Today was an opportunity to meet up with some of the Old Croydonians Association Committee from my days as their Chair (2010 until 2016). It was one of those increasingly rare occasions when I took the train to London from Kettering to St Pancras International (I don’t get out much these days!). Roger met me …
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Category:Restaurant
Carrington Arms – Nutters Assemble!
The good weather continues! So, it was a drive over to The Carrington Arms for an assembly of the Northants Nutters aka Paul & Sue, Geoff & Rhonda, Rich & Nicki and us two. I recall visiting this watering hole ‘back in the day’ when I was working. It was a central(ish) location to meet …
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Pig and Waffle
Pig and Waffle? No, not the opening paragraph on my LinkedIn profile, but the name of one of our many nearby eateries! The Pig and Waffle is in Grafton Underwood, and only a 15-minute drive away. We booked a lunchtime table with long-time friends and neighbours Paul & Karen on what was the hottest day …
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The Olde Victoria
Today, a welcome return to the Olde Victoria – our local – to meet up for lunch with long-time friends, Richard & Pauline. The last time we four got together was June last year (also at the Olde Vic!), and it was good to catch up. For the first time EVER (20+ years!) we couldn’t …
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The Countryman, Staverton
Today, we caught up with long-time friends Ian & Ann and Alan & Margaret. Our eatery of choice today? The Countryman in Staverton Village. Last time we were here was in November, 2022 with Ian & Ann, celebrating their Golden Wedding. After a slightly mystifying route to the Pub (Sat Nav took us the LONG …
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Return to the Wheatsheaf
We met up with Mick & Jane at The Wheatsheaf in Titchmarsh for Lunch today. We were last here (again, with Mick & Jane) in April 2022 and it was good to be back. This used to be our go-to Pub/Restaurant when we first moved here (we must have visited close on 50 times!), but …
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A Very Pheasant New Year’s Day
Happy New Year! We began the new year with David & Valerie – and lunch at The Pheasant in Keyston! Wow! It was the best meal of the year! 😀. Seriously though, the food was excellent! Really good value too, at just £47 per head for three courses and tea/coffee (and chocs!). We were given …
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First Visit: Hilltop Farm & Café, Leamington Spa
We met up with Ian & Ann and Alan and Mags today, part of our three-monthly catchup. Today’s venue-of-choice was Hilltop Farm in Leamington Spa – a first visit for us! It was a grotty day weather-wise (typical December) – mizzle! – but on arrival, looking at how packed the car-park was, suggested this was …
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First Visit: The Watermill Tearoom
It was our quarterly catchup with Bev & Jools where we headed east to The Watermill Tearoom in nearby Woodford. Nestled on the banks of the River Nene, this was the first visit for us two. The eatery has been around for a long time, but since January 2023, it has welcomed new management (more …
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What a Pheast!
Another day, another Birthday! 😉 After my celebrations yesterday, tonight, it was our turn to act as a taxi service, picking up neighbours David & Valerie, and heading off to The Pheasant in Keyston (a 25-minute drive away, halfway between here and Huntingdon). It was David’s ‘special day’, and where I used to think it …
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Buckden Bound!
These days, The George Hotel at Buckden is fast becoming one of our go-to Restaurants (that and Hitchen’s Barn in Oakham) for a guaranteed quality meal and excellent service. Today, we met up with Steve & Helen for a catch-up and to hear all the news about their recent house move. We were last all …
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Return to The Falcon Inn
Off to the Falcon Inn in Fotheringhay to meet up with long-time pals, Mick and Jane to celebrate their 41st Wedding Anniversary. The last time we were there was pre-Covid back in 2017. Before then, this was our go-to Pub/Restaurant when we lived in nearby Peterborough. Since then, we’ve developed other allegiances and, in that …
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Closed for good!
Well, that was a surprise! Nearby Hobson’s Choice announced it was closing its doors permanently! OK, it was never going to be awarded a Michelin Star, but it was on our doorstep and offered a ‘basic’ menu (read ‘cheap’) and the staff there were always super-friendly. Every time I visited, it was always doing a …
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Arrow Time!
It’s our three-monthly catchup with long-time friends and ex-business colleagues, Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags. Today, our eatery of choice is the Arrow Mill in Alcester – we were last here in October, 2022. It was almost deserted inside when we arrived just after 12 noon, but this place has a large area …
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A Very Pleasant Pheasant!
