LAST 5 STANDING – THE STAR TAVERN, BELGRAVIA

I’ve been revisiting the last five surviving pubs in every edition of the Beer Guide, and wrote positively about the Buckingham Arms and Queen’s Head last year. On Saturday I took the chance to test standards in the Star Tavern in Belgravia. The Star has a head start already as it’s such a beautiful approach to it through… Continue reading LAST 5 STANDING – THE STAR TAVERN, BELGRAVIA

WOLVERHAMPTON – GREY PAES, BRIGHTER DAYS

My regular catch-up with ex-colleagues over curry moved from Kinver to Wolverhampton, and again proved that Auditors are human beings. Wolverhampton is a tricky place to tie down.  One the one hand it has The Great Western and a great Art Gallery, on the other it has less great architecture and pubs than you might… Continue reading WOLVERHAMPTON – GREY PAES, BRIGHTER DAYS

LAUNCESTON – ‘SPOONS NEEDED

I finally timed my Falmouth return well enough to justify a lunch stop at Launceston, a place clearly well below Okehampton and even Bodmin on the tourist trail, but highly praised by a family friend who was born there. The best thing about it is the view above, which you get from the weird multi-storey car park. You can… Continue reading LAUNCESTON – ‘SPOONS NEEDED

SOUTH ZEAL – DEVON’S VALLEY OF BEER

I’ve now driven the A30 enough times en route to Falmouth to start to be able to chunk it into manageable bites, and its a pleasant journey apart from Bodmin’s roadworks. If I run out of things to write I’ll tell you about the beer desert that is Launceston. Just before Okehampton is a glorious range… Continue reading SOUTH ZEAL – DEVON’S VALLEY OF BEER