This is an archive review; Kynge’s Well is now closed. Brading was once an essential destination on the clockwise coach tour. For a while, although the town is not quite suffering from the malaise that has hit neighbouring Sandown, its attractions have been somewhat diminished. The twenty mile an... Read more
Remember the days when pubs were full of character? Not that murmuring old gubber perched at the bar, his gnarly teeth like a rural cemetery. No, the sort of atmospheric character that has accreted over the years with decades of smoking, drinking, laughing and crying. Trendy towns like Brighton... Read more
Fighting Cocks, Arreton
Uncategorised 23rd June 2015 0
Island roads are different, so the apologetic sign once declared to visitors disembarking from the ferry. They sure are. Some Isle of Wight roads are in a deplorable state; Cat’s car recently sustained enough damage to require the replacement of two wheels and a hubcap as she inadvertently drove... Read more
The Man in the Moon, Newport
Uncategorised 27th December 2014 5
The J D Wetherspoon chain is to pubs what Lidl is to supermarkets. Once decried, the opening of a Spoons was seen as part of the erosion of the traditional English town pub; driving down standards and cheapening neighbourhoods. These days, the sneerers have gone very quiet. Like Lidl... Read more
The Isle of Wight does funny things to people. Some folks that move here just don’t get with the vibe and can’t wait to leave. If you’re not used to a place where everyone’s cousins live nearby, the roads have names and not numbers, and local businesses are obsessed... Read more
Ryde Castle
Uncategorised 7th January 2014 6
Back in 2012 Matt and Cat were enjoying an ordinary Saturday night in. The rain was teeming down and and Matt was chopping some fresh Island lamb into chunks for a meaty winter stew for the next day’s Sunday lunch. It’s always nicer when it’s been, well… stewed! Unusually... Read more
There has been much debate on the Isle of Wight about the merits and disadvantages of chain and franchise eateries. If the arrival of Costa in Newport’s St James Square raised a few eyebrows then the rumours of Starbucks has aroused widespread consternation. However, left to itself, the Island... Read more
The Bugle, Brading
Uncategorised 15th July 2013 6
Family pub dining is big business; if a venue can satisfy a clientèle range from grannies to newborns then it has potentially struck gold. Many venues specialise in attracting large groups, yet families sometimes pay large sums for lacklustre food whilst herds of cola-fuelled kids run around making a... Read more
The other day Matt and Cat were on the terrace of the Spyglass Inn, in Ventnor. As they enjoyed the view of the English Channel they pondered how many other pubs could actually boast such an awesome south-facing shore-side position. Think hard folks, because that’s what Matt and Cat... Read more
Hare and Hounds, Arreton
Uncategorised 24th February 2013 4
Think back to your childhood, and one of those family days out to meet the relatives. If you’re anything like Matt and Cat, such a visit would have either been the best thing ever, or a dismal chore that nobody looked forward to. Some relatives always seemed to be... Read more
