We caught the local train to take us the 9-miles from Cardiff to Barry on a glorious sunny Saturday. The train announcer informed passengers that return services were expected to be super-busy as the crowds flocked to the seaside, whilst the ticket inspectors were out in force on the hunt for fare-dodgers.
Barry surprised me by being much bigger than I expected - it's home to some 55,000 folk, having absorbed the nearby villages, with three railway stations at the Docks, Town and Barry Island.
We stayed on board until the final stop at the Island. This was once an authentic island, until the creation of the Docks in the late 19th century linked it to the mainland.
Barry surprised me by being much bigger than I expected - it's home to some 55,000 folk, having absorbed the nearby villages, with three railway stations at the Docks, Town and Barry Island.
We stayed on board until the final stop at the Island. This was once an authentic island, until the creation of the Docks in the late 19th century linked it to the mainland.
We strolled across the sandy beach, then around the bay onto the headland, which provided great views of the Severn Estuary. Back to the hubbub of the promenade, I popped into the arcade to waste my usual allotted amount of 2p pieces on the amusements.
The cuddly toys you can win sure aren't what they used to be...
The cuddly toys you can win sure aren't what they used to be...
Barry's micropub was a 20-minute trek from the Island to Broad Street, near the Docks, so required a Greggs pasty to see us on our way.
Once we'd reached Broad Street, the Butterfly Collector didn't immediately jump out at us, the white lettering on pink signage not being the most prominent.
Once we'd reached Broad Street, the Butterfly Collector didn't immediately jump out at us, the white lettering on pink signage not being the most prominent.
You'll find the 'Butterfly Collector' song on the b-side of The Jam's 1979 single 'Strange Town'.
All the Jam's LP's lined the wall under the blackboard in the pub.
And the gaffer is sitting at a table in a Jam t-shirt.
"Who are the Jam?", asked Mrs PropUptheBar.
The other unmissable feature is the collection of umbrellas over our heads, which is a novel way to improve the dull suspended ceiling of an ex-shop unit.
Ales available (at £3.80 a pint) were 'Butty Bach' or two from the local Grey Trees Brewery, 'Mosiac' or 'Drummer Boy'.
The 'Mosaic' was in good form. The only disappointment was that we had to listen to pop hits on the lunchtime radio, whilst all the memorabilia had put me in the mood for Eton Rifles.
When I'd looked up Barry online, I'd stumbled across the fact that it was home to the recently crowned Best Independent Craft Bar in the SIBA 2022 awards.
Well, we couldn't come so close to an award-winning craft bar and not visit, could we?
This was located a 15-minute walk from the Butterfly Collector, taking us back toward Barry Island. It's in a new development called Goodsheds which also has crafty shops, artisan bakeries, a tiny record shop in a railway carriage, and a small farmers market.
Well, we couldn't come so close to an award-winning craft bar and not visit, could we?
This was located a 15-minute walk from the Butterfly Collector, taking us back toward Barry Island. It's in a new development called Goodsheds which also has crafty shops, artisan bakeries, a tiny record shop in a railway carriage, and a small farmers market.
The Pembury Tavern in Hackney, a well-known old favourite.
Dead Crafty in Liverpool, which we'd sat in earlier this year on a chilly January evening.
And The Colmore in Birmingham, nominated for their robust entry policy and keeping the riff-raff out, I suspect.
And here's the winner...
Craft Republic (Unit 1, Goodshed Lofts, Hood Road, Barry, CF62 5QT - web)
A second venue with table service, this time with futuristic little buzzer thingies on the table by which to call for attention.
As it was lunchtime in a venue that was only serving drinks, the bar was quiet, with the outdoor seating proving more popular.
A second venue with table service, this time with futuristic little buzzer thingies on the table by which to call for attention.
As it was lunchtime in a venue that was only serving drinks, the bar was quiet, with the outdoor seating proving more popular.
I opted for a golden bitter from Pontypridd based Mabby Brewing Co, an easy drinking brew with such low carbonation that it could have come from a cask.
Then I pressed the little button on the table and ordered a Saugatuck 'Neapolitan Milk Stout'. From Michigan - so much for drinking the local Welsh ales.
Just the two drinking establishments for us in Barry on this visit, as we drank up and headed to the train station, our next target a brewery tap in Cardiff.
I'll leave you with the shot from the headland, looking back toward Barry over Whitmore Bay.
And I've managed to get all the way through the post without mentioning that TV show!
Oooh. Nice to learn that Saugatuck is getting exported. This is probably part of the work of the Brewers' Association's export program(me). That neapolitan milk stout is something I frequently purchase.
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