Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

Prolific New Zealand blogger David Farrar (Kiwiblog) is currently holidaying in the UK, and being the organised chap that he is, made sensible plans to meet UK friends for drinks at the Speight's Ale House in London.

David set a time, and even had the exact address details, complete with postcode. Unfortunately, fellow blogger and prolific alcoholic Clint Heine has pointed out that the travelling Ale House actually closed earlier this year, after problems with the Westminster Council and other issues.

The original Speight's Ale House was sent to London last year, by way of a high seas pub crawl marketed as the Speight's Great Beer Delivery. A bunch of "great mates" were selected to accompany the ale house on its journey to the UK, travelling via Samoa, Panama, the Bahamas, and New York.

The fully-working pub arrived in October 2007, and was soon set up beside the Temple Tube Station in London. Unfortunately, it seems the little southern bar was just too popular with thirsty kiwis, and so Speight's decided to send it home again this year "to prepare for its next salvation mission".
An all-new "bigger and better" permanent Speight's Ale House will be built in London (not sure of exact location), but in the meantime the full Speight's beer range has gone on tap at The Southerner bar (formerly Hemisphere Bar, just around the corner from Temple station).