1052a. Fri 18/9/20: The White Hart, Arundel

Beer: Harveys Best 4.0%

Day trip to Arundel from our holiday base in Chichester. Everything’s posh down this way, though there’s no denying Harveys Best is a solid, decent pint. 

The White Hart is charming and has made the best of what looks as if it was either an old car port or drive round to the back. It’s now a more than acceptable garden space, and for a mid afternoon on a Friday, there’s a pleasant ambiance, aided by the informative bartender.

A break between the castle and train journey home. Anj’s phone is telling us there are no trains for at least two hours. I could see the damned things walking down the hill. Who’s the smart one, eh? Me or Samsung?

I keep the question to myself.

Otherwise, the highlights of the visit are the aforementioned bartender, who rushes out to one of the punters with a bag of barbecue stuff he – the punter – had left indoors. Presumably at the bar. And there’s an Irish fellow, smoking a fag, checking dinner arrangements and sorting out a £30 on a 3/1 bet in the last race at Newbury.

(I checked. The last race’s favourite seems likely to be Irish’s horse. Inclyne’s betting closed at 11/4, though the horse finished in third place, two lengths behind Pledge of Honour and a length and a half behind second placed Kattani).

1348h. Fri 24/6/22: The White Hart, Hull

Beer: Atom Life on Mars 4.5%

The quietest of the three pubs I visit in Kingston-upon-Hull this evening. Not a bad place, though perhaps falling a little between the foodie, trendy and pubby stalls a bit too much. Maybe just a little far out of the city centre to really whip up a passing trade.

Never mind. The quiet and the space are welcome. Hopefully there’ll be more in once I leave. It’s still early for the night trade. 

Life on Mars is a red beer. Not, the barman says, to his taste. He pours me a drop. It’s okay, so I order it. Some of the other beers look they could go either way – it’s one of those pretty local sourced, crafty type places. 

The front bar’s fairly quiet. I move through to the back room, which is even more quiet, and get down to some reading. Or at least try and get down to some reading, although I’m a few pints in and struggle.