I arrived at Southwold Pier after a short taxi ride from the nearby train station. The U.K. had been hit with intense storms in the weekend leading up to my visit, and the unsettled weather could still be felt in this coastal town on England’s North Sea. The biting wind that blew in off the water began to hurt my face and redden my cheeks. I quickly set off, using the huts that lined the seafront as my shield against the elements.
After a stint of walking around the streets, taking photographs and getting to know the town, I grew envious of those who opted to stay indoors and keep warm. A passing shower eventually forced me into The Sole Bay: one of the many pubs in Southwold operated by Adnams Brewery, itself just a stone’s throw away from where I sat.
I had been looking forward to a pint of Ghost Ship since I boarded the train earlier that day. Adnams’ signature, Citra-packed Pale Ale tasted impeccable on cask, just as I expected it would. After fish and chips—a must whenever I visit the seaside, particularly since I gave up on London’s terrible excuse for fish and chips a long time ago—and a well-timed nap, I made my way to The Lord Nelson in the early evening.
I was meeting Adrian Tierney-Jones, with whom I’d be working on his feature about Adnams the following day. We sat at the quiet side of the bar and chatted over some pints of Bitter. Much like my pint earlier in the day, it was perfectly conditioned and delivered. It was my first time in this pub, and my first time meeting Adrian, but the environment was so welcoming it felt like we’d been coming here together for years. The howling wind outside made our decision to have one more pint before leaving an easy one.
I left The Lord Nelson that night feeling like I’d listened to a favorite album for the first time—when you know you’ve found something special, and want to share it with everyone. Those albums will always be there for me when I want to revisit them, but after the catastrophic year that followed our visit to Southwold last February, it’s harder to be so confident that all our favorite pubs or pints will be there for us like they were before.
Words + Photoby Sean McEmerson