The Hurdler's Arms at Binley

[The Wanderer]

Anyone remember this place? Sadly it closed some 20 odd years ago, I think
with the retirement or death of the landlord, Jack Phail(?).

Was having one of those idle thinking-about-nothing-in-particular moments,
and the name of the pub came to mind. Been many years since I was in that
part of the world, wonder if the embankment behind the building is still a
riot of flowers in the spring. Spent many a pleasant evening with a jar or
two there.

Web references seem to be very sparse.

--
The Wanderer

Most organizations are like Russian dolls
- each has another inside.

[Roy Bailey]

In article <1c1llj5wqnn9n$.wdn6juut...@40tude.net>, The Wanderer
<the.wa...@gmx.co.uk> writes

>Anyone remember this place? Sadly it closed some 20 odd years ago, I think
>with the retirement or death of the landlord, Jack Phail(?).
>
>Was having one of those idle thinking-about-nothing-in-particular moments,
>and the name of the pub came to mind. Been many years since I was in that
>part of the world, wonder if the embankment behind the building is still a
>riot of flowers in the spring. Spent many a pleasant evening with a jar or
>two there.
>

I only went there once when it was open, but a guy who used to live in
this village visited it often. He told the story of how someone went
into the pub one evening and asked Jack if he did food. 'Yes', he
replied, 'egg and chips'. So the customer ordered that and was given a
pickled egg and a bag of crisps!

Roy.
--
Roy Bailey
West Berkshire.

[The Wanderer]

My favourite story - Jack had a small cubby hole off to the right hand end
of the bar, where he had a tv. He was watching football, his missus was out
the back. He'd placed a bell on the counter.

Some city types came wandering in, obviously thinking how quaint the place
was. One of the guys picked up and kept ringing the bell, but Jack was
watching football. After a short while he emerged from his cubby hole,
picked up the bell, growled 'Won't ring that bugger anymore!' and
disappeared back to the football without serving the newcomers, who had to
wait quite a few minutes until he was ready for them.

Oh, and the extension bell from the call box otside, that was the pub's
'phone. Seen him scurrying out three or four times to get to the call box
to answer the 'phone.

Great shame such places of character are all but non-existant these days.

--
The Wanderer

The future isn't what it used to be.