Bottoms-up True-life
I watched on as my partner went on one heck of a pub crawl...
Una Cooper, 64, from West Hallam, Derbyshire
Picking up my phone after I’d finished my swim, I knew what I was going to find.
I made it, my boyfriend David, now 62, messaged, attaching a photo of him at Gatwick Airport.
With a pint in hand, he was happy as Larry.
However, even though he’d booked an £18 flight to Shannon, Ireland, he had no plans to catch the plane.
The only thing he needed was his handy Wetherspoon checklist and a cold beer.
As David had a mission in mind – an idea that started almost five years ago.
Walking down the high street of wherever we had decided to travel, there was one thing that David repeated.
‘I’ve been to that pub,’ he’d point at the local ‘Spoons.
A man on a mission
It didn’t matter where we were, he’d say the same thing.
It’s like he’s visited them all.
And that’s when it clicked.
There must be a Wetherspoon checklist or something online, I quickly assumed.
Searching eBay, I’d managed to find a little directory for just £3.
Placing the order, I wanted to make it a surprise for David.
An ex-trainspotter, I knew that he’d be eager to see which ones he’d managed to visit over the years.
Telling me about his antics as a young supporter of Burton Albion, he would always find a cheap pub after the game.
That’s how his love for the chain started.
‘Well, shall we get the bus and tick another one off?’ David suggested when he got the booklet.
I wasn’t sure he liked it at first, but as we sat down in the pub with our drinks, his eyes really did light up.
‘I want to complete the list,’ he admitted. ‘Really?’ I replied. There were 875 pubs in total to visit.
But David seemed very determined to complete it.
However, it was an adventure that he would have to have on his own. Tee-total myself, I’d been on more cruises than I had pubs – Wetherspoon’s wasn’t really my scene.
I decided I’d come along for a little bit, travelling to places a little further afield.
Ordering an orange juice, a vegetarian breakfast wrap or a refill coffee from time to time was enough for me.
I preferred to check out the local cathedrals instead.
In total, I think I must have tagged along for ro
