The Ugly Bug Lurcher

OK, it wasn’t the next post, as I squeezed the one about Carlsberg in between, but in case you’re wondering about the Norfolk pub Mrs PBT’s and I were unable to have a  meal at the other Saturday, it was the Norfolk Lurcher, at Colton, less than 10 minutes drive from the Premier Inn we were staying at.

It’s weird as son Matthew and I had stayed at the pub four years ago, when it was known as the Ugly Bug Inn. I never liked that name for a pub, so despite father and son having a very pleasant stay there, the place kind of fell off my radar.

It was pure chance that the pub re-appeared as it cropped up whilst searching for nearby Good Beer Guide pubs using the GBG App on my phone. We visited the other nearby GBG pub, the Honingham Buck, in the village of the same name, during our previous stay at the Norwich West Premier Inn, and this time around wanted to try somewhere a little different.

There was nothing wrong with the Buck, I hasten to add, and the fact that it sold Lacon’s beers was a particular point in its favour, but if truth be known, the lady of the house thought it was a little too posh. I personally though that an unfair criticism, but ever keen to explore and try somewhere new, I tapped the coordinates into my phone, with the filter set to indicated just GBG pubs.

The search threw up the Norfolk Lurcher, alongside the Honingham Buck, and after selecting the former, the truth dawned that the Lurcher was formerly the Ugly Bug Inn. I then read that the pub restaurant is still named the Ugly Bug, and what’s more the pub was Norfolk and Norwich CAMRA Rural Pub of the Year 2018, and runner up for 2019.

Well that was it, and our choice of pub for Saturday evening sorted, especially as the menu looked rather good. Looking also at the Lurcher’s website, it appeared that the pub was still run by the same people, as it was back in 2014.

Now I mentioned in the previous post that I didn’t book a table, and the reason behind this was we’d planned a visit to the north Norfolk coast after seeing dad, so didn’t really know what time we’d be back, or whether we’d be having a substantial lunch. I planned to phone the pub, and book as soon as we were back at the hotel; which was when I discovered that the Lurcher is closed between 2.30 and 6pm.

Shortly before opening time, we drove over on the off-chance that the pub would be able to squeeze us in. The Norfolk Lurcher is certainly well off the beaten track, on the edge of the tiny village of Colton, to the south of the main A47 road between Norwich and Dereham. As we got nearer, I recognised the long lane which leads to the pub.

Interestingly, the place has only been a pub since 1992. Prior to this it was a private home called the Ugly Bug Hall - hence the previous name. Before that it was an old fruit barn workshop dating back to around 1810. It is now a thriving village inn,  serving good quality local cask ales and equally fine food whilst offering a warm friendly welcome.

Despite arriving shortly after 6pm, we noticed the lack of spaces in the car park. This didn’t bode well, but undeterred we made our way inside to be greeted by Alfie, the pub dog after whom the pub is named. I remembered him from my previous visit, although I have to say that with his rough coat, and absence of a long pointed face, he doesn’t look like the archetypal lurcher.

I enquired at the bar as to whether the pub had a table free, but the friendly barman informed us there was nothing available until 8.30pm. This would have suited me, but Mrs PBT’s likes to partake of her main evening meal a couple of hours earlier than that.

Disappointed, but not entirely surprised, we decided to stay for a drink, before heading back to the chain restaurant at the Premier Inn. The Lurcher prides itself on only stocking cask beers from local Norfolk breweries. The other Saturday there were three beers from Grain Brewery and one from Beeston.  I went for the Grain THREEONESIX, a pale-coloured and well-hopped beer, which I scored at 3.5 NBSS.

It was a nice evening, so we went and sat outside, at one of the tables overlooking the large pond, at the far end of the car park. We were unable to stay for another beer, as a phone call to Table Table revealed that we could reserve a place at 7pm, but after that there was nothing available until an hour later.

A quick thrash back along the A47 saw us pulling into the Premier Inn car park with minutes to spare, and was a shame as I would have liked to linger a while longer at the Norfolk Lurcher.  Despite the disappointment over the lack of dining space – surely a testament to the pub’s popularity, my good lady wife was quite taken with the place, so I have pencilled it in as somewhere to stay on our next visit to Norfolk.

For me, it would be just like my solo visits to the county; a room in a pub, above a bar stocked with several excellent beers. What more could a thirsty traveller desire?