More of that blogging from places on the edge of Kettering that you’ve never heard of, even if you live there. Dave will be thrilled. Barton Seagrave, eh ? Sounds like a latter day Madness album, doesn’t it ?, with video set in a disused Wicksteed Park next door and loads of primary school children… Continue reading EASY LIKE A (BARTON SEAGRAVE) WEDNESDAY LUNCHTIME
THE SHEFFORD COLLECTION
More local-ish ramblings for you before the GBG drop on the 29th. No inference should be drawn about anything, EVER. Shefford is famous for two things. Firstly, in 2015 BRAPA visited during his Bedfordshire Reign of Terror, and this report on his embryonic blog is delightfully descriptive of a chance meeting with Everton title winner… Continue reading THE SHEFFORD COLLECTION
POSH, NOT POSH
I shall press on, avoiding the terms “Good Beer Guide” and “GBG21” as much as possible, and wake up to the sound of the CAMRA police knocking on my door at 4am* to strip me of my privilege. The new GBG will be full of micropubs, I bet ya, and I’d been warned about advised… Continue reading POSH, NOT POSH
CLIMIE FISHER REDEMPTION AT THE PIKE & EEL
Just like John Peel kept you waiting to see if the Sex Pistols or Sheena Easton were Number 1 in his Festive 50, I’ll keep you hanging on to find out if Fife or Bedfordshire take top spot in my Top 10 counties. Calm down, Dave. It won’t be Cambridgeshire, though I’ll probably miss it… Continue reading CLIMIE FISHER REDEMPTION AT THE PIKE & EEL
A YES ! TO YAXLEY
I need to be careful what I tell you until the Guide comes out next Thursday, but it’s no embargo breaker to say that the Farmer’s Arms in Yaxley probably WON’T be in there. Despite putting this full colour, full page advert in the local CAMRA magazine every edition this century, it has NEVER made… Continue reading A YES ! TO YAXLEY
TOP 10 COUNTIES – No. 3 – KENT
A surprise choice at Number 3 ? Knowing my lukewarm view of micropubs you might be, since Kent is actually 87% made up of the little devils. But before Martyn Hillier invented micros, there were Proper Pubs in Kent. Some relaxed and rural, some rumbustuous. and some a relic from better times. We’ll wait to… Continue reading TOP 10 COUNTIES – No. 3 – KENT
TICKING IN PINTS
As BRAPA has already told you, the new Good Beer Guide is in the sticky (stop, Russ) hands of Privilege Club members, the brave souls who embody the spirit of the original CAMRA by going to dumpy pubs off the A14 and drinking quick halves. I’m not allowed to tell you about new entries in… Continue reading TICKING IN PINTS
LIVER AND ONIONS
It was 6pm now, on a Saturday, and we suddenly began to wonder if we’d better eat. I’d booked a £30 Travelodge room at Exeter services next to the Rugby Club, and didn’t fancy diverting into the city centre looking for a free parking place next to a curry house. Ah, that’ll do. Don’t see… Continue reading LIVER AND ONIONS
TOP 100 PUBS – DEVONSHIRE INN, STICKLEPATH
Pub Number 11 on the South-West Saunter , the final Beer Guide tick on the trip and a last hurrah for GBG20. And the Devonshire in Sticklepath might just be the best pub in Devon. Take a close look and you’ll see a fair few classics just off the A38 zooming over Dartmoor so that’s… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – DEVONSHIRE INN, STICKLEPATH
LYDFORD GORGE LADS CLUB
Still slogging through the homeward leg of the Cornwall & Devon Codgers Crawl now, as we stop for a bit of exercise in Lydford Gorge. Despite it being National Trust, which normally means, pashminas and cream teas, the Gorge is a rugged pleasure, even though Covid means you can only do a “highlights package” of… Continue reading LYDFORD GORGE LADS CLUB
