Avril's and the Somme

[Len Trim]

In years gone by any visit to the Somme inevitably mentioned a visit to Avril's B&B and cafe. The late great Richard Holmes was a regular there. Is she still open? Do GWF people still visit?  Never see a mention of the place on the forum these days.

[genegwf]

Len, I received an email from Avril yesterday. She is open and doing as well as can be expected with the virus affecting travel. She mentioned she has guest booked for November and December. 

 

Gene

[Len Trim]

58 minutes ago, genegwf said:

Len, I received an email from Avril yesterday. She is open and doing as well as can be expected with the virus affecting travel. She mentioned she has guest booked for November and December. 

 

Gene

Glad to hear it. I must have stayed there at least half a dozen times over the years. Always a warm welcome and not far to stagger to bed after a day field walking, a large meal and a few glasses of wine.

[Tony Cox]

A lovely place to stay, Avril always welcomes you.

[mills-bomb]

On 07/07/2020 at 13:06, Len Trim said:

Glad to hear it. I must have stayed there at least half a dozen times over the years. Always a warm welcome and not far to stagger to bed after a day field walking, a large meal and a few glasses of wine.

Does the ‘few glasses of wine’ help to cover up the smell of cat pee everywhere?

[Andy davidson]

Was open in August when I was over there, had a drink and a chat with her, she said she had bookings and things were slowly picking up, but 2 days later the quarantine was announced, really feel for folks trying to sustain a living over there ( and here of course). Always pop in when I'm there, If just to admire her free range chickens, and her cats just sat with them.

[Len Trim]

On 09/09/2020 at 16:15, mills-bomb said:

Does the ‘few glasses of wine’ help to cover up the smell of cat pee everywhere?

Never noticed any. Anyway life is too short to worry about such things.
 

Len

[stripeyman]

3 hours ago, Len Trim said:

Never noticed any. Anyway life is too short to worry about such things.
 

Len

I agree entirely......

[Michelle Young]

I wouldn't stay anywhere that had cats. I hate them and I'm extremely allergic to them, and the smell of cat pee would be very off putting. 

[Neil Mackenzie]

Avril's is always a very welcoming place and I love stopping there for refreshments. I have only stayed there once - a couple of cold and very, very wet days one November. The hospitality was great and the food and wine provided were very much appreciated.

 

Neil

[Len Trim]

2 hours ago, Neil Mackenzie said:

Avril's is always a very welcoming place and I love stopping there for refreshments. I have only stayed there once - a couple of cold and very, very wet days one November. The hospitality was great and the food and wine provided were very much appreciated.

 

Neil

I have stayed many times and have always thoroughly enjoyed myself. Although I feel that I have ‘done’ the Somme if I ever go back I will unhesitatingly book a few nights at Avril’s.

[mills-bomb]

On 11/09/2020 at 09:51, Len Trim said:

Never noticed any. Anyway life is too short to worry about such things.
 

Len

You have obviously  lost your sense of smell, and I suggest you book a Covid-19 test asap.  

[Len Trim]

😂

[trenchtrotter]

Each to their own but you won't see me ever staying there, ever.

[Guest]

On 11/09/2020 at 18:24, Michelle Young said:

I wouldn't stay anywhere that had cats. I hate them and I'm extremely allergic to them, and the smell of cat pee would be very off putting. 

 

     I suppose that invite to the cat cafe in Spitalfields might be a bit of a non-starter then?  Cat pee is rather off-putting, so I suppose she will have to forget that third Michelin star. 

 

Edited 21 September , 2020 by Guest

[Ron Clifton]

I have visited Avril's place several times as a lunch stop on Holts tours, although I have never stayed there overnight. On one visit we were treated to the sound of her daughter playing the bagpipes, and although I am no expert she seemed to play them rather well.

 

Good luck, Avril, and may normality soon return.

 

Ron

[squirrel]

Agreed.

 

[horrocks]

I arrived without pre-booking rather late one evening in 2013, and Avril made me welcome and provided me with a billet. A phenomenal storm blew that night, which very noisily wrecked a corrugated iron shed, and blew a substantial tree down in the back garden. It was a memorable, though rather sleepless night!

 

Some years later she very kindly lent me a Mills bomb for a couple of days so that I could illustrate a passage from 'In Parenthesis' for my long-term photographic project on the Somme. I remain in her debt.