Nigel Is A Guest Of The Royal Hop Pole, Tewksbury.

As Nigel’s rendezvous with the PE and Finance Lady was timetabled for early to facilitate a charity shop shopping trawl, Darrell decided it best to book Nigel a room for the night in Tewksbury at The Royal Hop Pole …. as mentioned in Charles Dickens Pickwick Papers (The Royal Hope Pole, not Nigel’s stay!!)

The reviews were good and let’s just say it did not disappoint especially in it’s position to the charity shops, its romantic allure and it’s historical pedigree …..

…… which gave it its little quirks.  Nigel’s found that his room was on the top floor with it’s very own staircase leading up to it, which for Nigel was like he'd been put in the Presidential Penthouse Suite.

However, said stairs did have issues .......

..... as Nigel's door opened directly onto them, so he made doubly sure he had all his wits about him and was doubly cautious when leaving the room.

Inside the room he had real life old beams ………………..

….. and you can’t get any more historical or romantic than that.

If our beloved Derek Acorah had popped in on Nigel during his stay, goodness only knows what spiritual entities he could have picked up pouring from those rafters and with whom Nigel could possibly have been sharing his room with.

There were rules to be obeyed too, but not ones that were too onerous, however rather than have the embarrassment of having the alarms go off during his ablutions, Nigel took the precaution of putting a spare towel along the bottom of the bathroom door to prevent any unintentional steamy leakage and showering in his pants just in case there was an “evacuation”, ....... you can never be too careful in historic hostelries!

The light fitting in his room, Nigel felt, was somewhat disappointing for such surroundings, he was sure Darrell would have installed a far grander antler type affair or at least some sort of minor chandelier.

However, it was on the floor below Nigel's room that gave the Royal Hop Pole it’s real X Factor ……….

….. with it’s very own medieval banqueting hall (but sadly no longer used as such)

…… just how historically brilliant is that?  Nigel said he could almost smell the roasting suckling pig and again Derek Acorah would have had a field day, perhaps even telling Nigel what the many suckling pigs had been served with and what was served for pudding afterwards.  Nigel was most impressed.

He was also impressed by the staircases  which all appeared to have a tendency to lean, with no lift Nigel thought it might be advisable for guests to stick to beverages of a non alcoholic persuasion despite it also being a public house! What is he like?

The Royal Hop Pole did not disappoint downstairs in the bar and restaurant areas either……..

The chimney/fire place must have offered many a cold and weary Dickenson traveller warmth and comfort in the past ........ and as for Father Christmas, coming down such a chimney must have bought soooooooooooooooo much pleasure! Happy Days!