If Carlsberg made museums they would be like this……

If you drive north from the lofty spires of Lincoln Cathedral, following the arrow straight route of the roman legions along the Fosse Way you will happen upon the village of Scampton in the midst of the leafy glades of Lincolnshire.

Close your eyes and you could easily believe that it is seventy or so years ago, for nothing much has changed to disrupt the life or look of this picture-postcard village.

Like many travellers before me, I called in to the village pub, but had it been seventy years ago I would have been sharing my pint with Guy Gibson and his intrepid airmen for RAF Scampton is the home of 617 squadron, the Dambusters!

Today the signpost announces the pub as the Dambuster’s Inn, which is filled with photographs and paintings of the pilots, their aircraft and other memorabilia of the famous squadron.

The entrance porch houses a sober and lasting memorial to those who returned and those who were not so lucky, but it isn’t until you step inside that the warmth of a roaring open fire greets you and a welcoming pint of ‘Hoppy Hopgood’ eases you back into those glory days and daydreams of the aircrews that went before.

You can rest your pint on the tyre of a Lancaster whist you take in the many photographs, drawings and the medals awarded to the squadron personnel.

Or savour a home cooked meal whilst taking in the numerous aircraft models that hang from the ceiling.

Maybe even read the visitors book, which is actually the wall of the pub, personally inscribed with the witty quips and signatures of the returning veterans.

There’s a lot to see and take in, I’m told that even the ladies powder room has some interesting décor, but I couldn’t sneak in for a look as I hadn’t dressed for the occasion.

It took me half a gallon of ale and a full helping of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding to make sure that I had captured the full ambience, but sacrifices have to be made in the pursuit of investigative journalism.

“If Carlsberg made museums they would be like this……” so a mission is already in ops-planning for a low-level return, for the other half gallon that is.

A big thank you to member, Bryan Wilcockson, for writing this story.