This blogging lark is a doddle. Visit a pub, take photos surreptitiously, keep a running gag about pashminas going, and hope against hope for a witty pun or an “Out of Order” condom machine.
Ashton-in-Makerfield was always going to let me down on the pashminas, even in the Wetherspoons.
Though the potholes give some opportunities for alliteration.
And as for Proper Pubs, are there some potential pre-emptives ?
But I’m here to finish Greater Manchester GBG18 at the Caledonian.
I’m not here to reignite geographical arguments (see: Stockport), but surely Wigan & St Helens deserves its own Guide chapter, having cleared up at the CAMRA Pub of the Year awards ?
There’s something about a redbrick Tetley Walker hotel that really appeals, whatever you think of the Tets.
Let’s enter, shall we ?
It’s the sort of beer range I like. There was an Adnams as well, lurking somewhere.
- What would you do ? I didn’t
The welcome was as great as you expect in Greater Wigan, the Landlady telling me about the joys of marking the locals’ football predictions.
Scarily, the chaps in the main bar were actually watching the Gooners v Hammers match, and discussing the finer points. “That Harry Kane, ‘ees no good“.
It was a rubbish match (sorry Mr Protz), but a creamy and satisfying Tetley. Rubbish glass, nearly as bad as the Adnams one.
It’s always a joy to visit a proper community pub new to the Guide, rather than a square box with high tables and over-hopped bangers.
And the pub itself is rather gorgeous.
A northern pub without toilet humour isn’t a real northern pub, of course.
The best possible way to finish Gtr Manc, with “Sledgehammer” booming out and Wilshere whining about something or other. But I hope they get their machine fixed soon.
And finally, apropos of nothing, a photo from the shopping centre. I reckon that covers all your possible shopping needs.
retiredmartin 
What a beauty. Not the casino-looking ‘spoons, but the Caledonian. And Tetleys cask.. I’ve not had it since they closed their Leeds brewery, but it surely reminds me of better days. Maybe not the kind of beer to seek out at a beer festival, but it somehow fits well in a pub like the Caledonian.
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Yes, fits well is right. It’s not great, to be honest, and I like Banks’s brews.
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Tetley’s is crap. A brand name perpetuated only by the mass producer of brand name beers that is Marston’s. Okay Banks is reasonable if you like these types of beers, but Tetley’s? Lord give me strength, Tetley’s hasn’t been the same since, probably the late eighties, and once they closed the brewery it ceased to exist other than in name only, and isn’t that what Martson’s PLC specialise in these days – name only beers.
Oh … and Tetley Walker? I tried it once, as a very young man when I first went to Liverpool, thinking it was the real Mccoy. Oh dear. How sad. Never mind. Straight into the Greenall Shitleys category – not to be touched unless absolutely necessary. And unfortunately it was necessary back then when nearly all the pubs were tied one brewery, two cask beers if you were lucky, pubs.
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As I said on Twitter, the photo looking into the room with bench seating and a sign saying “All Children to be Off the Premises” is, to me, a vision of pub heaven 😀
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We disagree on children in pubs in many ways, but setting an early evening limit is entirely sensible. Children ought to be home playing Minecraft on their PCs by 7pm.
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Shouldn’t they have jobs in the local curryhouse preparing your post-pub repast?
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I like the sign, but surely they misspelled the word “twildren.” 😉
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At the Jenny Lind in Hastings there is a big sign by the door that says: “Well behaved children are welcome on the premises until 7.00pm. We request that they are seated at a table and are supervised at all times as we cannot be held responsible for their safety”. I suggest that all those that insist on bringing their kids to the pub visit the nearest Weatherspoon where I’m sure there’s a children’s play area and a kids menu.
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For a moment I thought I was going to have to check to see if “shore” was accepted spelling for “sure” in the UK.
Morton, I do not remember that sign at the Jenny Lind. I hope I have a picture of it.
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Please make that Morten.
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I do have a photo. It is by the left entry door. You don’t see too many signs like that these days.
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It looks the perfect place for RedNev to drown his sorrows after Labour failed to deliver any knockout punches in yesterday’s local elections.
My first ever pint of beer was Tetleys served by a Northern barmaid who some weeks later also provided another first for me.
But the last time I tasted Tetleys it was terrible.
I hope the barmaid has aged better but by this stage she’s probably a glamorous granny.
To the regiment !
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The barmaid provided you with a taster, I guess ? Tasters are evil.
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When a bar advertises a Jam night these days, is it when the locals choose the bar top container ales will be displayed in for the next season?
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I think it’s when they actually drink the contents of those jars, accompanied by cubes of cheese on sticks.
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No pineapple hedgehogs?
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Which Tetley Bitter is best? I’m led to believe it’s brewed in either Northampton, Hartlepool or Wolverhampton.
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It’s a blend of the 3 in a big vat in the old Mansfield Brewery in, er, Mansfield.
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What a great pub – classic red brick architecture and some very nice cornices, mouldings etc…
Even the children sign seems like something out of the 50s..
Is the lack of an NBSS for the Tetley’s Cask beer intentional? I’m guessing at least a 3+ from your description?
I’m all for resurrecting the old beers on cask…perhaps we could start a campaign for it?…CAMRA – campaign for resurrected ales….sounds good to me…
…first up Toby Bitter….
….or Greenalls Local Bitter….
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NBSS 3 – good reminder for whne I get round to scoring. Yum, Toby Light.
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Top looking boozer ..was jam night Paul Weller tribute or blues?? Did you know the clash sang a song about rubber johnnies on their first album? Protect Blue! A great tune as it happens
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Jam night was strawberry.
You are a fount of knowledge, you 😉
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All of which is utterly useless
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Typo should be Protex Blue
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Protect Blue sounds much more appropriate.
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