Car parking charges spark anger in quiet West Kent town

The Sunday before our cruise, the lad and I treated ourselves to a cooked breakfast, at the Ivy House pub in Tonbridge, before attending a protest meeting in the town centre. No before going any further I'd like to add that whilst I've been on a number of marches and demonstrations, back in my student days and, more recently against the madness and  futility of Brexit, these events have always been peaceful and good natured. The same applied to the other Sunday's protest, which took the form of a gathering at the entrance to River Walk, just below the outer walls of Tonbridge's imposing 13th century castle.

The purpose of the meeting was to draw attention to the local authority's plans to scrap free parking on Sundays and Bank Holidays.  The charging period will also be extended from 18:00 BST to 20:00. Parking on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and overnight will remain free. Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council claim the changes are needed to help meet the rising costs of running its car parks, with Conservative Councillor Martin Coffin claiming it could cost the council  £107,000 in lost income, if they do not introduce Sunday and late evening parking. So, despite strong opposition, cabinet members voted earlier earlier in June to implement the changes, which will come into force this summer.

Graham Simmonds, who organised Sunday's public meeting, said he thought Tonbridge would "without a doubt" suffer financially due to people not visiting the town as frequently, and claimed there was "huge anger" in the town over the proposed changes. He said that in two weeks a petition gained more than 3,000 signatures. "People come into Tonbridge to enjoy the park, to enjoy the castle, to do a bit of shopping, and bring money into our local economy," he added.

Teresa Seamer, who runs the Gorgeous George gift shop on the High Street, said that business was already harder than ever, with footfall dropping off significantly. Sunday however, is different, and is the best day of the week. "The whole town changes, it's just such a wonderful place to be. People can relax, they've got no time restraints, but if the charges come in that's all going to stop. It would be devastating to small businesses, and is utter madness. Retail outlets will question the viability of having a business in the town, and as evidence of this, 27 outlets hosted the petition against the extended hours."

Echoing the sentiments expressed above, Tonbridge resident Kay Sinclair, who has lived in the town for 40 years, said the new parking charges will decimate the high street. She said: “There is a real unique community vibe in Tonbridge on a Sunday. Unlimited time enjoying the eateries and shops, spending any disposable income in our town." She claimed that if these proposals go ahead, councilors would be guilty of going against the wishes of those members of the public who voted them into office in the belief they would serve the best interests of local residents. Expressing the views of other speakers, she added: “Sunday is a pivotal day for many Tonbridge businesses and the parking charges would decimate the high street, and be the death of Tonbridge as a community.”

Realistically the protest meeting, the various petitions and letters to councilors are unlikely to have much impact on a council that has already made up its mind, even though to many residents the move seems like just another move in TMBC's war on the private motorist. The sentiments and concerns, expressed above, are genuine, and despite the council's attempts to brush them off, they are likely to impact heavily on local businesses. It should be noted that none of the members of this inner cabinet - Star Chamber, would be a more appropriate  name, actually live in Tonbridge, and this too is cause for concern.

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the whole area of two former districts and part of a third, all of which were abolished at the same time:

• Malling Rural District
• Tonbridge Rural District (parishes of Hadlow and Hildenborough only, the other parishes went to Tunbridge Wells)
• Tonbridge Urban District

The new district was named Tonbridge & Malling, combining the names of the former districts. Borough status was attained in December 1983, with the authority changing its name to Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, and allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. The area controlled by the council is rather a hot-potch, particularly it extends as far north as Cuxton, whilst including villages such as Ditton and Larkfield that were historically part of Maidstone. 

The biggest anomaly concerns the area to the immediate south of Tonbridge, where despite our address having a central Tonbridge postcode, and us living just 20 minutes walk away from the town centre, 10 minutes on foot, in the other direction, brings us to the area controlled by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. With boundaries drawn up by politicians and civil servants, with no knowledge or appreciation of local history, or traditions, it's little wonder that we can be screwed over by issues such as car parking charges.

