June 2016 will forever be known as the month I visited more new Good Beer Guide pubs than Simon Everitt (45 v 41). I should be happy, but the fact that Simon has now done the Great Cumbrae pub puts my duller achievement into perspective. Lots of travel to finish off the Beer Guide chapters… Continue reading JUNE STOCKTAKE
Month: June 2016
THE WELCOME STRANGER, KIMPTON
I’ve really been noticing the welcome, or lack of it, in pubs recently. Pub Curmudgeon and Tandleman have both posted on this, and it’s pretty much the main thread through BRAPA. Welcomes, of course, come from both staff and other customers. I’ve had good and bad this week. The bad experience, in a smart Wiltshire town,… Continue reading THE WELCOME STRANGER, KIMPTON
ECCLES CAKES IN HAMPSHIRE’S STOCKBROKER BELT
Hampshire is one of our most varied countries, the dock towns, new towns and monied towns providing a compelling range of architecture and pubs. One of my proudest travel experiences was surviving the whole 90+ minutes of Basingstoke Town v Thurrock in 2009, a game that bettered Portugal v Croatia for tedium. Grass roots football indeed… Continue reading ECCLES CAKES IN HAMPSHIRE’S STOCKBROKER BELT
WARMING TO WARMINSTER
Whether you think Wetherspoons are on the wane, or a good example of how to maintain a profitable company, you have to admire their investment in some of our most neglected towns in recent years. They’ve brought life, as well as the first cask beer in years, to places like Spennymoor and Peterlee. What has… Continue reading WARMING TO WARMINSTER
TOP 100 PUBS – VAULTS, TENBURY WELLS
I strongly recommend you get a copy of the “Rough Pub Guide“. Used copies currently available via Amazon for 1p (+P&P) but I’ve also seen it pop up in bargain bins if you live in certain types of town. It’s not a list of places to have fights, an A-Z of Aberdeen would do for… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – VAULTS, TENBURY WELLS
PHILOSOPHY FOR THE SAISONS IN NEWMARKET
In 20 years time people will no doubt look back on the horror of the last week, aghast that the so-called “Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts” was headlined by a procession of OAP cover bands. And Coldplay (sorry, should have warned you at the top that was coming). A very similar musical fayre is available… Continue reading PHILOSOPHY FOR THE SAISONS IN NEWMARKET
WORCESTER’S WINNING POST
In contrast with Surrey, the annual tranche of new Beer Guide pubs in Worcestershire are always a really mixed bunnch, with more boozers than gastropubs. That’s true of the county town as a whole, whose centre has a surprisingly high number of drinkers pubs, the Plough and Dragon standing out. I’d been hoping to coincide… Continue reading WORCESTER’S WINNING POST
ORLETON – A CHOICE HOBSON’S
I always save my trips to Herefordshire‘s new Beer Guide pubs till early Summer. Nothing beats walking in the Welsh Marches in May and June, and Wooferton Travelodge is just as cheap. I’m sure you’ll agree it loses nothing in aesthetics to the obvious competition, the slighty dearer Feathers at Ludlow. Two years ago, this £19… Continue reading ORLETON – A CHOICE HOBSON’S
STOURPORT – JEWEL ON THE SEVERN
Stourport is one of Worcestershire’s oddities, a “fun” town by the Severn without the Georgian elegance of nearby Bewdley. It’s more of an inland Felixstowe than a Southwold, but just as worthy of a visit. When we first visited the town from our Clows Top B&B 20 years ago, that giant permanent funfair looked out of place in… Continue reading STOURPORT – JEWEL ON THE SEVERN
CLIFFORD CHAMPION BEER FESTIVAL – WELL NAMED
The green and pleasant bit between Wetherby and Tadcaster on the map was a bit of a mystery for me, so I needed no further reason to pop to Clifford for their famous Beer Fest. Richard Coldwell has been plugging the event on his own excellent blog, with a line-up of beers from wooden casks,… Continue reading CLIFFORD CHAMPION BEER FESTIVAL – WELL NAMED
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