Secret Drinker reviews The Folly in Boston

It’s been said that every day is a school day. Well, I left The Folly learning two vital pieces of information.

Firstly, I am way too uncool for modern bars.

And secondly, table shuffleboard exists.

Perhaps we’ll start with point one.

In fairness, I was attracted to The Folly, a cocktail bar in the centre of Boston, because I’m not the sort of person this place tries to attract.

I like to kid myself that regular readers of the Secret Drinker column (Seekies, I’d call them if I was a hip YouTuber trying to make them feel part of something so I could flog them merch) would enjoy a little more variety than just the good old fashioned brown beamed taverns of Lincolnshire.

So when an opportunity for something a little different arrives, I try to give it a bash.

And try I did as I entered the front door of The Folly and was instantly met by a wall of neon; pink and purple mood lights, and a glowing sign that stated ‘this is our happy place’.

And for many I’m sure it is. But this fish was very much out of water and in need of some liquid refreshment.

This place had all the traits of a hip modern hotspot; rustic panels, Moroccan-style tiles, a deep-coloured bar with a wooden finish, pop art, a bare brick wall and those plastic plants that offer backdrops on those ridiculously popular TV shows where people in bikinis and a full face of make-up fall out over idiotic semi-pro footballers called Travis that they’ve only just met.

It’s all very overly neat and polished, a bit like those people in bikinis and a full face of make-up who fall out over idiotic semi-pro footballers called Travis that they’ve only just met on ridiculously popular TV shows.

But, to be fair, it works.

If you have the leg muscles to make it up the numerous stairs to the gents you’ll be greeted by another neon sign, this time pointing out ‘we can be heroes’ (although I’m not sure what the most heroic thing I could muster by a urinal would be, nor do I want to know).

Meanwhile the outside decking area mixed the graffiti you’d expect at a converted former factory come hipster drinking spot in an gentrified city with the kind of comfy al fesco club seating you’d see on Wayne Lineker’s Instagram.

I ordered a pint of Brooklyn Pilsner and took a seat to watch the action unfold.

“Weeeeeyyyyy!” A loud cheer rung out as two twenty-something lads in their baggy shorts and baseball caps greeted their mate behind the bar with equally-as-loud hand slaps.

The three, and a fourth pal, another employee, loudly chatted away about things I couldn’t comprehend while a family on another nearby table tucked happily and jovially into their food.

People were comfortably having some loud fun and that was great to see.

But as I’m a grumpy out-of-touch codger I let my attention drift elsewhere. And it was then I spotted the shuffleboard table.

I had to get up and take a look. A long, slick, stretched, polished wooden table on which opponents attempt to knock off each others’ pucks while keeping theirs in the scoring zones. Think lawn bowls meets air hockey.

I wonder what Fred Trueman, pipe in hand, would make of it all?

The Folly is very cool looking. It’s the Slug and Lettuce off its nut on Negronis, and it looks great. The problem wasn’t with the venue, but with an out-of touch punter.

If you need me I’ll be recovering in a 17th Century pub named after a couple of animals or a dead monarch.

THE FOLLY, MARKET PLACE, BOSTON, PE21 6NH

DECOR: The place looks great. It’s very hip. Too hip for me. 4/5

DRINK: I had a Brooklyn Pilsner which was nice but had a potent after taste which wasn’t for me. Not in the same league as the Brooklyn Lager. 2/5

PRICE: At £5 the price was fair. 3/5

ATMOSPHERE: Things were building but it was loud and everyone was having fun. 3/5

STAFF: The guys behind the bar were having a good time with the punters and were very polite, well mannered and keen to push the new tapas menu. 3/5

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