I know it’s an Aerosmith tune, but I played the R.E.M. version a lot, so… April 2026. Stirchley. Birmingham. Arriving “home” from Waterbeach last Thursday afternoon I let Mrs RM the front door, grabbed a charger, and half an hour later was on the Cross Country to Birmingham. And half an hour later, Bournville. I… Continue reading BOYS, BOYS, BOYS IN THE ATTIC (TAP)
Does Grantham Wetherspoons EVER wash those glasses ?
April 2026. Sheffield-Grantham-Waterbeach-Southborough-Sheffield. Another week, another slog down and back up the A1, this time with the added bonus of a day trip to Tunbridge Wells to take my Mother-in-Law for surgery (all well, thanks). I’ve made this trip every week since COVID, and it gets tougher each time. Not so much the physical strain,… Continue reading Does Grantham Wetherspoons EVER wash those glasses ?
BALLAST
April 2026. Sheffield. I did get back from Retford, eventually, and arriving in Sheffield at 10 to 5 gave me a rare chance of a seat and tea with Mrs RM in the Rutland. I gave my dearest an hour’s notice, so she’d only be half an hour late, and picked the seat closest to… Continue reading BALLAST
RETFORD – LOW LEVEL, HIGH CRAFT
April 2026. Retford. I had a look at my last blog post from Retford (a bit like Alistair Cooke’s Letter from America without the golf ) while walking the mile into town and realised how little had changed. It’s a low-key market town of 24,000 (exactly, per Wiki) souls; nicely pedestrianised but far too quiet,… Continue reading RETFORD – LOW LEVEL, HIGH CRAFT
EASTER MONDAY, RETFORD
April 2026. Retford. You left me at Lincoln Bus Station, waiting for the Number 56 to Wragby that never came. There’s a sadness about missing out on a planned GBG tick that only the ticker knows. But if you can’t have an actual tick, have a pre-emptive tick in Retford on the way home. First… Continue reading EASTER MONDAY, RETFORD
BUS TROUBLE IN LINCOLN
April 2026. Lincoln. South Herts have made a splendid job of organising this week’s CAMRA Members Weekend, putting the emphasis on pub crawls curated surveys of licenses premises. If you’re in St Albans this weekend and see Paul Mudge, don’t forget to buy him a half. They’ve also just produced a leaflet promoting “pubs by… Continue reading BUS TROUBLE IN LINCOLN
TABLE RESERVATION DRAMA IN LINCOLN SPOONS
April 2026. Lincoln. I’m not adding the Ritz to my extensive “2026 Pubs Visited” spreadsheet, as I didn’t even have a can of San Pellegrino, so terrified was I of needing a comfort break on the bus to Wragby in half an hour, and having to get off at the North Greetwell stop and never… Continue reading TABLE RESERVATION DRAMA IN LINCOLN SPOONS
LINCOLN’S BIG DAY BEGINS IN THE TREATY OF COMMERCE
April 2026. Lincoln. Easter Monday means one of a) pubs you expect to be closed are open, b) pubs you expect open are closed, c) trains don’t run, or d) you’ve got a hangover from Sunday night. I took a punt on the Adam & Eve in Wragby, a dining pub half an hour bus… Continue reading LINCOLN’S BIG DAY BEGINS IN THE TREATY OF COMMERCE
VIKRAM SETH AND CRICKET
April 2026. Barkisland. West Yorkshire. As you’ll observe, I don’t tend to suffer from writer’s block, unless I stupidly follow pints of Old Peculier with pints of Wobbly Bob and suffer the consequences. Vikram Seth is still struggling with his follow-up to the epic “A Suitable Boy“, a novel so good I took two days… Continue reading VIKRAM SETH AND CRICKET
DANCING AND CHEESE PIE IN NORDEN
April 2026. Norden. Greater Manchester. Look at those contour lines ! An underrated place, Greater Rochdale, with micros in the town and hills all around. And top blogger (and bloke) Tandleman and the lovely E close by. But what does Norden, 2 miles out of town on the road to Ramsbottom, have to attract the… Continue reading DANCING AND CHEESE PIE IN NORDEN
retiredmartin 