I’m afraid the title is the best thing about this post from a frustrating afternoon in industrial Notts. Alan Winfield would have appreciated it, albeit horrified by the unfettered growth in micros.
After Manchester I spent 3 days throwing things away while Mrs RM did company accounts and tax returns. She was ready for an afternoon out in Kinky Kimberley (TIC can have that one for free) by Saturday. Frankly, anyone who’s ready for an afternoon in IKEA between Christmas and New Year has suspect judgement.
“I’ll only need an hour in IKEA” said Mrs RM. Yeah right.
Our first trip to Kimbers for more than a decade, but we used to stay here regularly before the Great Hardy & Hansons sell-out scuppered the GBG chances of some great boozers. They don’t like Greedy King round here; check old copies of Nottingham Drinker and see what I mean.
It may be industrial along the A610, but there’s still a great deal of character.
Then I came across another new micro. It’ll be in the GBG come September 15th, no doubt, but I didn’t have the heart for pre-emptive ticks.
I stopped to see the remains of the brewery,
and the Nelson and Railway that was a GBG regular till you-know-what.
Apparently, Castle Rock can do no wrong though.
It’s a lovely, bustling community pub, with a real mix of folk at tea-time (4pm) including gin tasters and families.
“Ahh, a proper bitterrrrr” said Old Boy about the Brew York. so I had that.
It was OK, tasty but lacking a bit of condition, but the pub was an ideal way to follow the Saturday 3pm FA Cup ties. All 3 of them.
So what about the micro then ? Looked fantastic.
It was closed. Here’s the What Pub link, you try finding out when they’re open.
Open when you like, folks, tell us when you’re closed. That’s all I ever ask.
(Awaits someone telling me they were open with all the lights turned off).
It started drizzling as I headed back to IKEA.
retiredmartin 
The bollards are obviously to save parking spaces for the regulars’ mobility scotters.
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What a downer. The ticker’s nightmare and know you would have checked any social media presence in advance. What did the sign on the door say? Hope you managed a few others on the day.
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I didn’t see any signs on the door. There was a closed gate before you got to the entrance. Sent them a message via Facebook (only reason I joined FB was to access pub opening times); no response yet. But it’s FUN Duncan !
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I see no apostrophe in MINERS RETURN.
Is that a micropub’s signage done on the cheap ?
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Maybe it’s an instruction, not a description?
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Ah, yes, as Kimberley’s coal mine reopens.
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Hardy & Hansons; sadly missed. I can remember taking a train out to Buxton, from Manchester, just to sample their delectable bitter.
I’m not sure it was all Greene King’s doing though, as the H&H directors apparently jumped at the offer when the boys from Bury-St-Edmund came knocking.
Nice to see the brewery is still standing. It looks in remarkably good condition from your photo.
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You’re right, think the Stafford Paul may have mentioned the saga recently. But read local CAMRA and all hating is of GK. They made a good job of Olde Trip and the Christmas beer, to be fair.
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I was surprised, when I moved to the Peak how much antagonism still festers about GK particularly amongst those who were around for H&H. Don’t like to mention that I was partial to a pint of Abbot at the Green Man at Sandridge.
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Still partial to a pint of Abbot, particularly if selling fast.
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Wickingman,
But surely the antagonism should have been towards the H and H directors who needlessly sacrificed a profitable company.
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Too right. No-one forced them to sell (did they ?). And acquisition and merger is key to progress. Otherwise, we’d never have had the Romans.
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– and then none of our roads would be straight and pub to pub would take you more time.
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ps. Forgot to add that Mrs PBT’s is also up to her neck in tax returns and assorted accounts.
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Are those traffic cones there for students at the end of the night? Very progressive if so…
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““I’ll only need an hour in IKEA” said Mrs RM. Yeah right.”
At least she didn’t drag you along with her. 🙂
“Exciting looking micro with bollards”
Of course I initially read that as ‘bollocks’. 😉
“and the Nelson and Railway that was a GBG regular till you-know-what.”
Not a bloody clue.
“with a real mix of folk at tea-time (4pm) ”
Over here folk are allowed to start a round of golf earlier than that. 🙂
“All 3 of them.”
Obviously they are all colluding to heighten the suspense.
“It started drizzling as I headed back to IKEA.”
Just like it does in the films. 🙂
Cheers
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You-know-what is the 2007 smoking ban Russ.
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Oops (blush). I should have known that!
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You need to read more Pub Curmudgeon.
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