Somehow I’ve managed to resist the charms of Bearwood over the years, while walking pretty much all of the neighbouring honeypots of Harborne and Oldbury, and knowing every inch of the A456. Hagley Road is the home of one of my regular curry nights with former colleagues, and I can recommend Bengal Delight for a… Continue reading THE LITTLE NIBBLE
Month: November 2015
LOCAL HERO
I wrote yesterday about the death of a traditional Greene King village pub which focused on quality of it’s core range, contrasting this with their Local Hero pubs, which over the last four years have given selected tenants the right to stock an extended range of beers, which tend to be from local breweries of varying size. There’s… Continue reading LOCAL HERO
CUCKOO – SPIRIT OF THE SOW
Back in the days when they were a regional brewer, Greene King ran some fantastic local pubs which could do justice to their IPA (Bitter of the year 2006, remember). In my part of the world this included the Plough at Ley Green, the Cock at Broom, and my particular favourite the Sow & Pigs… Continue reading CUCKOO – SPIRIT OF THE SOW
(BENEATH THE PLASTIC PALM TREES)
Just back from visiting my Aunt in Eaton Bray, a plain Bedfordshire village rescued by it’s proximity to Dunstable Downs on the edge of the Chilterns. Now in her mid-80s, my Aunt is still very sharp, and had quite a bit to say about housing developments in southern Leighton Buzzard, which has usurped Dunstable as the main… Continue reading (BENEATH THE PLASTIC PALM TREES)
JAYWICK REBORN
Defying forecasts, the weather stayed dreary but dry today, obliging Mrs RM to join me on a 10 mile walk somewhere, anywhere. From a shortlist of Jaywick, Colindale, Holbeach and Leicester, Mrs RM chose to revisit coastal Essex and see how the much maligned holiday village had progressed since 2010. Jaywick has had a hard… Continue reading JAYWICK REBORN
TOP 100 PUBS – XANDER BAR, BRESCIA
I was thrilled to read about the fast walking lane proposed for Liverpool; if rolled out nationally it will certainly improve my retirement immensely. One place where fast lanes aren’t necessary in Brescia, a Cambridge-sized city close to Lake Garda. When I visited, a year ago, I was struck by how smart and brisk all it’s residents were. … Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – XANDER BAR, BRESCIA
BEERS OF EUROPE
I rarely drink at home, but know someone who does, so felt obliged to bring her back a bottle from Beers of Europe, the self-styled biggest beer shop in the UK. It’s a good job that it’s worth a visit, as there’s nothing else to see around it’s home of Setchey near King’s Lynn unless you like… Continue reading BEERS OF EUROPE
UP IN DOWNHAM MARKET
A few quieter days while I recharge ahead of trips to Purbeck, Mansfield, Brighton and others later this month, and there’s few quieter places than Norfolk’s Downham Market. I’ve giving it short shrift over the years, but it’s only 40 minutes away on the train and worthy of reevaluation, even if it is a bit of a desert pub… Continue reading UP IN DOWNHAM MARKET
LAST 5 STANDING – THE QUEEN’S HEAD AT NEWTON
Back in the hazy summer days of late October I wrote about the last five pubs ever present in the Good Beer Guide – and a return visit to the Buckingham Arms, which is certainly doing a good job of being an exemplar tourist pub. Another of the five, the Queen’s Head in Newton, is… Continue reading LAST 5 STANDING – THE QUEEN’S HEAD AT NEWTON
LAST PUB IN THE VILLAGE
Pub Curmudgeon alerted me to the campaign by locals to save the Horse and Groom in the Hanover district of Brighton. This is an attractive area, with steep streets and Victorian buildings, and increasingly gentrified in recent years. It’s handy for The Level, Brighton’s best park, and borders the even livelier Kemptown, with it’s craft keg… Continue reading LAST PUB IN THE VILLAGE
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