Excuse the poor photo, but it’ll have to do. I’ve written about this lounge before, so I won’t witter on endlessly…. Or no more than normal anyway.
We arrived at 09:10 and the ground floor restaurant area wasn’t open until 09:30, so I had a starter in the buffet area upstairs. It was busy, but not uncomfortably so. There were some pastries and yoghurts laid out, with a small hot selection of bacon and sausages.
The brunch menu in the downstairs table service area.
And the salt and pepper squid, my favourite thing on the Qantas menu. This was certainly acceptable, although it didn’t reach the usual melt in the mouth standard they’ve offered before. But, it was nicely presented, other than for the rickety old marked plate.
Richard ordered his Eggs Benedict and received his Egg Benedict. He ordered another one though, so he didn’t miss out.
The Qantas lounge doesn’t have a split between gold and silver (or their Oneworld equivalent) members, it’s all one offering. I’ve always liked the set-up at Qantas, an informal table service restaurant downstairs alongside the self-service set-up upstairs. The team members were friendly and agreeable, it was a lovely start to the day.
And, Richard, who has been reading these blog posts, I feel deserves some praise. So, thanks very much for guesting me into the Qantas lounge, I might not be back here for a while….
Rare evidence that Richard can use public transport. Although my usual complaint is that it’s not possible to walk into Heathrow Airport, because the authorities have removed that facility. The travel zone used to be free, but they’ve got rid of that too.
The driver was particularly friendly and upbeat, all very positive.
The bus was at the stop when we arrived and that meant we were at the airport just five minutes after setting off.
We then went to the check-in desk even though we had nothing to check in, but Richard likes being thanked for being gold. I didn’t say anything, well, not much. I will admit, his being able to guest me through fast-track security was handy.
And that’s really why we’re doing this, it’s Richard’s last month of being gold and that means we can lounge hop around Heathrow Terminal 3. This is a very good idea of his and it’ll make for a relaxed day of food, drink and blogging…. I used to do the lounge hopping when I had status with BA and when I worked for them, but I’m a Wizz Air person now and this golden age of decadence is behind me. But not for today….
I’ve written about the Ibis Styles Heathrow before, so I shall just briefly mention the highlights for my two loyal blog readers. We had arrived in style in Richard’s decadent Uber, an unusual way for me to get here.
I had a view of the runway from my room and I was pleased to discover that they had shoved Richard at the back of the hotel looking at the car park.
The room interior.
All very nice for £40 a night. I was pleased to also discover that Richard had been given a smaller room as I’m petty like that.
The welcome drink beer selection.
It took me a while to find a politician I wanted on the TV behind and there’s Richard in a relaxed mood. It took me an hour to drink that beer, it didn’t surprise and delight.
In the morning there was Watergate when Richard realised I had an extra water bottle than him. He decided against complaining to the hotel management, although that would have made for an interesting watch.
Back to the hotel though, the team members were friendly, the location was clean and there were no noise disturbances either internally or externally. It’s only a five minute bus journey to the airport, so it’s a convenient place to stay. I’m not keen on windows that can’t be opened, I would have liked the noise of the city, but the air conditioning worked so it wasn’t too stuffy.
All in, I’d merrily stay here again, especially after Watergate.
We were going to get a bus from the delights of the JD Wetherspoon venue in Hayes & Harlington to the Ibis Styles Heathrow. However, Richard thought we should get a taxi, which is very brave given his low Uber rating. But I didn’t say anything. I did wonder whether I should find a sherpa to help him with all that baggage though.
This was the best photo that I could get in the taxi, which was an upgrade to Uber Executive or whatever it’s called. And, to add delight to proceedings, the taxi driver had the same car as my friend Liam (not literally the same car obviously). This is clearly God telling Richard to get a car like that, he’s showing him the way.
Anyway, that got us to Ibis Styles Heathrow in style, I normally arrive worn out after walking three miles to get there. And, we did get a taxi and fingers crossed they rated Richard 5 out of 5.
Safely into Hayes and Harlington, I knew that Richard would be pleased with a decadent little restaurant. So, we went to the Botwell Inn, a JD Wetherspoon operated pub which appears to have lost its entry in the Good Beer Guide. As usual, I’ll revert to the venue’s history behind the pub name:
“This pub takes its name from the hamlet of Botwell which once stood in what is now Hayes’ town centre. These premises were the home of the furnishers S Moore & Son, which moved here in 1933 and remained for 65 years.”
