There’ll never be a better day to be nice to Milton Keynes, will there ?
Early on in this blog I did a short piece summing up the place (here). As I said then;
“People who live there defend their town vigorously, which I admire”
I used to work with folk who were uprooted from Cambridge to Milton Keynes in the triennial NHS reorganisation No.27. They loved the place, and make a better case for it than residents anywhere else, except perhaps Barnsley. The combination of green spaces, leisure activity and transport connections is impressive.
The pub on the day of that blog post was a Slug and Lettuce that lasted only the year in the Guide, which shows good quality control in the branch anyway. I’ve had decent beer in the central Spoons over the years though. The very new Draft House is clearly quite a coup for the town and deserves a visit, perhaps when Mrs RM next makes a pointless trip to Ikea.
When I think of Milton Keynes I think of canals, and there’s a host of pubs by the waterside this year. Most of them have been snaffled by Northants CAMRA though.
I’ve got one pub left to visit in the branch, the Cock in Hanslope, one of those 4pm openers that make life difficult for pub tickers, but I’ll bring you a report on the Greene King IPA soon.
The North Bucks part of the Branch has some cracking old-school drinking pubs, notably the Mitre in the county town, but my latest visit found craft stirrings in an unlikely place.
Winslow’s George is a gorgeous, civilised drinkers pub run by Vale, with an ambitious beer range on pump and in bottle. No food yet, which certainly is a positive for atmosphere if not custom. Enjoy it before the kitchens arrive.
And Happy Birthday MK.
retiredmartin 
It is widely believed, but is quite possibly false, that William Shakespeare died on his birthday. It would clearly be terrible if that happened to such a desirable town as Milton Keynes.
Indeed, your description of pride was demonstrated by a wee lassie with whom I shared university digs. Upon learning that I was a Hull City supporter, she immediately told me she ‘was so proud of the Dons’ after the franchise scum had an early round tin pot victory against Aston Villa or some other similar middling upper division side.
I should really have an open mind and if they ever admit a pub back in the guide ask to go on a BRAPA trip with an open mindset of the place. Despite this olive branch however, I shall never, ever set foot in the football ground short of the bastardised excuse of a football club going bust and end up being replaced by a club that has started at the bottom in the honest way.
If it helps, Hanslope is served by the 33, 33A and 802 bus services. The Milton Keynes public transport information website is annoyingly excellent: http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/highways-and-transport-hub/bus-and-taxi/bus-timetables-maps-and-travel-updates
Just a shame that the rover ticket has a disgraceful pun of a name. I will leave it as an exercise for the reader to work it out.
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Thank you Tom, I had the 33A in mind.
How’s your next blog post coming along ?
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I do keep checking his blog.
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One of the key reasons Milton Keynes has been so successful, and so popular with its residents, is that it provides the kind of environment people actually want to live in, as opposed to one that town planners think they *should* live in.
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Just like say, Middlesbrough, I’d bet 95% of people who sneer at Milton Keynes have never been there.
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Martin, I quite agree, which is why I want to go there with an open mind when there is a pub score available. That said I’ve been to Middlesbrough and I think that, whilst it is a complete shithole, it is also truly ace.
One day I may write a new website entry. I don’t know where and I don’t know when.
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You sum up Middlesbrough expertly. I don’t know if you’ve been to the Riverside, but it was the last of the 92 grounds I did and the loudest (v Southampton on a Sunday). Says it all.
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I’ve been to the Riverside. Personally, given both my visits were for Yorkshire derbies, I was disappointed with the Middlesbrough supporters. Although I did enjoy warmly congratulating convicted criminal Marlon King after he scored against us in the game after being sacked from a loan period with us.
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