March 2026. Shepherd’s Bush. London. Half an hour till my Shepherd’s Bush gig, ought to squeeze in one GBG revisit, surely ? Not a lot of choice in W12, the Defectors Weld has really fallen from grace, but the Crown & Sceptre is one of those glorious backstreet Fullers gastro (Thai, again) pubs that are… Continue reading QUEENS PARK RANGERS
TOTTENHAM CAKE IN W12
March 2026. Shepherds Bush. London. From Balham, a trip across a foggy Thames to Shepherd Bush, where I suddenly found I had nearly two hours to fill and Westfield in front of me. Just like Charlene, I’d never been to Westfield W12’s flashy shopping centre, but if you’ve been to Stratford‘s version you won’t need… Continue reading TOTTENHAM CAKE IN W12
BALHAM, BRIEFLY
March 2026. Balham. London. A second London pub tick in quick succession, the Southeastern service presumably making a request stop just for me at Balham, where I had a restorative double espresso in a cute station obssessed with the local football team. Matcha seems the drink of choice. What even is matcha ? What of… Continue reading BALHAM, BRIEFLY
IN THE DOG HOUSE (BEDDINGTON)
March 2026. Beddington. South London. Wallington. Bandonhill. Hackbridge. Beddington, where I head now to explore the vibrant cultural scene. Names to conjure with, as you wander aimlessly west of Croydon and stare back to where the streets are made of gold. Not many pubs round here, at all, just an Arts & Craft roadhouse with… Continue reading IN THE DOG HOUSE (BEDDINGTON)
PRIDE DRINKING WELL IN WALLINGTON
March 2026. Wallington. South London. Another week, another American troubador*, another chance to makes inroads into London GBG, another chance to marvel at the capital’s integrated transport system as I whizz from St Pancras around Croydon towards Wallington, a mile’s walk from Carshalton and The Hope. It’s not an essential visit, even by my meagre… Continue reading PRIDE DRINKING WELL IN WALLINGTON
“It’s a John Smiths Smooth pub”. The Tuxford Sun
March 2026. Tuxford. Nottinghamshire. Mr Protz wrote the definitive book about the pubs along the Great North Road, but there’s far less of them than you’d hope if you had to make the trek up and down the A1 weekly. I took the sliproad to Tuxford (pop, now 2,809) as I fancied artisanal panini rather… Continue reading “It’s a John Smiths Smooth pub”. The Tuxford Sun
CHECKING OUT KELHAM IN ADVANCE OF THE AMERICAN INVASION
March 2026. Sheffield. Back from Driffield in triumph, East Yorkshire GBG complete, I find Mrs RM in full-on “Operation Yank Invasion” mode, with a list of jobs to make the house ready for Chicago guests (not Dick and Barb) last weekend. Saturday night had been earmarked for a Curated Exploration of Kelham Island Public Houses,… Continue reading CHECKING OUT KELHAM IN ADVANCE OF THE AMERICAN INVASION
NELLIES
March 2026. Beverley. Well, this may prove to be a completely pointless post, attempting to describe the magic of a Sam Smiths pub without pictures. But the route to the White Horse (aka Nellies) takes you past St Mary’s, which is almost as magical as the Minster. But not as magical as Nellies, which on… Continue reading NELLIES
BEVERLEY MINSTER
March 2026. Beverley. There’s more to life than pubs. “No there’s not”. My blog, my rules, time for culture. One of the bonuses of parking up in the campervan at Driffield Riverhead (£10 donation to canal conservation), apart from a quiet night (put the handbrake on) and Spoons breakfast in the morning, is a 20… Continue reading BEVERLEY MINSTER
EAST YORKSHIRE HAS FALLEN
March 2026. Wansford. East Yorkshire. A mile south of delightful Driffield, our final Humberside + tick, and once again not a classic, but plenty good enough. Always best to leave your final East Yorkshire pub to Hull. Not much to say about Wansford (pop. 142), canal barge apart, but it is in the same parish… Continue reading EAST YORKSHIRE HAS FALLEN
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