 

Alghero, Sardinia - with photos

I spent much of the second Saturday of our voyage, ashore in Northern Sardinia, exploring the picturesque, narrow streets of Alghero. With a population of just over 40,000 inhabitants, the town is the second largest settlement on the island, and overlooks a large and attractive bay, framed by a range of rocky hills. A transfer by tender, basically one of the ship's lifeboats, was necessary to reach dry land, as there are no berthing facilities in Alghero, for large vessels, such as the Queen Anne. Mrs PBT's didn't fancy stepping off the ship and then into a tender, that was gently bobbing about, so I left her on the ship and experienced 

The holiday I took in the Maldives, 21 years ago, stood me in good stead for this exercise, and with members of the ship's company to assist, the process was relatively straightforward. Each lifeboat can accommodate 150 passengers, although the tenders aren't normally filled to capacity for these "jolly boat" types of transfer. After stepping ashore in Alghero, I headed up the hill, into the old town, ignoring the larger, and more modern settlement to the right. I had been sent shopping by my good lady wife, who decided that as I hadn't bought enough T- shirts with me, I needed to buy some more. But where?

Fortunately I overheard a conversation between a couple from the cruise ship, and one of the locals, confirming that the clothes shop I'd seen earlier, was the place for keenly priced, and good quality clothing, for both sexes. OVS delivered on both fronts, so having made my purchases,  I looked around for somewhere that I could eat at, and also grab a beer.

I spotted an Australian couple we'd got to know on the ship, enjoying those very same things, under a series of shaded parasols occupying most of a square towards the top of a hill. They were just leaving, but gave me the thumbs up about this particular place. The typical Italian menu looked appealing, as well as moderately priced, so I grabbed a table and ordered myself a beer. Nothing local, or exciting, but a half litre mug of draft Peroni hit the spot. The spaghetti Bolognese, sprinkled with oodles of grated Parmesan cheese, and served up with local bread, satisfied my hunger on top of my thirst.

Afterwards, I treated myself to an ice cream, or should that be a Gelato? I've never quite grasped the difference between the two, but apparently it's got something to do with the fat content and the degree of churning that the finished product undergoes. I made a point of sampling a Gelato at most of the ports we stopped at, and they were all good. The one in the photo though, was taken on board Queen Anne, purely because it was easier to photograph.

I took a different route back to the quayside, walking along the raised walls that enclose the old city. The walls afford pleasant views across the harbour and out to sea. There was a lengthy queue for the tenders, although I managed to get a seat on the second boat back to the cruise ship.The return crossing was on the choppy side, and it was also rather warm onboard, but it was still an experience, and a most enjoyable day out, in a part of the world that few travelers, especially those from the UK, get to see.

Barcelona, our second port of call, and the second drafting of this article

We docked at Barcelona this morning, and the ship won't be leaving until 10.30pm tonight. Despite warnings of rain, the weather today has so far been warm and sunny. Mrs PBT's and I caught the shuttle bus into town earlier this morning, which dropped us next to the city's World Trade Centre. 

This area, is where Barcelona's famous Las Ramblas starts from, but despite this there were no bars, cafes, or shops in the immediate vicinity. We have both been to Barcelona before, and in my case on several previous occasions, but with Eileen not fancying the long hike along this pedestrianised thoroughfare, we decided to return to the ship.

There was a "Duty Free" shop, back at the cruise centre, as there seemed to be at virtually every other location we stopped at, so after stocking up on various goodies, we re-boarded the ship and treated ourselves to a spot of lunch in the posh restaurant. I say "treated" even though the restaurant is part of the "all inclusive" package that applies to all passengers. Despite this it's still nice to be waited on from time to time, especially if it means avoiding the melee that ensues in the buffet at busy times.

