Elmer one

Last Wednesday, that is to say a week ago, saw our first breakfast in the Beachcroft. Started off by being impressed with half a dozen large orchids, each with a half a dozen or more white flowers, growing out of a sort a large, brown fibre egg. We assumed they were real, but did not like to peer closely enough to be sure. And even then one can have doubts: the people who make the plastic flowers are getting very clever.

A first in that the buffet included both sliced bread for making toast (or sausage sandwiches depending) and crumpets for toast your own - which should work rather better than the crumpets offered by the duchess, for which see reference 1. Bit slow on these last on this first visit. And it seems an age since I last tried my hand at making them; clearly something to be attended to this autumn.

Bacon good, but the cook was unable to resist serving it with hot buttered toast, despite having asked for bread. Perhaps he knew their bread was stale and only fit for human consumption toasted. BH very happy with her plastic kipper fillets, despite their looking nothing like the Waitrose offering from Craster.

Tamarisk

Eight stone banks

The Elmer

Decided after breakfast to walk east, towards the eight banks of stone piled up off the beach at Elmer. Tide well down, so lots of splendid beach to walk on, with only a few dog walkers and sea fishermen for company. Lots of tamarisk along the top of the beach. In the event we did not make it to the stone banks, but we did make it to the Elmer Hotel, a Fuller's establishment at the eastern extremity of Bognor Regis. Fizzy water in my case.

The pub sign consisted of a chap fishing for eels from a punt and there was an eel spear (perhaps trident would be a better term) hanging up inside, but I have failed to make any connection between the word 'Elmer' and the word 'eel'. Perhaps an example of creative thinking on the part of Fullers. I thought it best not to ask management what they thought about Fullers' new owners from Japan.

Curiously, Ordnance Survey know about the eight banks but not about the hotel. As far as I can make out, neither PH for pub nor 'Hotel' for hotel. Doesn't make it to the paper version either - although I grant it would have been odd if it had. While the place is all present and correct on Google Maps, not looking particularly new either. Old enough to sport a chimney.

Back to the beach to finish off the remains of the picnic of the day before.

Back to Bognor against a strong westerly breeze, and glad enough to take tea and coconut slice by the time we made it to the Boathouse, a large old-style café with splendid sea views, but which did not seem to be doing all that much business. Tea satisfactory, coconut slice adequate.

The wine

The pillar which doubled as a cupboard

Some time later to the Lobster Pot, just around the corner from the hotel, a place which we have used before and which seems to do very well. Also does a long day, roughly 0800 to 2000. Sauvignon Blanc and crab salads all round, with the label of the wine carefully matched to the seaside flavour of the rest of the décor. Coconut slice and dress standards of the waitresses all rather better than those of the Boathouse. A busy, cheerful establishment offering good value for money.

New beach huts in bit of ground behind the red van

A décor which copies across to our hotel, which has just built a block of beach huts as an annex, in much the same colours. Perhaps something to try on our next visit.

PS 1: I might say that the broadband at this hotel was very good, much better than is usual in the sort of places that we stay in. For my purposes, it did not seem any slower than what I get at home.

PS 2: it dawns on me later that Ordnance Survey only mark up rural public houses and hotels, on the assumption that we should be able to find the urban ones for ourselves. Something which I knew well enough, but which failed to pop into consciousness when needed.

Reference 1: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2017/10/fine-dining.html.