Barley mowed

The Barley Mow (of reference 1) being a public house to the east of Epsom, on a narrow, old-style street called Pikes Hill, off Upper High Street. A house which I have used occasionally in the past, probably before it became part of the Fullers family, and which I had occasion to use a week or so ago.

A street which gmaps tells me is also home to rehearsal rooms and casting studios for Hurricane Productions, an outfit which will brings children's shows to you. But the current status of the Pikes Hill operation is Bing-uncertain.

On this occasion, a Thursday evening, the house was busy with young people with very little in the way of masks on show. The barman explained that these young people came from all over town and were more than just some clique turning out for the creationists, who were, in any case, based in another part of town. A barman who, as it happened graduated from Stamford Green primary school, the school which accommodated our own children, not much more than ten years ago. Which made me feel just a touch old. He also explained that while Bells may well be the biggest selling whisky in the UK (as claimed by its advertisements), it sold much better up north than in the Home Counties. Which would explain why so few houses down here carried it - as opposed to the time of my youth when most did, along with Teachers.

And oddly, while the brand is clearly owned by Diageo, they make very little of it on their website at reference 3, preferring instead to boost for brands like Johnnie Walker and J&B. Yet another puzzle to unravel.

Some of the other attractions of the house are snapped above. Decorations left, a tasteful mixture of craft work and the sort of sieves used by materials engineers to sort out the aggregates used for building roads and making concrete. Sieves which I remember from my days with Sandbergs (of reference 2) as being very expensive and coming complete with various numbers from the BSI. One of a number of such displays. How on earth did these expensive items wind up on these walls?

Drinks left. They sold a number of bottles with catchy labels, like that on the far right. Which BH was all for saving up for the next Christmas pudding until I explained that being non-alcoholic was all part of the fun. While the Lanark Lane white was fine. And the bitter beer called 'Naked Ladies', from Twickenham, is off snap to the right. Named for the famous statuary by the river, snapped immediately above, and which we used to visit from time to time. Very handy to that well known establishment, the Barmy Arms. Now part of the Greene King family.

This morning however, while I find that Lanark Lane is very widely available, I failed to find out where it actually came from. Which suggests that it is a blended, branded wine cooked up by some wholesaler. Not that there is anything wrong with that: a good way of producing something which is both drinkable and economical. Perhaps if I had snapped the label on the back of the bottle I would have got a bit further with it.

PS: on the way home, we went past the pub called Faraday's, once the electricity showroom where one bought white goods. Where we have probably bought white goods in the past. Huge mob of young people outside, including lots of young women, clamouring to get into the late night action. I was told afterwards that it is presently Epsom's top night spot.

References

Reference 1: https://www.barley-mow-epsom.co.uk/.

Reference 2: https://www.sandberg.co.uk/.

Reference 3: https://www.diageo.com/en/.

Reference 4: https://www.twickenham-fine-ales.co.uk/about-us.