Secret Drinker reviews The Lumley in Skegness
The first thing you notice is the sheer enormity of the place.
The Lumley, a beautiful, grand pub which overlooks the railway station, is the first boozer many holidaymakers and daytrippers will spot as they arrive in Skegness.
I’m not sure you could ask for a more picturesque welcome. Certainly not on the east coast of Lincolnshire.
But no matter which entrance you decide to use to access the place, I guarantee you’re in for a shock.
It’s huge.
Inside it just goes on and on and on and on.
Then on a bit more.
This early 20th Century spot - it will be now surprise to you - began life as a hotel at the tail end of the Victorian seaside boom (hence the size), before later becoming a pub.
The large, high-ceilinged, space - which underwent a makeover last year - is effectively split into four still-flipping-large areas, each with their own quirks and each still arguably the size of a small pub.
A gorgeous long bar serves customers. There are plenty of televisions to keep sports fans supping, while live music remains the place’s specialty, especially during the summer months.
I used to love a good Bank Holiday sesh in Skeg back in the days. And despite the Lumley being the first place you spot from the railway station, it was always the last spot I visited.
That way, if you got your timings right, you could get a final quick one in before your transport home pulled in and you had to leg it across the road.
And on each of these decades ago summertime visits, the Lumley was always heaving with different characters; Northern Soul dudes in their Fred Perrys and baggy trousers, ska guys with their cherry reds or rockabilly chicks with their perfectly placed quiffs and patched denims.
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On my recent nostalgic trip back I was delighted to see these traditions were still going strong as a banner advertised all the upcoming specialist events in store for the summer season.
But what also sets the Lumley apart is its outdoor areas.
As I’ve pointed out, they don’t do things small here. And the rows and rows of benches - which my photo doesn’t do justice to - give just an impression of how lively things get in the summertime.
Of course, with all the luck of a voter with no photo ID, it was raining when I was in town and few had risked the night out.
But one woman nearby was glad she did.
“Yesssss!” she screamed as she came up the stairs and clocked the score on the screen in front of her, England having taken a 2-0 lead against France.
“That’s twice I’ve been to the toilet and twice we’ve scored.”
Believing she was the lucky charm, the patron headed down for a third comfort break minutes later, but sadly there were no further first half goals.
Now, I know what you’re thinking - England won’t play France until the final of Euro 2024.
And they won’t, if we’re lucky (if we’re really lucky England will play someone a lot worse than France in the final and they’ll have a crippling number of suspensions).
This was the Lionesses playing a UEFA Women’s Championship qualification match.
So this is where I let you into a little trade secret. The Secret Drinker reviews aren’t always a week-by-week blow of the one pub I’ve been allowed to that week.
Sometimes I do four in a day, sometimes it’s a mad scramble to find a space in the diary, so these reviews come at you jumbled.
Think of it as a boozy Pulp Fiction but - as yet - without a gimp or a death on the toilet.
But sometimes this lack of linear reportage is a good thing, because now the weather’s better and you have a great chance to sample the indoor and outdoor fun at The Lumley.
Just maybe give yourself a couple of hours so you can see it all.
THE LUMLEY, LUMLEY SQUARE, SKEGNESS
DECOR: Beautifully kitted out. Modern meets traditional and with a lovely courtyard. 4/5
DRINK: Nothing screams St George quite like a pint of Moretti. 3/5
PRICE: At £5.60 I’ve had cheaper but I suppose it’s the going rate these days. 3/5
ATMOSPHERE: It wasn’t a raucous, football-enthused evening, but there was a very nice friendly, chatty, communal vibe. 4/5
STAFF: The landlady was a star, eager to help sort the TVs out and even bringing the pints - and of course the card machine - over to her regulars. Now that’s service. 4/5
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