I still get people commenting on this blog about how unlucky I am to go loads of rubbish pubs when I could just go to the Maypole/Cambridge Blue/Petersgate Tap all the time and drink great beer in convivial surroundings. Where’s the fun in that ? I love the variety of pubs that gets in the… Continue reading “THERE YA GO, CHUCK”
Month: February 2018
HYDE-ING FROM HAIL IN LYMM
Enough of the southern softies with their Peroni and rugger; back up north for a few ticks before chips and City. Into Lymm, famed as the place where BRAPA insulted the locals by asking whether the village was in Greater Manchester. I visited the location where Simon was sacrificed to the God of Proper Counties.… Continue reading HYDE-ING FROM HAIL IN LYMM
CHICKEN WINGS & CHER CDs IN ABINGDON
A last Oxon tick before the big city centre crawl later this month, and another chance to reassess Abingdon, surely the Newbury of the North. The Morland livery, Abbey grounds and town museum are highlights of a modest town with much to be modest about, as someone once said. But I like modest towns that… Continue reading CHICKEN WINGS & CHER CDs IN ABINGDON
LONGWORTH – OTTERS AND OVAL BALLS
For real #PubMen, there’s only one thing worse than the Christmas drinker. And that’s the “Six Nation Sozzlers”, who turn (mainly) Home Counties pubs into Hell for six weeks at the start of Spring. Just ask BRAPA. Due to UK discrimination laws, I’m not allowed to exclude Rugby Union fans from this blog, but know… Continue reading LONGWORTH – OTTERS AND OVAL BALLS
A HEARTFELT PLEA IN BESSELS LEIGH
All my favourites in this one. Brunning & Price non-pubs, geographical labelling errors, jam jars with rubber stoppers, real ale fails, and polite society. See, Oxfordshire does do pub drama. Obscure Oxfordshire, too. A hamlet with not much more than a pub. The Greyhound is in Bessels Leigh on the map, Besselsleigh on What Pub,… Continue reading A HEARTFELT PLEA IN BESSELS LEIGH
A PINTLESS POTTER ROUND PYMOOR
The burst of posts recently may lead you to believe there’s no such thing as a dry day in the retiredmartin house, but don’t be fooled. Three dry days a week minimum, and no drinking bottles at home stronger than Tactical Nuclear Penguin. So here’s a walk in the Sunday sun through the dullest… Continue reading A PINTLESS POTTER ROUND PYMOOR
“BANTER & PINTS” IN ENGLEFIELD GREEN
Another year, another trip to Englefield Green, for a fourth GBG pub in a village you’ve never heard of. Don’t lie, you’ve never heard of it, though the legions of beer “tickers” (ugh !) will no doubt be familiar with Egham and its infamous United Services Club with a gazillion different hoppy beers to taste.… Continue reading “BANTER & PINTS” IN ENGLEFIELD GREEN
CHEER UP CHERTSEY, WE’RE GOING DOWN THE PUB
A desperate attempt to weave Sham 69 into a blog post set only a few miles from Hersham, but these are desperate times. And Chertsey has an air of desperation the lovely church can’t dispel. EVERYONE in the main streets was wearing an office lanyard and a worn-down expression as they collected their meal deal… Continue reading CHEER UP CHERTSEY, WE’RE GOING DOWN THE PUB
A WEARY WALK FROM WALTON-ON-THAMES TO THE WEIR
There’s a sort of GBG completists code of conduct, alluded to in Boak & Bailey’s article on Guide ticking weirdos in the new BEER. I hope you like the photo of me. Mainly, Duncan will alert Simon and myself to a micro pub that changed (reduced) its opening hours, or an impending local festival at… Continue reading A WEARY WALK FROM WALTON-ON-THAMES TO THE WEIR
STAINES – HARD TO BEAT
A bit of a shift from cute Cotswolds to (figuratively speaking) surly Surrey next. For the pubber, Surrey tends to group into 4 main headings; Stockbroker suburbs to the north (Englefield and Epsom) – Brunning & Price land Grittier “Real” towns (Staines, Woking) – Courage pubs run for Chelsea fans Surrey hills village pubs… Continue reading STAINES – HARD TO BEAT
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