There are no team members in the photo as they had a meeting as to why there was a customer in a Christmas jumper. I didn’t say anything though.
The steak pie and chips, along with the pint of Brewdog Elvis Juice, came to £7.20 which is ridiculously good value. I accept that it’s not world class food, but it’s hot, tastes fine and is filling.
Aperol Spritz, chicken in BBQ sauce, spicy rice, a mushroom, peas and coleslaw, very decadent.
It’s the JD Wetherspoon beer festival and they had some tempting options available.
I was charged £2.09 for a pint of the Exam Room Tears from Stu Brew and this is perhaps nearly as good as cask beer can get. It’s a maple syrup and pecan stout, it had a nice nuttiness along with the sweetness from the maple syrup. I was very pleased with this.
My now obligatory carpet photo.
As for the online reviews, this venue is right towards the higher rated end of JD Wetherspoon establishments.
“i ordered a drink here when i wasnt even at the pub and i couldnt get a refund, the stupid app was broken”
Might be sensible not to order at a pub that you’re not in….
“Meals are served to you without condiments and when you ask the waitress tells you to go get it yourself from inside the pub. So if you are on your own you are expected to leave your meal unattended to go inside to pick up the condiments your self. Very poor service.”
This customer notes that their meal cost £60 to £70. That buys most of the entire menu….
“After touring the UK with my family we stopped at many weatherspoons as we all loved the food and cat beat the prices. Well this one had to be the worst by far and that’s a nice way of putting it. The staff were unbelievably rude and unhelpful. For our last meal in uk before flight it was utterly disappointing. Only good thing was leaving after our meal. Thanks for the stella glass though.”
So it seems that they stole a Stella glass. Classy.
“Used to be a good pub but the new manager has a problem. His attitude stinks. Took an overseas call whilst having breakfast with my work colleagues to be told I can’t do that inside the pub.”
I like this new manager.
Anyway, I digress. I was very impressed with the cleanliness, the friendliness of the team members, the value for money and the drinks selection. I can see why the pub is relatively well reviewed online, it feels well run and it was just a little disappointing to see it so quiet on a Thursday evening. A really rather lovely start to the trip away.
And we’re off in Richard’s rickety old car, but I was very positive about it by talking about my friend Liam’s decadent car which does massages for the passenger seat…. I think Richard feels better when he hears about positive things.
Safely at the car park at Stratford with none of Richard’s eggs being broken on the journey. Richard reassured me that all the cars sounding their horns at him was just typical London behaviour.
There were some cancellations on the Elizabeth Line, but we had a wait of just a few minutes. Most of the delays were because Richard has bought a suitcase bigger than me that he’s trailing behind him, whereas I have my backpack to allow for efficient travel. I didn’t say anything though.
Top travel tip, don’t use the Elizabeth Line to go to Heathrow Airport if you can avoid it, it’s around four times more than going to Hayes and Harlington on the Elizabeth Line.
And safely into Hayes and Harlington where I had found a little restaurant for us to eat our evening meal in. But more of that in the next post….
And just some more photos to remind myself of what was demolished and when at Anglia Square…. They’re making good progress, although it’ll be interesting to see the cinema when the side is taken off of that.
Back to my series of posts from 200 years ago, I think it might be useful to touch upon the brewery arrangement run by Thomas Massey. He advertised in the Norwich Mercury in March 1825 with this text:
“Thomas Massey, Ale and Table Beer Brewer and Maltster, St. Stephen’s Gates, Norwich. Most deeply impressed with a sense of gratitude for the support which he has received & which he continues daily to receive from his many Friends in the city of Norwich and county of Norfolk, begs thus publicly most respectfully to offer them his sincere and heartfelt thanks, at the same time assuring them his constant endeavours shall be to vend a beverage genuine in quality and pleasing to the palate. Families supplied with Malt and Hops.”
This was the St. Stephen’s Brewery which Massey operated and it was trading from the 1820s. He was still going into the early 1840s and by then he was brewing from the newly opened Champion pub (which is still there and I visited last year), which he appeared to own. In 1844, he decided that he would sell his entire operation off and that included the brewery, malting house, surrounding buildings and some land as well.