We've got a day at sea tomorrow, which culminates with a passage through the Strait of Bonifacio, the narrow stretch of water separating French Corsica from Italian Sardinia. The following morning  would see us docking at Civitavecchia - the nearest port to Rome. I've booked a full on tour around the Eternal City, which proved to be interesting, especially as it would be my first visit to the Italian capital.

At the time of writing this article, I hadn't managed to connect my laptop to the internet, and as things turned out I never did hook up. Consequently, this quick post was typed up on my phone, and it is only now, some four days after returning to the UK that I am editing the piece and adding in the odd photo, or three. I subsequently restricted my use of the laptop to typing rather a lot of articles, in the form of Word documents, and these will be added to the blog, when we return to the UK.

I closed the original post by saying I was being hassled by Mrs PBT's, to nip along to the onboard launderette and check if our washing had finished its cycle proof, if it was needed, that this cruising lark isn't all glamour. You do get to meet some interesting people whilst doing the laundry, and if you manage to keep on top of it - which we did, it does make things that little bit easier with the homecoming.

A quick one - literally very quick.

 Mrs PBT's and I are on the Queen Anne, which is currently moored in Vigo, so just a quick post to test the waters, and, to take advantage of the data connection. I haven't taken the laptop out of its bag yet, mainly because Eileen thinks I'm being antisocial rather than chatting to her!

Perhaps she's right, although I keep telling her I've got my loyal readers to think about.  So, here are a few photos of Cunard's latest Queen ship,  along with the odd one or two of the port area, where we're currently moored berthed.

There's a slight technical hitch at the moment, so will wait until the laptop is up and running. ☹️

Voyage, voyage

With just three days to go before we set sail on our latest voyage, it's been a case of all hands to the pump to get everything packed and ready to go. As with previous cruises, Mrs PBT seems determined to take as much as she can along, including the proverbial kitchen sink. Whatever happened to travelling light seems to have gone out of the window, because as well as cramming her own suitcase(s) full to overflowing, she's already eyeing up mine. It’s like a repeat of last year’s cruise, when after packing just the right amount, there was still quite a bit of room left in my case relatively, so guess who ended up nabbing the spare space.  

It’s a while since I last undertook an overseas break on my own – although that’s not strictly true, as I went to Cologne last year. That was a business trip though, which meant suit, smart shoes, several shirts, plus a couple of casual outfits to wear in the evenings. The same thing applied to a business visit to China, five years ago, although I swear on that trip I spent more time siting on a plane, than I did carrying out the audit, on a potential new supplier. That was the reason my company sent me to the far-east in the first place, but despite the long haul, it was definitely well worthwhile seeing the set up with my own eyes.

If I didn’t know that my efforts would fall on deaf ears, I would direct my good lady wife to the travel blog, One Small Bag, written and expertly put together, by Christine Taylor. Some of you will probably know Christine as Mrs RM, - wife of ace pub ticker, and prolific blog Blogger, Martin Taylor. Now I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Christine on a couple of occasions, and I know she is a very practical and matter of fact individual, so it will come as no surprise to learn that One Small Bag means: exactly that. I’ll let Christine explain the philosophy and the purpose behind this title.

“I like to jump off that plane, train, or bus without delay and without carting a heavy bag about or finding somewhere to dump it. I just don’t want stuff getting in the way of my fun!” She then goes on to describe her ideal travel bag - a 20L day pack, preferably weighing in below 6kg, when packed. Christine ends with the lines, “Not only does travelling with less make my life easier, but it also saves me money.” The money saving part is not having to pay for expensive hold baggage, especially as the price for checked-in bags can often be on a par with the price of the flight itself.

I have managed this on a couple of occasions, the first being a short solo trip to Barcelona, nine years ago, and the second, a flight to Edinburgh airport. This was as a prelude to a presentation to a group of dental sales people, in Dundee. Travelling light meant my colleague and I travelling up to Scotland in our business suits, which not only wasn’t ideal, but was also unnecessary seeing as the company was footing the bill. Still, it was his idea, rather than mine.

