The Bar Man - December 7
The last time I was stopped and searched by the police was when I was with some friends in Wolverhampton.
A swift inspection convinced them that we were not in possession of drugs, offensive weapons or stolen property, and West Midland’s finest, as you would expect, bid us a cheery good evening and allowed us on our way. Things might not have been so simple if we had been stopped the other night on the South Quay in Lynn, as a member of our party had a holdall containing a human skull and several other parts of a skeleton.
The bar wife, when not baking cakes, helps to organise talks for the King’s Lynn Society of Arts and Sciences, and was lucky enough to persuade a leading osteoarcheologist to come and give a presentation, and she had brought some exhibits with her. As Corinne and her husband had come straight up from Cambridge, before the lecture we were off for a meal. I had been consulted on a venue, and ever keen on a pint I realised that there are restaurants around which serve good ale. My first thought was the Bank House, where there are usually a couple of beers available, but this was booked up so we settled on Bradleys, who kindly offered to fit us in a bit later than normal, which meant that I could enjoy a refreshing pint of Broadside whilst listening to interesting tales about bodies. As well as concluding that crime scene investigation might be a tad over-glamorised on TV, it set me thinking about how lucky we are with the availability of good beer in hotels and restaurants. I have visited many parts of the country and stayed in hotels of all standards. I think that it is fair to say that many places that pride themselves in the quality and provenance of their food and wine pay little attention to the beer. Whilst the wine list gushes forth about fruit and berries, the beer is very much an afterthought. Not so in Lynn. The Stuart House Hotel has been a regular fixture in the Good Beer Guide for years, whilst the Bank House, Duke’s Head and Globe Hotel all serve a decent pint. Out in the villages I think most people would be well pleased to find themselves staying in the King William at Sedgeford, Gin Trap at Ringstead, Lifeboat at Thornham or Rose and Crown at Snettisham….the list goes on. It could be that only one of a party who book a hotel is especially concerned about the beer, but the rest will go along with his or her choice. The same is true of diners. Vagaries of demand may deter some from serving real ale, but why not serve a selection of quality bottled beer? With wine, most places have a list with tasting notes and suggestions for which wine complements which food. Why not beer?
For us the other night, the aim was to eat well but our choice of venue was dictated by the beer. I just regret a lost opportunity. When we rushed in I could have said “I’d give my right arm for a pint of Broadside”, and when the landlord produced the amber nectar, proceeded to present him with just that. Admittedly, it was only the bones and there was evidence of a healed fracture and possibly osteoarthritis around the joints, but, hey, times are hard.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 4 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: North west