In 1899, following the death of Charles Crawshay, there was an interesting article in the local press which touched upon this brewery.
“It is with deep regret that we record the death of Mr Charles Crawshay, of Hingham, who passed away on Wednesday evening, after a very brief illness. The deceased was in his usual health on Tuesday, and enjoyed a long drive in his carriage in the forenoon, but shortly after his return he was suddenly seized with paralysis, which terminated fatally. Mr Crawshay was in his 85th year. Born at Rowfant, Surrey, the deceased gentleman, at the age of 18, went to the London firm of Messrs Charrington, Head, and Co., to undergo a three years training in all that pertains to a brewer’s business. In 1845 he took charge of his father’s St Stephen’s Brewery, Norwich, and in 1850 entered into partnership with Mr John Youngs (Youngs, Crawshay, and Youngs).
In 1876 by a maiden bid of £30,000 at auction he secured the Diss Brewery, which has since proved a valuable adjunct to the Norwich Crown Brewery, which latter has been recently converted in a limited liability company. For the greater part of the century Mr Crawshay has been a familiar figure in the county, and the older inhabitants of Norwich well remember his style and dash. He was one of the best “whips” in the neighbourhood, and the manner in which he handled his four-in-hand team was indeed a sight to witness. He subsequently turned his attention to yachting, and in 1852 his boat, the Kestral, won prizes at Cantley and Coldham Hall regattas and at Yarmouth water frolics. In 1856 he married Miss Cubitt, a relative of Sir William Cubitt, who constructed Lowestoft Harbour. The following year he served the office of Sheriff of Norwich, and received the thanks of the city for his services and hospitality.
On removing to Hingham in 1858 Mr Crawshay went in for farming, and gained considerable fame as a breeder of Southdown and cross-bred sheep. A keen sportsman, he was a big preserver of game. His love of sport is inherited by members of his family. His connection with politics was but slight, but he held that a parson should under no circumstances take part in magisterial affairs. By his death the poor of the district have lost a generous friend.”
I’ve written already about the excitement at the bus shelter in Sheringham and how politicians have managed to throw a heap of money away on a muddled and confused project. Well, here it is now, boarded up for the summer as a little treat for tourists. They don’t want to start the work until the autumn, but they want to start the boarding up now. Makes sense…
The new plan is to widen the pavement and keep a bit of the old bus shelter that so many residents wanted to retain. They decided that they’d sleep in it for over a week to show their love for it. The argument is that the pavement needs to be widened, but as cars are king, they’re going to encroach on the public space and the old bus shelter is in the way of that.
Well, the pride of north Norfolk.
I can’t see the point in keeping half of this shelter, it loses its meaning, relevance and integrity. Although I very much wanted to keep the shelter, I’d personally just pull it down now. It’s either worth saving or it isn’t, it’s like saving the facade of a building and knocking the rest down.
It’s entirely unclear to me why they couldn’t build the new bus shelter next to this one, leaving this one intact but not in the way of anything or anyone. Or, they could have been radical and made this road one-way and narrowed it so that they didn’t need to fiddle with anything.
But, if this is what the residents of Sheringham want, who am I, as a former resident, to comment…. I wonder what Ralph Howell would have done.
In the early 1820s, the British public was gripped by a peculiar form of gambling fever orchestrated by Thomas Bish, someone who seemed quite a character to say the least. The advert above was in the Norwich Mercury from 200 years ago, although the lottery arrangement was a national one.
Bish was the most prominent lottery contractor of his day and he turned the sale of state lottery tickets into a massive marketing spectacle. Operating out of offices at 4 Cornhill and 9 Charing Cross in London he managed to get his whole lottery system sanctioned by the state. He put bold ads in newspapers, such as the Norwich Mercury, he created eye-catching handbills and used humour in his adverts. He was ahead of his time.
The era of these grand lotteries came to a close in 1826 when the Government finally abolished the state lottery as it didn’t suit their needs. Bish did not go quietly as he campaigned vigorously against the ban and even managed to get himself elected as an MP for Leominster twice although his first win was unseated because of his Government lottery contracts. Bish advertised that it would be the last ever lottery conducted in the Kingdom, but then in the 1990s, John Major came along and introduced the National Lottery once again.