My good lady wife’s outlook on packing for a cruise, is the complete opposite, her thinking being that once we are on board ship, we will only have to unpack once. Basically, we will be on a floating hotel that delivers us to a different destination, not quite every day but more often than not every other day. In her eyes this means she can take as much baggage as she likes, and to this end, she has bought yet more new outfits. I swear there's more than a few items of clothing hanging, up in the spare bedroom, which are yet to be worn, having been bought for previous holidays. I shall leave it at that, as I’m sure I’ve given you more than enough detail over our packing arrangements.

Now, over now to the main event, a 16-night cruise to warmer climes (fingers crossed), a voyage which despite any good intentions I might have about traveling light, has required quite a bit of organising. I've got to call in at work tomorrow morning to deal with an insurance matter, but once that’s sorted, I'm good to go. If all goes to plan, we should see be driving down to the outskirts of Southampton, to a place called Hedge End, close to the village of Botley, for an overnight stay at the McDonald Botley hotel. (We've stayed before at the Ronald McDonald Hotel as I like to call it).  On Friday morning, a mini bus shuttle will transport us from the hotel to the cruise terminal at Southampton. The package we have opted for allows us to leave the car at the hotel, ready to pick up on arrival back in the UK.

 So where are we cruising to this time? And which ship will we be travelling on? Well, this particular cruise is confined to the western Mediterranean which means we will be visiting several destinations around the coast of Spain, including Vigo, Barcelona, Majorca, Malaga, and A Coruña, followed by Civitavecchia in Italy and Alghero in Sardinia. So, 16 nights away, with plenty to see and do, both onboard ship and at the various ports of call. As for the ship itself, it is none other than the Queen Anne, the latest addition to Cunard’s fleet of ships named after famous British queens. (I’m not sure where they  go after this, as they’ve already got Elizabeth, Mary and Victoria. Lady Jane Grey? Perhaps not, considering the barbaric fate of this poor, unfortunate, young girl, who lost her head after being caught up in a real life Game of Thrones, at the tender age of 17 years.

The cruise we’re booked on, will be the Queen Anne’s third commercial sailing, following her maiden voyage on 3^rd May from Southampton to Spain and Portugal. This was followed by a 14-day cruise around the British Isles, which included a visit to Liverpool, where the naming ceremony for the ship took place.  When Queen Anne arrives back in Southampton on 7^th June, it will be our turn.

Like I did last October, I shall be taking my laptop, as well as several good books to read, despite Mrs PBT’s claiming that I’m boring with my head stuck in a book. I shall endeavour to put out the odd post, depending on data connections and time in port. Apart from Barcelona, all the destinations are new to us, and several offer opportunities to visit other places Cordoba or Granada – in the case of Malaga, plus Rome from Civitavecchia. Neither of us have pre-booked excursions, as it’s often easier to book them on the ship, when there is the opportunity of discussing the best options with the cruise line’s own travel team.

I’ve waffled enough now, and with final packing, and last-minute chores to attend to, it’s best that I call it a day. Don’t forget to check out Christine Taylor’s blog though, not just if you’re interested in travelling light, but also if you want to learn about countries and destinations off the beaten track, in regions such as the Balkans and Norway.

A double helping of brewery history, plus a 50-year old mystery is finally solved

Those of you who thought we'd seen the last of Salisbury are going to be disappointed, although some of you might relish a final look at the city. But before returning one last time to the second largest settlement in Wiltshire I first want to tell you about a real gem of a pub I discovered, when I arrived back in London.  On the train back from Salisbury, I had been flicking through What Pub, the comprehensive, CAMRA hosted guide to every pub and bar in the United Kingdom. I was looking for something a little bit out of the ordinary that wasn’t too far away from where my train home would depart from, and this is where What Pub came to the rescue.

