The Railway Bell

Next in my series of 'Things as aren't as good as they used to be'*: today's discovery that The Railway Bell has closed. 

Despite it not being particularly near where I grew up, I have a bit of history with place. In my late teens and during my university years I would do occasionally shifts at the nearby Oddbins**, and I'd sometimes meet an aunt's ex-boyfriend there for a lunchtime pint. 

Years later, my friends, Keith and Angela, moved to Hampton, and when I went to visit them, we'd meet in there for a pint. As the name suggests, it's near the station.

In fact it was Keith I went to see this morning. I dropped my car at their house and then we walked back, past the pub, to a café for breakfast. 

* Don't worry; normal service - the perennial search for silver linings - will soon be resumed :-)

** I worked as 'secure staff' for the company, and it felt like I'd worked in every branch in south London.)