
I was going to skip the next post and get on to the St Albans crawl, but frankly that may be a longer read than the EU Withdrawal “Deal” so here’s a quick one from the new capital of cask. I know some of you can’t sleep for the worry that I may have got out of chronological order.
I was hoping to do the Oxford as part of a proper Rochdale crawl, but there’s just too many pubs still to tick in Greater Manchester for that diversion.
Lest the Tand think I’m being sarcastic, the Dale has a recent National Pub of the Year (Baum), another contender so good it’s got Cloudwater cask on (Flying Horse), a Heritage classic (Cemetery Hotel), a cracking Spoons and more Sam Smiths pubs than even Alan could have managed in an evening.
I tipped up at the Oxford at Halloween (2018, in case you wondered).
Not that you’d have known.

The north of town has had a fair few dining pubs in the Guide back before “Gastro” was invented by Jamie in 1997, the Baum and Healey standing out.
The Oxford was packed with munchers ordering chips with everything, but was jolly and welcoming as I made the only possible choice from the little cask list.

That Moorhouses was cool and frothy, an easy NBSS 3. ROB CAMRA rarely get it wrong.
If I go again I can have one of these Argentinian beers with a funny label.

Pleasant pub to add to the Dale collection. And if you get bored, you can always search for Cyril Smith in this classic Spotland photo in the Gents;
Please don’t mock the homeless – “Totten-ham”.
Which will be ready first – the 2019 GBG or White Hart Lane ?
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2022 GBG (2019 is already out, before the pedants point that out).
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That is what comes of commenting after consuming a gallon of Saltaire Cascade (4.8 per cent) at £1.99 per pint.
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I like a man who knows a bargain when he sees one ;-o
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Tim has got flyers in his branches advertising price reductions from 29 March, assuming that we do actually leave the EU as planned.
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Cyril – not watching the football and bending down in front of the other bloke on the front row…what’s my prize!
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Being the winner. That’s the prize.
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Rochdale has had some good entries over the years. Not been to this one yet. Brilliant photo of Spotland. Your geographical range is expanding well so early in the Guide season.
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It doesn’t look packed from your photos?
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Loads of families dining so had to be careful with shots. Must have been two dozen in with lots more at the door as I left.
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“ROB CAMRA rarely get it wrong.” We try!
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Oh and Cloudwater not Coldwater.
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Ta. I think I called it Bluewater once so I’m getting closer ;-o
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“and more Sam Smiths pubs than even Alan could have managed in an evening.”
(chuckle)
“What’s wrong with “Gents””
No one leaves? Who do they think they are, Hotel California?
“That Moorhouses was cool and frothy,”
Makes sense to have a Witchfinder General on Halloween. 😉
“Proper beer label”
I can’t decide if that’s a takeoff of Picasso or Japanese Anime.
Cheers
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