inn Doors after and Gary wanted a full debrief. Was nice to be back, I saw a couple more friends in there, one who I may see at the Park Run in an hour.
A bit fuzzy on getting home, but I'm up early this morning, so all is good.
Today I have Park Run, then need to do some shopping. Something for tea (it's Clare's turn to go out tonight) and some birthday cards and a massive Really Useful storage box for all the Gravitrax. It has been out on the lounge floor since Christmas... then a party at Flip Out this afternoon, then a quiet night in in front of the TV. Or possibly tinkering with computers and treadmill...
dryanuary: Not drinking for the month of January.
Paul Clarke's blog - I live in Hythe in Kent. Wed to Clare + dad to two, I am a full-stack web engineer, and I do mostly js / nodejs, some ruby, other languages ect ect. I like pubbing, parkrun, eating, home automation + other diy stuff, history, family tree stuff, Television, squirrels, pirates, lego, + TIME TRAVEL.