St George's Day 2010

In loving memory of our dragon-slaying Saint. Though t'is a shame about the extinction of the dragon; illegal hunting and destruction of their natural habitat proved that even the ability to breathe fire couldn't halt their demise.

Surreal, rubbish dragon jokes out of the way, we at The Good Time Guide feel that those of us who are English are a little too apathetic about St George's Day - this year falling on this Friday, 23rd April. St Patrick's Day and Burn's Night are celebrated with pride, and rightly so - therefore, we've scurried around and found a few tip-top venues who feel the same way we do. They will be devoting this Friday, and in some cases the whole Weekend, to St George's Day!

Moreover, we've even managed to source a couple of special St George's Day offers especially. We do spoil you do we not? So read on and find out what these great establishments have for you this weekend...

These Guys Have a Special St George's Day Offer...

Buy British at Palette Bistro, Woking - Get 10% Off Your Meal!

Located inside The Lightbox and with outside seating, you already have two good reasons to visit Palette Bistro!

This fantastic venue prides itself on locally sourced food and wine, so you'll be well and keeping with the tradition of this great day, and herein lies the crux of the offer for you lovely loyal offer card-holders - this Friday 23rd April only, enjoy Surrey Gold White Wine or or Hogsback brewery's Traditional English Ale at Palette and get 10% off your food!

And what about said food? Well, Palette are of course serving the staples of the English diet, including Cornish clams, Lancashire hot pot, and sticky toffee pudding. But that is of course the tip of the iceberg; we say check out the full menu to see what you can expect! Then, when you're sufficiently convinced (which you will be), book your table on 01483 737829, and check Palette's page for other offers!

British Pizza and a Pint for a Fiver at The Stoke, Guildford

Ah The Stoke - we love them. Not content with constantly dishing out BOGOF pizzas to you magical card-holders, which you all go for with gusto (and rightly so!), this Friday sees yet another cheeky deal for y'all - a British pizza and a pint for a fiver. What constitutes British? We assume some kind of inventive concoction that noones ever made before - but then, if you've ever sampled one of The Stoke's pizzas, you won't be worried! As per, just flash your Offer Card...

Also, don't forget to check out You Must be Stoking - a comedy night so good we put our name on it! It's the first Wednesday of each month, and the next one will be 5th May. Headlining will be Eve Webster, a top notch impressionist and recent funny woman runner-up. Shameless plugs certainly aren't beneath The Good Time Guide, folks...

These Guys Don't, but ARE Doing Other Awesome St George's Stuff...

Live Music at Live and Let Live, Guildford - The Sounds of England

A pub that prides itself on its live music, pool and sports - and who doesn't love all these pastimes? The former is the order of the day at Live and Let Live this Friday, with a live appearance from The Highwaisters, with covers of The Jam, The Specials, and other Punk, Ska and 2 Tone tunes. You'll be donning your pork pie hats and piano key ties before you can scream "stereotyped music cliches".

As well as The Highwaisters, you'll get selected DJ's spinning the elite sounds of England, and weather permitting there'll be a BBQ from midday!

Cheap Ale and Great Grub at Bar Med, Guildford

One of the most vibrant and stylish pubs in Guildford, Bar Med have their own very special deal this Friday - John Smith's, that most English of ales, is just 99p a pint! That's the cheapest a pint has been since the days of ye olde moneys (maybe).

Other reasons to pop into Bar Med on Friday 23rd? Well, as well as their usual menu, there'll be some classics, including Sausage, Mash and Peas in a giant Yorkshire pudding and classic Fish and Chips, and the usual party tunes will be taking you through the night! So this Friday you could certainly do a lot worse than celebrating your Englishness at Bar Med!

Sword Fights and English Bites at The Keep, Guildford

The Keep has a habit of doing the A-typical - for example stitch 'n' bitch, a monthly get-together of knitting and gossiping - how many establishments offer that kind of service? Home-cooked food and real ales belie the interesting events within, and this weekend is no exception!

For example, how about a St George's Day sword-fighting re-enactment on the green at Guildford Castle on Friday and Saturday between 1 and 4 pm? Yeah, that pretty much overhauls any notion of pub cliche! But The Keep do have a few other titbits to entice you, notably a cheese or meat platter, or sausage and mash, for just £5.50. Or, how about a Jug of Pimms for £8.95, or the usual fine choice of locally sourced ales... Well, you get the picture; there's loads of reasons to visit The Keep this St George's weekend!

Win a Case of Bombadier at The Tudor Lounge, Guildford

We've been championing The Tudor Lounge since the day it opened, and we're not ashamed to admit it. Apart from having one of the most unique interiors in Guildford (check out that digital photo-frame/lit bar combo - it's awesome) it also serves as a mix of cafe, bar and restaurant, so you'll enjoy your time there any time of day.

Anyway, these guys will be throwing a little competition this weekend - buy a pint or bottle of real ale for the chance to win a case of Bombadier! Can't be bad, can it, and all ales are only £3! And of course there are those awesome offers they run with us - heck, we're running out of reasons why you SHOULDN'T go!

Brilliant British BBQ Bangers at Fahrenheit 55, Guildford

Ah Fahrenheit 55, a bar everyone who frequents Guildford needs to get involved with. This Saturday 24th April sees the Fahrenheit fun continue with a good ol' fashioned BBQ out the back - and there surely aren't many of us who don't enjoy grilled food in the sunshine?

Other than these wonderful sounding munchables, there will be fancy dress and all the usual frolicks expected at Fahrenheit 55 throughout the day - they're purveyors of good times this lot and, as you can tell by the name, we like this. Oh, and before we sign off for Fahrenheit, remember to flash your offer card and get a half price cocktail!

...And a Cheeky Finale.

Celebrate St George's Day with North Street Market, Guildford

A more ambiguous or apathetic reader? No need to commit to much... just head down to North Street. This Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th of April sees North Street Market putting on a very special show for all of you willing to attend!

What to expect? Well, Henry V himself will be delivering his famous 'St George' and 'Band of Brothers' speeches in the high street (NB: It's not actually Henry V, silly; he comes courtesy of the Guildford Shakespeare Company).

Said company will also be giving workshops in olde English for both adults and kids, and Friary Street will see Chelsea FC in the Community offering the chance to chat to some coaches and more!

That's all we can fit in this teeny tiny orange rectangle, but be sure to check here for any more info!

ABBA Tribute Night at The Hilton, Cobham

Swedish pop music. Not exactly a strong link to the St George's Day vibe here, but with an event such as this occuring on the same day (Friday 23rd April), we feel we should shout about it...

Head down to The Hilton Hotel, Cobham, and join them for an evening filled with great food and live entertainment. The evenings package includes a 3 course meal, Live ABBA tribute, and DJ until 12.30am!

At just £29.95 per person, you won't have such a complete evenings entertainment for such a small price. Call 01932 864471 to find our more and book your table now (and don't forget to mention who told you...)