We made a welcome return to The Pheasant in Keystone tonight with great friends (and neighbours) David & Valerie. The Pub is now under new management (again!) having laid empty and unloved for over a year and eventually reopening on the 28th May, 2021. It was good to be back – we were last here …
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The George, Great Oxendon
I’m beginning to lose count of the exact number of times we’ve been here since our great friends, Paul and Sue first introduced us to this eatery back in November, 2021. It really is a first-class place to eat, and the service is second-to-none. Today, we’re meeting up with Ian & Ann and Alan & …
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Return to ‘The Old Bridge’
Since I suffered my hand injury on 22nd December, we’re still playing ‘catch-up’ with my social diary! Today was another of those days as we met Steve & Helen at The Old Bridge in Huntingdon! We were last here as a foursome back in October, 2023 where we were so impressed, a planned return was …
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Catchup: Nick & Celina
Today was a (very) belated catch-up with friends, Nick & Celina (originally pencilled in for the 22nd of December, last year!). As regular readers will already know, this was postponed because I was in hospital being treated for a severe slicing to my left pinkie brought about by an ‘argument’ on the day with a …
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Friday Night at the Olde Vic
Those who know us, know that this is our fave Local! Somewhat strange then, that in all the years we’ve lived here, we’ve hardly EVER been there on a Friday night! 😕. Well, tonight we put that right! We picked up mates, Bev and Jules, and headed to our booked table. On arrival, looking at …
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Return to the Red Lion
A return to the Red Lion in Cranford today. It’s right on our doorstep and the only reason we’ve not been there more often is that it’s a tad pricey. Still, it was good to catch-up with long-time mates Mick & Jane. The last time we were here was with Nicki back in July, last …
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First Visit: The Wharf Inn, Welford
We headed off to Welford today – it was our first visit to The Wharf Inn. We met up with fellow ‘Northants Nutters’ – Paul & Sue and Richard and Nicki – for lunch. It was already buzzing when we arrived just before 1pm. After getting some drinks from the Bar we were shown to …
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Return to The Bell, Alderminster
Today was a welcome return to The Bell in Alderminster to meet up with long-time mates Ian & Ann and Alan & Mags for a long Lunch. We were last all together here back in August, last year – and we were so impressed, we felt they deserved a repeat visit! 👍👍 Given the driving …
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Christmas Catchup – Steve and Helen
Unbelievable! It’s only the 10th of December and this is already our FOURTH Christmas meal! Tough life, ehh?!? 😁 At this rate, I’m sure there must be a real danger that we’ll both turn into Turkeys before the 25th! Gobble, gobble! 🦃🍗 Today’s venue of choice? The very popular (and very nicely appointed) The George …
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Christmas Catchup – Ralph & Karen
Here we are at the Quorndon Fox in Loughborough. We were last here on New Year’s day in 2021 with Jo, Janet and Carol. Today, more of the same – ‘a get together with mates’ – with a long overdue catchup with Ralph and Karen. Getting there was another frustrating experience, where the M1 came …
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The Pheasant – Revisited
David, Valerie, Ann and I returned to The Pheasant in Keyston today for Sunday Lunch. Since we moved to our current home in 1996, The Pheasant had been our ‘go-to’ quality eatery around these parts. In the intervening years though, we’d discovered plenty of alternatives (Northamptonshire’s well served!) and for no other reason apart from …
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The George for Lunch (again!)
This is fast becoming one of our top five ‘go-to’ hostelries for a high-quality Lunch. We were last here back in January, making today our sixth visit in just a couple of years – they’ve never put a foot wrong, and it was good to be back!👍 Today, we met up with Alan, Mags, Ian …
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Return to The Old Bridge Hotel
It’s been a really long while, since I was last here at The Old Bridge Hotel & Restaurant in Huntingdon. A conservative estimate would suggest that it was the early 90s when I was working with one of my first clients – Nokia. Thirty-or-so years on, and we were here to catch up with Steve …
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Return to The George & Dragon
Today was a return visit for us to the George & Dragon in Seaton for Lunch – this time, with good friends, David and Valerie. The reason? A post-birthday celebratory meal for David and me! 😊 With David acting as chauffeur, we set off just before 11. We first came here back in August on …
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Lunch at The Olde Victoria
We haven’t done this in a while! Off to our ‘local’ for Lunch! We picked up Helen along the way by way of a treat, and were soon at our table for 12.45. The food and service was, as always, ‘top-notch’ where the generous main course meant that none of us could squeeze in a …
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First Visit: The White Swan
Off to The White Swan in Shawell, south of Lutterworth today, to check out its suitability for a subsequent visit with friends later this year. It was a bit off the beaten track, but we were soon parked in their sizeable car-park and heading for our table. Their Friday Lunch Menu is HERE First impressions? …
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