Our reader o' many names and I had the following exchange in comments:
There's no electricity in the Old Bar (or there didn't use to be; the screenshot seems to show an electric light chandelier but I'm quite certain it wasn't there when I was); candle light is all ya get, that and the warm glow of the fire, which is always burning during winter. One of the better things about the RSoE was the fact it was about a 20 minute drive from where I lived in High Wycombe and only about a 35 minute drive from my place o' bid'niz at RAF Uxbridge. The Second Mrs. Pennington and I visited the pub often, as did my colleagues and I during the work day (they do a very good "pub lunch"). The Royal Standard was also a "must-do" whenever visiting dignitaries came to Uxbridge, which was often, given our London location. You'd be amazed at how many visits happened during the Thursday-through-Monday time period... never let it be said the AF doesn't recognize a good boondoggle.
So. My very favorite pub, evah.
That exchange prompted me to go find that link to the RSoE (the history is a great good read). While I was there I took the "virtual tour" and a screen shot of the Old Bar, just for fun and old times' sake. Here's the Old Bar:
There's no electricity in the Old Bar (or there didn't use to be; the screenshot seems to show an electric light chandelier but I'm quite certain it wasn't there when I was); candle light is all ya get, that and the warm glow of the fire, which is always burning during winter. One of the better things about the RSoE was the fact it was about a 20 minute drive from where I lived in High Wycombe and only about a 35 minute drive from my place o' bid'niz at RAF Uxbridge. The Second Mrs. Pennington and I visited the pub often, as did my colleagues and I during the work day (they do a very good "pub lunch"). The Royal Standard was also a "must-do" whenever visiting dignitaries came to Uxbridge, which was often, given our London location. You'd be amazed at how many visits happened during the Thursday-through-Monday time period... never let it be said the AF doesn't recognize a good boondoggle.
So. My very favorite pub, evah.
Did you ever get down to either the Sherlock Holmes or Gordons Pub?
ReplyDeleteI googled both, NFO, and the street views (photos, in Gordon's case) didn't ring any bells.
DeleteI've racked my brains, but can't remember the pubs name, something like Plucked Hen or one of those funny British names. It was in the town of Wethersfield (RAF Wethersfield) not far from Stansted Airport. We would land there in a C-141, and while they spent the next 2-days loading it with Red Horse crap, we would be relieved of duties. We flew many missions into the bowls of Egypt. One of them was what we called the Black Hole (Wadi Abu Shihat - AKA Wadi Qena/Kena) where the Iran rescue fiasco originated.
ReplyDeleteWe flew down to extract a bunch of stuff to Ramstein after the failure. A funny story, when I asked what we should do if we were intercepted by the Libyan's, the cargo commander said - "Open the doors and dump it!" Secretly I hoped for an intercept, as I liked the idea of dumping millions of dollars of junk into the Med.
I'd probably toss the LtCol cargo commander, and his Air Police too :-)
The RSoE is the only pub I remember by name, including my "local" in Flackwell Heath, so don't feel all alone. Then again, I was in so damned many pubs, so often, that it's a wonder I remember any at all.
DeleteAhh yeh, the Royal Standard
ReplyDeleteI remember it well, just a wee bit distance from Beaconsfield--the awesome pint of strong ale of which I could only handle 2-3. Yes a fine pub and one of my long time favorites lots of good times and memories
The RSoE was just a hop, skip, and a jump from yer house, Jesse. If I recall correctly the management had a two-pint limit on the Owd Roger barley wine. That was a seriously strong brew and one that I didn't care for all that much. Give me a pint o' Best Bitter every time, thank ya!
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