Tucked away, down a quiet side street, just a short hop from Waterloo mainline station, lies the White Hart, an attractive looking 19^th century pub situated on a corner of terraced, yellow-brick cottages. Although some might think it rather trivial, the thing that really appealed to me about the White Hart was the lettering around the periphery of the pub, advertising Wenlock Ales & Stout. Wine & Spirits also get a mention, but it's the beer that we're particularly interested in here, because Wenlock is a long-lost London brewery of some repute, which ceased production in 1962.

The brewery was located in Wenlock Road in the Hoxton district of the London Borough of Hackney. For the brewery history buffs amongst us Wenlock Brewery was acquired in 1953 by Worthington & Co, who were already a subsidiary of Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton. At the time of the takeover, Wenlock operated 164 pubs, most of which were situated in the capital, although there were six outside the Greater London area.

Marcuswenlock, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>,

There isn’t that much information out there about the company, and even on the Brewery History Society’s website there is little more than a couple of paragraphs, plus a selection of old bottle labels.  Some memorabilia, or evidence of past ownership still exists, such as signs or etched windows, and the best example is the Wenlock Arms, the renowned and award winning, cask ale pub just off the City Road on the fringe of London’s East End, which formed the brewery tap for Wenlock Ales.

That's the history part over, but what about the White Hart itself?  Well, on a hot and rather sticky Friday evening it was bustling with people congregating there for an after-work pint or three. Many were standing outside on the pavement, enjoying a beer and a chat with their friends or work colleagues. Internally the pub appears to have been hollowed out, with little trace of former separate drinking areas or partitions. So far as the beer was concerned the range was Timothy Taylor's Landlord, St. Austell Proper Job, plus a “coming soon” beer.  To come across such a pleasant pub tucked away, down a quiet residential backstreet, proved there are still good pubs to be found all over London, provided you know where to look.

Right back to Salisbury, and the first place I want to mention is this photo, displaying the name Gibbs Mew & Co’s Sarum Ales.  Sarum was the old name for Salisbury, and Gibbs Mew were one of approximately 100 family breweries that were still around at the time CAMRA’s foundation. The company didn’t exactly tick all the right boxes, so far as CAMRA were concerned, in fact the campaign’s first national Good Beer Guide, published in 1974 dismisses the brewery and it's beers as “a disaster.” Brewery descriptions were brief and to the point back then, and the reason Gibbs received the thumbs down was because during the 1960’s, the company had converted all its production to keg beer, with not a drop of cask in sight.

Founded in 1750, at Haslemere, in Surrey, as Bridger Gibbs & Son, the company moved to the Anchor Brewery, in Salisbury in 1858, before merging with the neighbouring brewery of Herbet Mew, in 1898, to form Gibbs Mew & Co. In June 1960, they bought the Lancashire Clubs Federation Brewery Ltd to produce keg beer for Northern clubs, and this is probably the origination of their flirtation with keg beer. Three rather indifferent keg bitters, Special PA, Blue Keg, Anchor Keg, plus Super Mild, an old school dark mild, that was also keg, were produced. Then, in 1976, following a complete reversal of policy, a strong and rather sweet barley wine, called Bishops Tipple was introduced into some of their pubs. The following year a range of not very exciting bitters was introduced, which were probably the keg beers in cask form.  

In 1994, Gibbs purchased pub company, Centric Inns, which added an additional 197 pubs to their 121 tied estate, a move that was followed three years later, by the closure of the Salisbury brewery. This seemed a strange move coming, as it did, just a year before their 100^th anniversary.  Gibbs Mew became a pub company, and their beers were initially brewed by Ushers of Trowbridge. In 2011, the company with its 310 tied houses was sold to Enterprise Inns.

I initially thought that the building depicted in my photo, was the original frontage of the brewery, especially as the double doors in the middle, leading to the upmarket apartments at the rear, are signed as “The Old Brewery”.  However, after digging a little deeper I discovered this white painted building was the Old Coach House, a Gibbs Mew pub which was also a Berni Inn.  Hands up if you’re old enough to remember Berni Inns, but if you are not, click on the link and all will be revealed.

