Nelsons Head table

On our way to Norfolk last week, wifey and I decided on a slight detour to St Ives for a spot of lunch at the Nelsons Head.
The pub was not that easy to find - I counted at least nine for what is a relatively small town, and at one stage we found ourselves in a dead end having driven down through the market on market day ! :-[
Anyway - what a great pub. Really spacious and perfect for bar billiards. After a delicious jacket potato with prawn filler, and armed with glasses of cider, we had a game on the table, a well-maintained Jelkes. Very fast on the break, a shade downhill. But otherwise very 'true' and the balls easy to get back. The split shot goes better from the left hand side of the D.
Well, that's my assessment after just one game where we got 8k between us before continuing our onwards journey.
Amusing sign on the wall in front of the table "POACHERS WILL BE SHOT" - also an amusing framed photograph of four women each nursing a pig. :)
Anyway, nice atmosphere pub. Recommended.

[Colemanator]

St Ives is a nice place, I have friends who live there.

The Nelsons Head is a nice pub, I must agree.
Earle has formed a very good side there. There table isn't the best after a Saturday Night though ;D The last time I played there, there were 4 beermats under each leg to straighten it.
Did you pass by the White Swan by any chance?

The White Swan Conington. Well, it was at the back of my mind, and would have meant just a slight detour on to the A1, but we were trying to get to our holiday destination (near Gt Yarmouth) by 4pm for the start of the Australia-Italy game.
Also the idea of the Nelson's Head visit was sold to wifey purely on the basis of a stop-off point for lunch - without the ulterior motive of a game of bar billiards. So she saw it as a nice surprise and just a coincidence that we happened to have stumbled upon a pub with a table. I didn't want to spoil the illusion for her. ;D

[Sparky]

Devious to the end eh! tommo, will be having words with wifey soon... ;D ;D ;D

[Kevin Pringle (R.I.P.)]

Was she not surprised when you carried your cue in :D

Hush ! I'm trying to give young Johnny a psychological insight into the workings of the female mind here and how to cope with it. ;D ;D

[Sparky]

Well you certainly made me laugh :)

tommo said:

Hush ! I'm trying to give young Johnny a psychological insight into the workings of the female mind here and how to cope with it. ;D ;D

Don't even start Tommo ;D
My mind is not ready for such complications ;)

Could be further sightings of tommo and margo up Cambridge way on Monday 2nd July.
This time our planned stop-over for lunch on the way to our holiday destination will be the White Horse at Swavesey.
Will report back on how good the table is, the decor and food, how friendly the locals are, etc. etc.

[Q]

Why always Cambridge area ????

Whats wrong with Cornwall? we've got a St Ives down here as well.

The answer's simple.
After years and years of holidaying in this country rather than abroad (margo and I have only just got round to buying passports last year ::) ) we cottoned on to the fact that the east coast of England gets the best of the sun early in the holiday season (June/July) and so we quite often take a break in Norfolk then.
But we adore the West Country too, and that seems to get the best of the weather later on, in August and September. So we usually have another week out west round about that time.
There's nothing wrong at all with Cornwall, over the years we've stayed at Polperro, Looe, St Austell, Rock Sands, Bude and (several times) Perranporth.

[Q]

So we'll see you in August or September then? ;)

[Q]

Hot News!!!!!!

If you come down the last week in August you will meet Sparkie (The cat, not the mod ;D), he has just booked in... or at least his owner has booked him in.

[Colemanator]

tommo said:

Could be further sightings of tommo and margo up Cambridge way on Monday 2nd July.
This time our planned stop-over for lunch on the way to our holiday destination will be the White Horse at Swavesey.
Will report back on how good the table is, the decor and food, how friendly the locals are, etc. etc.

What's the destination then Clive? I could reccomend that when in North Norfolk that you drive the coast road from Cromer to Kings Lynn where you will pass through many a pretty village, on the way you can stop at Wells-next-the sea, there you can sit at the mouth of the estuary and partake in a very nice portion of fish and chips followed by a nice pint in the pub next door, and it's very peaceful around there :)

I've travelled that north Norfolk coast route Ian but in the opposite direction.
A couple of years ago we stayed at Heacham, on the west coast (the Wash). Who should we see in Hunstanton ? Some people from Redhill (Sheila King and her husband !)
You're right it is a very picturesque route but very slow going especially when getting stuck behind a tractor for 3 miles !
There's a seal sanctuary along there somewhere but what made the day out for as was a visit to the Shire Horse centre near Cromer. Plenty to see of interest, loads of different animals, talks and demonstrations, cinema show and good lot of refreshments available.

This time we're on the east coast (Caistor-on-Sea).

