After the humiliation of being out-pubbed by BRAPA last month, March saw 43 new Beer Guide pubs in 16 different counties, finishing off East Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, and getting close to clearing Somerset. No trip to Stockport in March, clearly an oversight. The Offerton Stagger in May looks unmissable; as you will know I love… Continue reading MARCH STOCKTAKE
Month: March 2016
SCOTTISH STORES, KING’S CROSS
I don’t make the train journey to Kings Cross anything like I used to have to, so I really appreciate a more leisurely exploration of ever-changing WC1. My pre-journey drink always used to be the Chinese tea in Chop Chop Noodles across the road, as Craft Islington and the Queen’s Head were a few minutes too far.… Continue reading SCOTTISH STORES, KING’S CROSS
PEELING PAINT AND PALE ALE IN PECKHAM
Taylor’s Independent Testing Service made its annual trip to the mystic lands between SE15 and SE12 yesterday, the Super Off-Peak rates winning against the deterrent of Storm Katie. Luckily kick-off at the New Den was put back too, those Burton fans are scary. I will admit to still getting my Peckhams, Deptfords and Catfords a… Continue reading PEELING PAINT AND PALE ALE IN PECKHAM
SOUTH WITHAM’S BLUE COW – AN A1 STOP
Middlesbrough is only a three hour drive from Cambridge. Speaking to folk here you’d think it was a different country or something. It takes two hours to get to Blakeney on the Norfolk coast. Some members of our family can’t last three hours though, and need a stop on the A1. I wrote last year… Continue reading SOUTH WITHAM’S BLUE COW – AN A1 STOP
SEATON CAREW AND A YEARNING FOR WORKIE TICKET
When we were in Glossop last year I confused Seaton Carew with Seaton Sluice, and proclaimed the former one of the UK’s great beauty spots. The chap who originated from Carew was bewildered, and I promised I’d visit his hometown and write about it. The Sluice (below) wins this contest, but Carew is a pretty… Continue reading SEATON CAREW AND A YEARNING FOR WORKIE TICKET
MIDDLESBROUGH – THANET WITH PARMOS
From nowhere, Middlesbrough is a major pub destination. It’s not just Mrs RM and I who can attest to this extraordinary transformation; read Simon’s report here first. The town has a challenging reputation nationally, although frankly I’ve never noticed the famous smog or the late night anti-social behaviour. This won’t be a popular view but… Continue reading MIDDLESBROUGH – THANET WITH PARMOS
REDCAR – NOT A DYING EMBER
Redcar hasn’t had the best of times lately with the closure of Teesside Steel and other sad news this week. It’s also been some way down the list as far as visitors to the North Yorkshire coast are concerned. It has numerous merits though. The beach is wonderful, the walks into the foothills of the… Continue reading REDCAR – NOT A DYING EMBER
SACRILEGE AT STOCKTON’S SUN
We’ve just experienced the revitalised Stockton-On-Tees, and a wonderful thing it is too. The revitalisation of a town famous for car chase TV and debauchery documentaries is now back to its Georgian best, with the bonus of street art, coffee shops and micropubs. The culinary scene remains the chicken parmo though. For me though, the… Continue reading SACRILEGE AT STOCKTON’S SUN
A CAMBRIDGE ESTATE PUB SURVIVOR
I wrote yesterday about one of Cambridge‘s top pub for beer quality (alongside the Mill and the Maypole). The strength in depth of the city’s pubs is one of its great features (still too flat mind, but not much anyone can do about that now). A few years ago Cambridge CAMRA recorded the presence of real ale in every… Continue reading A CAMBRIDGE ESTATE PUB SURVIVOR
TOP 100 PUBS – THE CAMBRIDGE BLUE
Consistent beer quality in Cambridge has always been the city’s strength. I visit most of the pubs annually (less of them now than 2007 but they all serve real ale now, so that’s OK then) and only one pub this year had poor beer. There’s a lot of competition for the dozen or so places in… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – THE CAMBRIDGE BLUE
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