My research also revealed that Gibbs Anchor Brewery was situated in nearby Gigant Street, but with most of the brewery buildings now demolished, very little remains now of this once thriving enterprise. The company’s beers aren’t exactly missed by today's’ discerning drinkers, but if there ever was a brewery that lost not just its way, but its whole rationale for existing, then Gibbs Mew was it.

Anyway, I trust you enjoyed that little look back in time, but it’s surprising what you can find just be walking through the streets of an unfamiliar town, and we’re not quite finished yet. In my Salisbury re-visited post, I mentioned stopping off for a pint in the city as a 17-year-old schoolboy, whilst on my way by coach, to Cornwall, for a geology field studies course. I said that I had no idea as to the pub my friends and I called in at, but as someone who enjoys a challenge, I think I have found which one it was.

The logical approach was to look for the location of the main coach park in Salisbury, and then look on Google Streetview for the nearest pub. My pals and I wouldn’t have walked too far into the city, for fear of getting lost, so after a bit more searching, I have come up with the George & Dragon, in Castle Street. This 16^th Century pub has a garden backing onto the river, low beamed-ceilings, and the right sort of feel one might expect from a historic, period, city-centre public house. It is also just a short walk from Salisbury’s Central Coach Park, at Millstream.

I can’t be 100 percent certain, but the George ticks all the right boxes, and I still have a vague picture, in my mind’s eye, of me, plus a couple of mates, standing at the bar and knocking back a pint of some bitter or other. An old photo found online, shows the pub painted out in Usher’s livery, and as we found out earlier, Ushers took over the brewing of Gibbs Mew beers for a while, following closure of the brewery. So, could the G&D have been a Gibbs’ house, half a century ago? and was it beer from that company that my companions and I were knocking back?

 

Stepping back in time at Salisbury's Haunch of Venison

After leaving the Wig & Quill behind, along with piegate, I should have continued along New Street to check out the New Inn, the Hall & Woodhouse pub that I’d originally intended eating in.  The pub was further along New Street, so it would have made sense to call in their first. What I actually did was to head off in the direction I’d originally come from primarily because I’d spotted a Mountain Warehouse store, leading off from Catherine Street, and I was keen to call in there.

I’ve been looking, so far unsuccessfully, for a light-weight water-proof jacket, and whilst there are plenty of online offers out there at the moment, it makes sense to view the item, and try it on, if possible. It would perhaps, have made sense to double back there after the New Inn, but I wasn’t thinking straight that afternoon, so missed the opportunity. I actually missed visiting Mountain Warehouse as well because I couldn’t find it – too lazy to get my phone out, of course, and check its location on Google!

The long and the short of it was, I ended up back in the city centre, close to Market Square and the historic heart of Salisbury. And there, just a short distance away, was the Haunch of Venison, the oldest pub in the city, dating back to the 14^th century. It also possesses an interior that’s in keeping with its historic origins, which beckons to visitors with a magnificent exterior of beams and plaster, and a similar interior of oak panels and yet more beams. With a three-star rating on CAMRA’s register of pubs with interiors of outstanding national, historic, importance, the Haunch is a must-visit destination on any visit to Salisbury, as well as anyone who loves old, and unspoilt pubs.

I stood outside for a while, waiting for the best photo opportunity, feeling slightly bemused at the confrontation unfolding between the driver of a double-deck bus, whose progress was impeded by a carelessly parked delivery vehicle, that was blocking the road. A few choice words were being exchanged, with neither party seemingly aware that the narrow streets in this historic part of the city, were not designed for 21^st century traffic. White van man certainly caused quite a jam, inconveniencing bus passengers and local motorists alike, but once he had finished his delivery, and departed in a huff, my view of the pub exterior was uninterrupted and I was free to snap away to my heart’s content, with my phone.

