Five points for the musical reference. Despite responding positively to complaints from CAMRA members about being too cheap and ubiquitous by putting their prices up and closing more pubs than they open, arguments about Wetherspoons continue to be the source of much joy in the blogging world. Or on CAMRA Discourse, anyway. I haven’t… Continue reading SQUEEZING OUT SPOONS
Month: December 2017
ASTERIX IN WHELPLEY HILL
A last trip to my least favourite county in the Guide, but at least now it’s over ’till next September. BRAPA is taking an alphabetical approach to the Beer Guide, which means the poor sod has to finish off the whole of Bucks before he moves on to the, er, glories of rural Cambridgeshire. Perhaps… Continue reading ASTERIX IN WHELPLEY HILL
“PROPER PUB” BINGO IN BRENTWOOD
I really shouldn’t take the mick out of the beleagured Mrs RM on this blog, especially now her response site is in production. And she’s been great company on my trips to some fairly basic pubs of late. Brentwood ought to have some upmarket craft bar by now, you feel, but the High Street looks… Continue reading “PROPER PUB” BINGO IN BRENTWOOD
HOME FIRES STILL BURN IN WEST HANNINGFIELD
PARENTAL ADVISORY – CONTAINS NON-COMPLIANT PLOUGHAMANS Mrs RM and I have just completed the Beer Guide entries for Essex. Yesterday the pubs were all heaving with Christmas bookings, which gave us a chance to moan about the once-a-year pub goers that keep our pubs going till February. But at the end of November in wildest… Continue reading HOME FIRES STILL BURN IN WEST HANNINGFIELD
SUDS IN SALE
More of a question than a post – why is Sale so poor for pubs ? (or isn’t it ?). On the tram back from Altrincham to Deansgate we had to make what I’ll call a “Comfort Break” i.e. a pub. Where better than a Spoons in the Beer Guide. Even though I’d had my… Continue reading SUDS IN SALE
SUCCUMBING TO SAM IN ALTRINCHAM
That’s supposed to rhyme, by the way. Finally in Altrincham, and just to prove we do visit pubs that aren’t in the Beer Guide, we visited Sam Smiths’ Malt Shovels. Mainly because it gave us an excuse to admire the Alty treasure that is the “Informed Solutions of Manchester” HQ. And the equally wonderful duo… Continue reading SUCCUMBING TO SAM IN ALTRINCHAM
THIS IS HOW IT FEELS TO BE ALTY
I’m starting to catch up a bit now. Back in Manchester, and a metro trip to Altrincham, the Chorlton of the South. I’m a bit nervous saying this the day before the derby, but the tram was full of youngsters with City shirts. Travelling to Altrincham, The city is ours. What an excellent sense of… Continue reading THIS IS HOW IT FEELS TO BE ALTY
THE GREAT OXON PUB SIGN ATROCITIES
Odd to say, but I’m glad to have a break from telling you how good Sheffield is (and it is) and get back to moaning about the state of beer and pubs in Oxon on a weekend. But first, in response to countless requests, here’s that Banbury tart from the Chipping Norton post. I had… Continue reading THE GREAT OXON PUB SIGN ATROCITIES
MRS RM BLOGS FROM THE OXFORD BAR
Today the post comes courtesy of Mrs RM. A precondition of being allowed to live at retiredmartin Towers is that you produce a blog. Son 2 makes an occasional update to his metalcore site, but Son 1 has been forced to leave the house in disgrace following his failure to even start a blog… Continue reading MRS RM BLOGS FROM THE OXFORD BAR
THE VALLEY (OF BEER) RUNS DEEP
A short post on the rest of Tuesday’s return to the Valley of Beer, which proved a few points; You can get high quality beer in pubs on a Tuesday afternoon CAMRA get 92.7% of their Beer Guide selections right Sheffield is a wise choice for your University That orange scarf suits Simon The… Continue reading THE VALLEY (OF BEER) RUNS DEEP
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