Aylesbury man reveals the 70 pubs he visited for his 70th birthday fundraiser

Last month The Bucks Herald detailed retired Aylesbury man, Doug Arnaud’s journey to 70 different venues.

Doug came up with the idea when brainstorming potential ways to celebrate his 70th.

Going to 70 different pubs was chosen as Doug didn’t want to book something which could be cancelled or changed at short notice in the unpredictable world of Covid-restrictions and rule changes.

After discussions with friends and family he realised people would sponsor him to raise money for good causes.

He chose Florence Nightingale Hospice, having lost close friends recently Doug greatly appreciates the work completed at the Aylesbury centre.

Doug told The Bucks Herald: “I paid for all my pints, people might have thought at first that I was doing this to get a free drink.

"But it was never about that. The only time I’d let someone buy me a drink was if I was doing rounds with a friend, and I was getting the next one.

"I’ve lost a lot of friends in recent years, and even in the last of couple years with Covid.

"So I contacted Florence Nightingale Hospice and they were on board with it, so I set up the fundraising page and started from there.”

Doug didn’t complete his pub crawls in a scientific manner, he was reliant on public transport and walked to nearby venues.

Therefore a majority of the pubs visited were ones with good transport links to Aylesbury.

As an ale fanatic, the soon-to-be 71-year-old wasn’t visiting pubs to binge-drink or go crazy.

Often, he would organise his pub trips around chances to meet fellow retirees or catch up with old friends.

The eye-catching venues further afield were chosen for practical reasons as well.

Doug went to Wales for a gig, hence the two Newport bars. He was visiting his daughter in Durham, when he popped into some of the north east of England’s best watering holes.

He added: “I love my ale and I wanted to enjoy my pints, I think five pints in five pubs was the most I did in one day.

"I’m too old to be going out and getting drunk, plus I was getting public transport and walking to each pub.

"It’s not much fun sitting on a country bus cross-legged.”

Overall, Doug completed his exploration of three counties pubs in

Based on conversations he had ahead of time Doug was confident he’d reach the £250 marker when it came to making money for a highly-regarded local charity.

After his initial success, he raised his fundraising target to £750, that has been easily surpassed, at the time of writing over £2,000 has been raised.

Doug’s fundraising page can be accessed on Just Giving here.

Doug sent the full list of pubs he visited to The Bucks Herald:

Tring

The King’s ArmsThe Anchor

Cadsden

The Plough At Cadsden

Leighton Buzzard

The Black Lion The Golden Bell

Wendover

The George The Shoulder of Mutton The King and Queen The Pack Horse The White Swan

Berkhamsted

The King’s Arms The George Inn

West Wycombe

The George and Dragon

Thame

Old Nags Head The Birdcage The James Figgs The Six Bells The Black Horse

Chesham

The General Arms

Hemel Hempstead

Monks Inn

Long Crendon

The Churchill Arms The Eight Bells

Tiddington

The Fox and Goat

Gibraltar, Aylesbury

The Bottle and Glass

Durham

The Shakespeare The King’s Lodge Inn The Station House The Head of Steam The Market Tavern

Stoke Mandeville

The Woolpack The Bull

Haddenham

The King’s Head

High Wycombe

The Three Tuns The Antelope The Mad Squirrel The Flint Cottage The Belle Vue

Bierton

Bob’s Barn

Banbury

The Wine Vaults The Reindeer Inn The Church House The Wheatsheaf The Banbury Cross

Princes Risborough

The Whiteleaf Cross The George and The Dragon The Bell

Buckingham

Buckingham Inn The King’s Head The Three Cups The White Hart

Exeter

The Prospect The Turk’s Head The King’s Head The White Hart

Newport, Wales

The Potter’s The Pen and Wig

Bedwas, Wales

The Church House Inn

Marsworth

The Red Lion

Broughton

The Dog House

Hartwell

The Bugle Horn

Aylesbury

The Millwrights Weavers The Rockwood The Victoria Club The Queens Head The Bricklayers The Egg and Monkey The King’s Head Hop Pole