Stepping inside, the Haunch of Venison certainly lived up to my expectations with plenty of oak beams and panelling, a pewter topped bar, and two rows of small brass taps which at one time were used to dispense spirits and fortified wines. 

According to What Pub, there are three small bars inside the pub, known locally as the “Horsebox”, “Death Row” and the “House of Lords”. I’m assuming that the tiny snug bar, at the front of the building and accessed by a door to the right of the main entrance, is the Horsebox.  The cosy, oak-panelled upstairs room, with its own fireplace, that I only discovered when I nipped upstairs to the Gents, must be the Lords. The rather stern portrait in the corner, of Sir Winston Churchill – complete with signature cigar, rather gives the game away! Meaning that Death Row, must be the main bar downstairs.

It was here that I based myself after purchasing a pint of Downton New Forest Ale. The latter is a new brewery for me, and this bronze-coloured 3.8% best bitter certainly hit the spot. I looked the brewery up online, because I knew that Hop Back also brew at Downton, but whilst the two companies are based on the same industrial site, they are not connected.

The bar was looked after by a very pleasant girl, who in between serving customers – there weren’t that many, busied herself clearing tables, and re-stocking various items behind the bar. There was a definite "bohemian" look about her which, if I’m allowed to say, I found quite attractive. I also warmed to her local accent, which had a soft west-country twang to it, without being over-done, like the Wurzels, for example. I noticed quite a few people out and about in the city, with a similar look and I was left with the distinctive impression that Salisbury has an “alternative” feel to it. This is probably not surprising, given the city’s proximity to Stonehenge, although it reminded me of Lewes as well.

When I arrived, the small, snug bar at the front - Horsebox? Was quite full, or as full as it could be. It reminded me of a number of old pubs from my younger days, when my introduction to the world of beer and pubs was just beginning. Following the departure of the group from there, I was almost on my own in the pub, until the arrival of a late, middle-aged couple, one of whom (the bloke), stood out immediately as an Australian. The leather, Indiana Jones hat was a dead giveaway. We soon got chatting, and it turned out the couple were on a five-week holiday in the UK, and had already been to Oxford and Edinburgh, along with the obligatory visit to London.

I wished them a pleasant time for the remainder of their stay in Britain and left them to enjoy their drinks. I was tempted to find another pub, but not before taking a look at Salisbury’s most famous landmark, the magnificent 13^th century cathedral, with its crowning glory, the 405 ft high, spire. Set in an area of parkland, on the fringe of the old part of the city, the cathedral understandably attracts thousands of visitors each year.

I made my way back to the High Street, and then continued in a southerly direction, eventually passing through the ancient, and rather narrow, High-Street Gate. This opens up into Chorister’s Square, an area of grassland, flanked by a number of attractive houses, in the shadow of the cathedral itself. As expected, the area was thronged with visitors, and with an entrance fee of £11, I decided not to go inside. Instead, I had a wander through part of the cloisters, their sense of calm contrasting with the bustle of tourists outside.

I walked back along the other side of the square, spotting Arundells, an attractive house, described as one of the finest houses in Salisbury. From 1985, until his death in 2005, the property was the home of former Prime Minister, Edward Heath, although there were no clues as to where “Grocer Heath”, as Private Eye used to call him, acquired the money to purchase and maintain such a property.

Time was getting on by now, so I decided to head back to the station, treating myself to an ice-cream on the way. The train back to Waterloo was relatively busy, although once we reached Overton, most of the boisterous school kids had departed. I stopped off for another pint, once we reached London, and later on, you can read about the smashing pub I found in the quiet back streets, close to Waterloo station.

I really enjoyed Salisbury, finding it both attractive and appealing, which means I will definitely make a return visit to the city, and will take the lad with me as well. If we travel on a Saturday, we can take advantage of the much cheaper, cross-country route, via Redhill and Guildford, without being bound by the time restrictions that prohibit travelling during the peak rush-hour period.