Regular readers of this blog will have noticed that I have a continuing obsession: the history of a forgotten and now destroyed pub. The pub is the Blue Monkey in Plymouth and this fascination has continued for over a decade and my intention was to put out a short book on its history. During 2019 I put together a final version which was edited and good to go in the early part of 2020. The lock-down period should have been a perfect time to put it out, however, instead disaster struck: I lost the final file that contained the edited, proof-read version! And so, back to the drawing board it seemed.

It is not all that bad, in reality. I do have an older version but my heart sunk at the realisation of the time required to actually get it print-ready once more. And now here we are into 2021, which is – if we include the beginning of research stretching back to 2008/09 – into the third decade of research. Luckily my enthusiasm has been increased since moving back to the area of St. Budeaux; I have been able to take many walks straight from my home to the site of the pub which has served to build up motivation to complete the short book.

Back in 2019 I posted about the ruins of the Blue Monkey, placing up photographs from a summer day’s visit in 2017. So, how about an update on the ruins from January 2021. The site remains largely unchanged, however, it is clear that the area has been tidied up in terms of removing the large growth of weeds and bushes. I’m not sure as to the actual reason for this, but perhaps the site is going through the latest stage of sale and re-development which has been a feature over the past two decades.

I do enjoy my walks to the pub ruins. It always evokes a sense of history, particularly with the village green and St. Budeaux Church. And, as always, the constant hum from the cars on the A38 – the road that cuts through the former village.

So, my mission is simple: edit and proof-read the short book with a view to getting it into print during the spring of 2021. Then, at last, the saga will be complete.