Jools, you are right about the name, but by all accounts the brew first appeared in 1979 to cash in on the 50th anniversary of MG car production in Abingdon, which was also home to the Morland brewery. The speckled car was a customer order in the 1920's or the paint flecked and oversprayed factory runabout, depending on which urban myth appeals.
Morland became part of Greene King, the Abingdon brewery was closed, and now Speckled Hen is brewed at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. So thanks to the recent Chinese takeover, who knows what's coming.
Black Horse, Whyte Lion, British Queen, ring any bells for Locks Bottom?
Another local bottom in Bromley is Pratts Bottom, or Pratt's according to local Graffitti. Just don't get GB onto somewhat similar rude village names in Worcestershire.
Wetherspoons...Comedian Rich Hall does a song that says it all, but to be fair their offering is great value, as the average price is creeping closer to the £4 mark in this part of Suffolk.
Any news of the fridge....Has the space time (can't spell the next word) been restored?
Swarfy.