The Old Duffers Flying Club have lunch in Calais

Travel Talk

Though I am a sociable type, I've never been what you might call "clubbable", preferring my own company to that of others – or, at any rate, others in large numbers.

Back in the dark ages, when Fleet Street still lived and it was not a hanging offence to pay a compliment to a passing lady, the equivalent of being in a club was "having a drink with the lads".  It happened in all the nearby pubs, but I was not an enthusiast. 

I am told that "having a drink with the lads" is now regarded as utterly anti-social, especially if driving home afterwards is on the cards.  And, in any case, it doesn't exist any more, having been replaced by something called "networking". 

Which brings me to the point, concerning a very old pub in the City of London, which is used as an unofficial headquarters by a club of sorts to which I belong. 

(I may also mention a now defunct organisation of which I was a member.  It was called – wait for it – The Useless Information Society.  But we'll come to that in a moment.) 

Ye Old Mitre First, the very old pub.  It is The Mitre in Ely Place, off Hatton Garden, and dates from 1546.  In the summer of that year Henry VIII signed the Treaty of Ardres.  It was the last treaty he ever signed, though he did put his name on his will in December, which was just as well as he died the following month. 

Ardres is about ten miles south east of Calais, and I have a soft spot for it because, one November, I hired a minibus on the strict understanding that I would not leave the country, and drove it to Dover, the Cross Channel ferry, and Ardres.  With me were colleagues from the BBC's Holiday programme, and our aim was to spend two or three days having a pre-Christmas party.    

We occupied two small hotels, one providing our pre-Christmas dinner, which involved a small hillock of roast chestnuts, lots of vegetables, masses of chicken and a fearsome amount of wine.  We stopped at a hypermarket on the outskirts of Calais to take on board wine, cheese and enough produce to stock a medium-sized delicatessen.  Ah, happy days!

But back to The Mitre and the club I mentioned.  It is The Old Duffers Flying Club and has around nine members, most of whom are hacks who have travelled the world and written about it, much as I have. 

When I write "hacks", I use the word in its proper sense, for we spent most of our lives hacking away at the literary coalface trying to fashion readable articles.  We are all fairly old, but try not to let that influence our judgement. 

We usually meet in The Mitre, but our latest jaunt was to Calais – unfortunately we had no time to include Ardres.  The quite splendid "Spirit of Kent" took us out and the equally impressive "Spirit of Canterbury" brought us back and, thanks to the kindness of P&O Ferries, we travelled in their Club lounge, looked after by efficient ladies who greeted us with a complimentary glass of champagne (each!) and brought other refreshments on demand.  For which we paid, of course.

The Eurotunnel must have done much damage to the ferries, and the ships seemed to have a lot of wide open spaces, though there were many lorry drivers, tucking away their grub and handling large mugs of tea with aplomb. 

Calais Our vague plan was to spend as much time as possible eating and drinking in Calais, and do absolutely no sightseeing.  A suggestion regarding shopping for souvenirs floated like an aimless bubble for a few seconds before being popped by commonsense. 

Calais is not a dream destination.  The shuttle bus from the ferry terminal dropped us near the Place d'Armes and the unattractive centre of the town.  A larger than life size statue of General de Gaulle and his wife Yvonne was installed there at the end of last year and is supposed to symbolise the city.  The fact that she came from Calais and that they were married there in 1921 may also have something to do with it. 

We found our restaurant, ate and drank modestly (very modestly compared with that Ardres trip long ago), and returned to the ship.  Our cross Channel jaunt had no greater purpose, unlike that of those much older chaps who travelled to the Normandy beaches that same week.  We thought of them, and raised our glasses in a toast.  And drank another toast, too, to one of our number, now dead, whose birthday it would have been. 

I wish I could think of something nice to write about Calais, and I am sure there are nice things to write about it.  However, that brief visit left an impression of much concrete, brutal blocks of flats and a feeling that Dover and Calais are sort of Siamese twins. 

And that's more or less that, apart from my former membership of the Useless Information Society.  In this context the Useless Information is that, at The Mitre, is the remnant of an ancient cherry tree, around whose trunk a young Elizabeth is said to have danced.  And that, in 1572, as Queen Elizabeth I, she became the proud owner of a wristwatch.

431 people found this helpful
16789

Share Article:

John Carter

Long-time presenter of TV’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ and BBC holiday programmes

Leave a comment

*

Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest travel tips on top destinations.

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Most Recent Articles

There’s something refreshingly nostalgic about the quintessential British coach holiday….

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.