March 2026. Heeley. Sheffield. Mrs RM couldn’t bear being inside any longer either, and on Tuesday we took the tram out east to the housing estates of Park Grange, with a view to Bramhall Lane and not much else. 20 minutes downhill brings you to Heeley, “beloved” of the Sheffield middle-classes for its organic knitting… Continue reading A HEELEY VIEW
WHAT’S ON THE JUKEBOX AT THE RUTLAND ARMS, THEN ?
March 2026. Sheffield. Sheffield is a great city but I can’t spend a whole day there. Mid-afternoon on Monday I headed down to the station, intending to bring you exciting reports from, I dunno, Retford or Adwick. But there was “trouble beyond Worksop“, and my sister called, and I abandoned my mission at the Rutland… Continue reading WHAT’S ON THE JUKEBOX AT THE RUTLAND ARMS, THEN ?
“Ta, duck” – THE SEA LION, IPSTONES
March 2026. Ipstones. Staffordshire. An invigorating Spring trip through the Dales towards the Staffordshire Moorlands at the start of Spring. And then, Staffordshire has fallen ! I couldn’t even be bothered to colour in the whole Staffs map; have you seen the cost of pink marker pens nowadays ? I paid £2.29 for a pinkie… Continue reading “Ta, duck” – THE SEA LION, IPSTONES
MARCH ’26 STOCKTAKE + APRIL PREVIEW
A busier month, not just at home, where we entertained guests from Chicago on a memorable weekend where the Shakespeare stood out as exemplifying what Sheffield pubs are all about, but also abroad. I needed those 3 nights in northern Germany as the relentless journeys up and down the A1 between Sheffield and Waterbeach were… Continue reading MARCH ’26 STOCKTAKE + APRIL PREVIEW
THE COBWEB BRIDGE
March 2026. Sheffield. Things never end well when I agree to meet Quosh for “a quick one“. After slightly too long in SMOD it was time to ensure the quiet lad from east Manchester got home safely from the dangerous back streets of Attercliffe, following the River Don along the Five Weirs Way to Kelham.… Continue reading THE COBWEB BRIDGE
COVER DESIGN FOR NEXT GOOD BEER GUIDE REVEALED
April brings the joy of the annual CAMRA conference, this year from St Albans (aka Greater Luton), a chance to assess whether the Fighting Cocks really does have the oldest beer in the country. CAMRA, once again, stands at a crossroads. Can it attract young (under-62) members with its exciting programme of motions focused on… Continue reading COVER DESIGN FOR NEXT GOOD BEER GUIDE REVEALED
THE STAMMTISCH AT ST. MARS OF THE DESERT
March 2026. Attercliffe. Sheffield. Quosh was in town, headed for St Mars of the Desert; I felt duty bound to save him a seat. 20 minutes along the Five Weirs path from the KIT to SMOD, where you wait outside the Smallest Carrot. I guarantee that The Smallest Crarrot will be a craft bar, exclusively… Continue reading THE STAMMTISCH AT ST. MARS OF THE DESERT
THE BEST SEAT IN THE KELHAM ISLAND TAVERN
March 2026. Sheffield. Back home (they’ll be thinking of us) I managed a day’s housework before succumbing to the lure of Kelham on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. Oh well, the KIT, then. Earlier this month I treated our 2 Chicago visitors to practically perfect beer (NBSS 5) in the Tavern. “At this stage you’re basically… Continue reading THE BEST SEAT IN THE KELHAM ISLAND TAVERN
Radler
March 2026. Cologne. A final Cologne post (promise) as Mrs RM gets to tick her tourist essentials by the waterfront, including the Lindt chocolate museum (not as much free stuff as Cadbury world) and the Kranhäuser im Rheinauhafen, a weird modernist housing estate/office complex where you’d expect to see craft bars there’s a cafe called… Continue reading Radler
Früh by the Rhine
March 2026. Cologne. Our lads had headed down to the banks of the Rhine on our last afternoon in Cologne, and while joining them for a Kolsch at Martinswinkel (stop it) seemed appealing, those familiar outside seats at Pfaffen looking on to the main square won out. But the boys were still down in the… Continue reading Früh by the Rhine
retiredmartin 