[Colemanator]

Caistor, not the Butlins camp! Have you been to Wells?

Yes, stopped off at a pub on a busy corner there (near a windmill ?) and had glasses of cider in the beer garden.
Caistor is a 'Haven' camp (not Butlins), private beach, spotless restaurant, meals are all in, wifey doesn't have to do any cooking. Handy for Great Yarmouth.
We also usually spend a bit of time p!ssing about on boats on the Norfolk Broads, I had a cold once, did a big sneeze and it landed on the outside window of the cabin. She rushed over with a tissue (like women do !) but in doing so left the helm and we finished up in the reeds. ::)

[Colemanator]

'Haven' camp, is that another word for naturist resort :-[

Nah !
No need to go all the way to Norfolk for that. ;D
This is right on our doorstep: 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)
www.british-naturism.org.uk/clubs/clubs_detail.asp?club_ID=54

[Colemanator]

tommo said:

Nah !
No need to go all the way to Norfolk for that. ;D
This is right on our doorstep: 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)
www.british-naturism.org.uk/clubs/clubs_detail.asp?club_ID=54

And i take it that you've been there then, blimey i bet there's some sights there :-[

Oh yes, it's disconcerting when someone comes over to talk to you while you're sunbathing and you remain seated while they're standing up. :o
You see some interesting sights on the ladies tennis courts with things flapping about. ;)
And you have to be careful when frying sausages on the barbecue - remember to wear an apron. ;D

My membership lapsed 30 years ago before you ask.

[Colemanator]

tommo said:

Oh yes, it's disconcerting when someone comes over to talk to you while you're sunbathing and you remain seated while they're standing up. :o
You see some interesting sights on the ladies tennis courts with things flapping about. ;)
And you have to be careful when frying sausages on the barbecue - remember to wear an apron. ;D

My membership lapsed 30 years ago before you ask.

You're avin me on Tommo, why did you give up yor membership when in 'your prime'?

Eight pounds a year membership suddenly went up to thirty pounds a year - a lot of money in those dim and distant times.

Twas good while it lasted though. The funny thing was you didn't take a blind bit of notice of anyone else after a while - until the Halloween Ball when everyone dressed up - in clothes !! And you suddenly thought 'cor she's a bit of all right.......

[Josie]

tommo said:

Oh yes, it's disconcerting when someone comes over to talk to you while you're sunbathing and you remain seated while they're standing up. :o
You see some interesting sights on the ladies tennis courts with things flapping about. ;)
And you have to be careful when frying sausages on the barbecue - remember to wear an apron. ;D

My membership lapsed 30 years ago before you ask.

I know you're off on hols soon Tommo. Is this where you're going? Mick and I reckon you're joking about Norfolk now!!!!!! :o

[daveuk1]

I am sorry to report that I was working in the Nelsons Head today upgrading their fire alarm, the pub is having a complete refurb and after looking at the plans I can tell you the Bar Billiards table there is a thing of the past. I offered, well told the landlord I knew someone sho would give him a £100 for the table and he told me it was up for sale but he wanted at least £750.

BTW if your thinking of buying it check out the legs as the people working there told me the legs where lose as one fell off while they were DRAGGING out of the way :(

Looks like the Nelsons Head team dropped out of the league after the season had started, as according to this League table their record is expunged:
www.cambridgebarbilliards.co.uk/league_table.asp

What a sad fate for their table. :-S

[Colemanator]

Jul 9, 2013 21:12:01 GMT daveuk1 said:

I am sorry to report that I was working in the Nelsons Head today upgrading their fire alarm, the pub is having a complete refurb and after looking at the plans I can tell you the Bar Billiards table there is a thing of the past. I offered, well told the landlord I knew someone sho would give him a £100 for the table and he told me it was up for sale but he wanted at least £750.

BTW if your thinking of buying it check out the legs as the people working there told me the legs where lose as one fell off while they were DRAGGING out of the way :(

The last time I played on it, there were about 50 beer mates under each front legs :-/

Dave has sent me this snap of what the table looks like at this moment in time !

[BigPhilMac]

Jul 9, 2013 21:12:01 GMT daveuk1 said:

I am sorry to report that I was working in the Nelsons Head today upgrading their fire alarm, the pub is having a complete refurb and after looking at the plans I can tell you the Bar Billiards table there is a thing of the past. I offered, well told the landlord I knew someone sho would give him a £100 for the table and he told me it was up for sale but he wanted at least £750.

BTW if your thinking of buying it check out the legs as the people working there told me the legs where lose as one fell off while they were DRAGGING out of the way :(

He must be the most optimiatic landlord imagineable! £750 for something thats as dead as a door nail!