Continuing Story of Cressroads

Wannabe mine hosts.

Away in their pipedreams, even when inns are closing their cellar doors and draining their beer engines at the rate of one a day - and, sadly, Cressroads is in step with the nation as a whole.

Unbelievably, or perhaps not, its Globe-on-the-Soke shuts down. After enjoying such success in the hands-on days of Landlady Lyn O’Callaghan. Not so ever again.

Ropley’s Anchor unshutters its boarded windows in search of bikers. But less than a mile distant, headed north towards Four Marks and Alton, the village’s alternative Chequers for a watering hole remains closed.

While, in Alresford, no-one is too sure whether its Pink Pony for a Running Horse will put its best hoof forward and look to reclaim regulars from Broad Street’s Doom & Gloom.

Happily, a  popular pub, but about to lose its bar manager Sam.

A fearless Irish filly with a pedigree in nannying, who quits to commit to help raising the young sprogs of two Winchester doctors for their hard-working parents.

And with all of the comings and goings in Cressroads pubs - not to mention it again, but Blogsbody feels the urge, not least at West Street’s Bell & Bull, where the town hack remains barred for swearing - St Patrick’s Day saw him number among scores of regulars as well as friends from near and far raising their glasses to cheer Nicky and Patrick Roper on their way to celebrating as successful a second anniversary manning the real ale casks on the thatched site of the mediaeval Arms at Tichborne.

A City lawyer in his previous life, Patrick is taught much by his wife Nicky, who the business pages of the Echo headlined: ‘A success, bar none’, after she turned the tables at a Bishops Waltham wine bar, switched from waitressing to power dressing and made a much less imaginative boss an offer his solicitor could not refuse.

Now proving herself so loved in the Primmer Bar of the Arms that she is given a pendant left by the late Ma Primmer, mother of eight Tichborne sons and a Tichborne daughter, for Nicky to choose to wear with respect and pride at last evening’s First Anniversary celebration.

“Wouldn’t be surprised our mum was wearing it the Lady Day at Tichborne House, when
our mum met and talked with Irish-born Dave Allen, her most favourite comedian of all. What a treat,” remembers her son David.

“I’ll treasure their mother’s pendant forever,” vows Nicky. “Oh such a wonderful feeling of
being accepted as more than the family’s pub landlady. Thank you. Thank you so very, very much.”