Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2007-01-09 16:18:56 - Graham Ellis
Twenty past seven on Sunday evening, and Dad and I were travelling up to London. And a bleak old January night it was too! The wind blew the car about, and the rain pelted across the screen as we crossed Salisbury Plain. The roads were quiet ... I wonder why!
Neither of us had eaten before we left home - myself because I was busy updating websites and getting systems ready for Monday's course and Dad because. Well - Dad because he knew I was doing this and we would be stopping to eat. I had a place in mind - a roadside pub chain between Weyhill and Andover where I've eaten in the past. Open 7 days, great salad bar. So we drove past the "Goa" which is also on my "wanna try" list.
Dad got out the car before I pulled into a space, like many others in the quiet car park it was standing in an inch or two of water. I pulled up and, splash, paddled out, and in we walked. Very quiet. I put my head around the restaurant door; a young lady is clearing tables.
"Can you do us a table for two" I ask
"Sorry - we're closed" she replies
"I didn't realise you closed this early" I continues.
"Oh we don't usually, but we were quiet so we decided there was no point in staying open."
And on we drove - an excellent meal had later at the Wheatsheaf on the old road into Basingstoke, just a short diversion off the motorway. And The Bell at Weyhill, and the Harvester chain lost not only two meals that evening, but also their place on my list of "places to stop on the way for a meal".