ABC of Pubs and Cafes, 2024

[FrothNinja]

@FrothNinja and I designed our own badge for the '3x 30 min rides per week' annual challenge.

We could do the same for this challenge - so there's no need to involve the moderators.

But I'd question the need - as it's a one-off challenge.

Coz I was never in the scouts

 

[Alex321]

Like the alphabetical order, much harder than having other random cafes visited for further down the alphabet.🫢 This format or a cafe till receipt makes it a nice challenge much better.
This is can still be hacked.😲 A challenge is not a challenge if it's an easy one.


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That format simply would not be a possibility for me, or probably for most of the rest of us, since we don't tend to eat or drink at most of the pubs and cafes we will use for the challenge.

 

[All uphill]

That format simply would not be a possibility for me, or probably for most of the rest of us, since we don't tend to eat or drink at most of the pubs and cafes we will use for the challenge.

There's a balance to be found, isn't there?

This challenge is for fun, not reward. There is no big prize, it's not a competition, and therefore no incentive to cheat.

I'll take a photo of each pub with its sign and be content with that.

Since starting this thread I've done a little research and think I'll organise a few 50 mile days picking up three or four pubs on each day out. Should be fun!

 

[Sallar55]

That format simply would not be a possibility for me, or probably for most of the rest of us, since we don't tend to eat or drink at most of the pubs and cafes we will use for the challenge.

No wonder cafes are closing , here is another thought. ABC of Public parks for a picnic or a meal deal from the co op.

 

[All uphill]

And they're off!

My round town bike in front of The Allerford Inn, near Taunton.

 

[Willd]

The Axe and Compass, Wolvey

 

[Mike_P]

A good variation idea on the ABCs
This could help people potentially avoid byes https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk

 

[bluenotebob]

This could help people potentially avoid byes

If you can come up with a French equivalent, I'd be grateful...

I've been looking since early December and I still haven't found an 'A'..

Not helped by most of the Pages Jaunes (Yellow Pages) entries being listed under the Proprietor's name, rather than the Bar name.

I'll still have a go at this challenge - and enjoy it - but I'll probably need about 10 byes !

 

[DCLane]

I'm struggling to find an 'A' that's open on a day when it's not

 

[All uphill]

If you can come up with a French equivalent, I'd be grateful...

I've been looking since early December and I still haven't found an 'A'..

Not helped by most of the Pages Jaunes (Yellow Pages) entries being listed under the Proprietor's name, rather than the Bar name.

I'll still have a go at this challenge - and enjoy it - but I'll probably need about 10 byes !

If you could give me an approximate location I'll happily try to do some creative thinking.

Au Relais, Armentiere cafe, who knows?

 

[Alex321]

I'm struggling to find an 'A' that's open on a day when it's not

I'm struggling to find a day when it's not

Why bother about whether it is open though?

I am certainly not going in to 26 pubs or cafes for this challenge.

 

[bluenotebob]

If you could give me an approximate location I'll happily try to do some creative thinking.

Au Relais, Armentiere cafe, who knows?

Thanks .. if I get truly desperate, I'll take you up on that offer !

I've found a couple of bars starting with 'Au' .. but I wanted to keep them for their nouns (one of them is a rare 'V').

A pub is a pub is a pub .. in England and Wales, anyway. But over here it's a what..? bar, bar/restaurant, brasserie, auberge (inn)?

A bar that serves food - is that any different to a gastro-pub?

A restaurant with a bar attached? does that count? - and how is that different to a foodie pub?

I'd wanted to keep any brasseries, auberges (inns) and restaurants out of this - because I'd thought that 'Hotels and Restaurants' would be a good follow-up for another challenge in 2025. But I saw that your 'A' yesterday was an inn.... so perhaps I should include auberges in my range of options...?

I'll try and stick to my original plan of only bars and cafés and see how I'm doing by the end of March....but I may have to get a bit creative..

 

[DCLane]

I am certainly not going in to 26 pubs or cafes for this challenge.

Why not? I've done the '52 café's in 52 weeks' for the past two years, probably visiting 80-100 in reality. And in doing so I've gone to areas I wouldn't have done otherwise. All were café's and I avoided major brands to focus on little independent café's.

This one's just taking a bit of thought and planning. I found an 'A' but it had closed down recently and the one scheduled for today was put aside as it was a torrential downpour here.

 

[Alex321]

I'd wanted to keep any brasseries, auberges (inns) and restaurants out of this - because I'd thought that 'Hotels and Restaurants' would be a good follow-up for another challenge in 2025. But I saw that your 'A' yesterday was an inn.... so perhaps I should include auberges in my range of options...?

Theoretically, Inns are pubs with rooms available, but in practice, the line is very blurred here.

 

[Alex321]

Why not? I've done the '52 café's in 52 weeks' for the past two years, probably visiting 80-100 in reality. And in doing so I've gone to areas I wouldn't have done otherwise.

This one's just taking a bit of thought and planning. I found an 'A' but it had closed down recently and the one scheduled for today was put aside as it was a torrential downpour here.

Why not?

Well I've never actually stopped in a pub on a ride yet, although I may well do so at some point, but nothing like often enough t9o get 26 in a year. And there are only a few cafe's I have stopped at when out riding.

The majority of my rides aren't really long enough to justify a pub/cafe stop, particularly since I am usually by myself.