We stopped in Chorley Market for Chorley cakes, as you do. They’re not as good as Eccles cakes, if I’m honest, but I didn’t say that while I was there.
Don’t get me wrong. The baked goods are reason enough to dodge the endless amateur cyclists on the road from Euxton. The lady here sold me £11 worth of the eponymous cakes, Bakewell tarts from Cleveleys, and other health-packed treats. “The smile is free” she added. It was a good smile, too.
I was doing the shopping while our boys looked for shoes, and Mrs RM discussed reusable nappies, cleaning products and unnecessary packaging with the mother-in-law of the Bob Inn.
They were just berating plastic bags as I came back with my haul in a load of them. As you’ll understand, this made Mrs RM very happy indeed, particularly with a half of Tollgate in her hand.
I’ve raved about Chorley here before, praising the people, the views to the hills, the market and the proper trad pubs. The last couple of years have seen an explosion in non-traditional pubs, which is fine as long as we don’t overlook the appeal of the Crown and it’s ilk.
Happily, the Bob Inn is just a wonderful pub in miniature. This is the lounge.
I reckon you could probably squash a dozen in here, a dozen in the bar itself, and a dozen outside. It looked like it needed all of that space as folk piled in to avoid blokes in lycra on bikes.
You could sit here unsociably and admire the Higsons beer mats, or chat to random folk, in this case the proud in-laws. Top banter with top folk about everything except beer, which is as it should be.
I noticed the holder for “Ale Cry“, the local CAMRA magazine, being refilled and offered a word of praise on the new look. Ale Cry has always been a favourite of mine, along with Opening Times, but some of the idiosyncrasies have been ironed out in the redesign.
Through serendipity, the recipient turned out to be Adrian (I hope) the Editor. A top read; stick a pub cat on the cover and you’ll walk the next awards, Adrian.
We left the displays of oversized knickers and wrapping paper for a recommended new micro, the 3rd such in a real ale town.
The Ale Station is another gem, a cross between the Middlesbrough bars and the Wigan Central waiting room style, which is quite a combination.
More cheery staff, sensible beer range and cheap prices.
And apart from a superb drop of Hawkshead Pale (NBSS 3.5), how can you beat 19th Century football photos,
and battered Bass mirrors.
You can’t, you know. Mrs RM will never understand.
We loved Chorley. With no Vans store or TK Max, I can’t claim our teenage boys shared our enthusiasm. Until I produced £11 worth of cakes.
retiredmartin 
Has your pubgoing now reached the stage of requiring nappies?
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Mrs RM is saving the world from landfill. Don’t mock (or she’ll beat me up).
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I would never mock. Have you debated the eco-unfriendly nature of the evil keykeg with her?
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Please expand, using words of one syllable !
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Because they generally just get their single use then get thrown out with the rubbish. So usually straight into landfill. Essentially just a large plastic package around their contents. The same way using imported hops is eco-unfriendly as well.
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You’ve converted Mrs RM from evil keg to Prosecco.
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I wouldn’t normally mock on this particular subject, but the thought of Mrs RM beating you up is tempting the evil bastard in me. If it happens, will somebody post a video of the attack on the internet?
The Statten Island landfill is the largest man made construction on the planet don’t you know.
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Not so much beaten, I imagine, as pelted with stale Chorley cakes from 12 yards.
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I haven’t seen a photo of Archie Pinnell in years. Great keeper.
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He certainly was. That penalty save against Glossop in 1890. Top draw.
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Great penalty save followed up by a pint of Wilson’s at the Derby Arms.
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It’s on You Tube but a bit grainy.
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If that is the Wilsons Derby Arms in Chorley you are talking about Dave,i have been in it with the wife while on a pub crawl round Chorley,i did not take a photo of it due to its name,i know this is pretty petty but when you are younger like we were at the time our hate for Derby ran deep and still does to this day.
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You make me laugh.
Just read your new post and retweeted the link to it by the way.
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What’s funny Alan is I pulled the pub and brewer off of a site of 1890s breweries. Is this place actually still there or are you pulling my leg??
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Wow. Matched addresses and I think that is the same pub.
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Is that the West Bromwich crawl,if so thanks for that Martin.
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Yes it was. Some folk on Twitter amazed by your consumption, and that was a fairly low key crawl !
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Alan, hatred of Derby County is perfectly acceptable. Have they paid out for the transfer of Andy Oakes from the Mighty Tigers yet? I presume that both they and Bunchcliffe are guilty.
Bob Inn is a wonderful pun, I just hope that the landlord is called Bob or there is some other connection. It only works if it isn’t contrived.
Thank you Martin for the hint on the bakery stall on the market, I will remember that. I have never had Chorley cakes in the correct town, although I once had them after being told off for requesting Eccles cakes thinking they would be the local cake of choice in a Rammy bakers. I think Chorley is the better cake, having found the bakers closed when I visited Eccles and having to visit a pound bakery. A think I’ll even get a Ib of biscuits for the train home.
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It would undoubtedly mean that the beer was a shilling a pint.
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Huzzah!
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Regarding the Derby Arms Dave i would never pull your leg,i leave that up to Martin to do.
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Ha ha
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Yes the West Bromwich crawl was very low key as i had to save myself for a night out in Nottingham with the wife,that is why i did’nt have a drink in Birmingham before getting the train back to Nottingham,a man can only drink so much as you well know Martin.
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I always understood that most Chorley FC players supped in the British Oak on Pall Mall until its demolition ; the Sebastapol on the road to Coppull was another pub of choice. The “Green Man Still” was another footballing pub.
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