A motley collection of photos from New Mills, home to the second of our trio of modern micros.
Charles and I pressed on without the good company of Paul, though with a photo of his legendary map for company.
The walk along the Peak Forest Canal is surprisingly flat, but compensates with views quite scary to residents of East Dereham and Greater Waterbeach.
We enjoyed striding past a group of youngsters at Lower Greenshall Lane, though had to relinquish our lead to answer nature’s call a few yards on.
Industrial New Mills, a scruffy but lovely town, welcomed us at dusk.
I’ve written before about my love for the town, which seemed exotic to a 32 year old Fen Boy back in 1997, with its mills and fading Robinson’s liveries.
Who could have dreamt back in 1997 that New Mills would get its own micropub with fine wines, Havana cigars and plants in a bike basket ?
You’re not in Herne now, Tonto.
Another micro aiming at a wider appeal than “blokes in their 50s“.
But with a more beery focus that Malt Disley.
Quite a good atmosphere, really, and decent enough Brass Castle (NBSS 3), though you’d have guessed that.
The problem is purely size. This is where Charles and I had to sit.
Better than standing ?
Possibly. I couldn’t feel comfortable, anyway.
Charles made best friends with the couple precariously perched next to him, and a conversation about cat smells, rabies and Brexit ensued.
I explored the toilet, which will have its advocates, and its detractors.
Clearly a boon for the town, but you can see my issue with micropubs.
And it’s not that they’re too big.
retiredmartin 
Those metal chairs a popping up everywhere. Really uncomfortable. They must be really inexpensive for so many people to be using them.
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I guess they’re the only sort that would fit in a narrow bar like that.
Not for me, or, I suspect, you and Dick.
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I would rather stand than sit on those chairs.
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You are correct, those are not for me. I have not seen a person on one of those whose looks comfortable.
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Aye, agreed. They’re perhaps becoming the indoor answer, to the see-saw bench-table combos, which torment us in pub gardens.
Will no one allow us simple comfort, anywhere?
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No.
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“The walk along the Peak Forest Canal is surprisingly flat,”
I’m going to get in before Russ with the observations…the whole point of canals is that they’re flat…in between the bits where the locks are!
Also, no mention of the only real reason for visiting New Mills…the Swizzels sweet factory!
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Apart from the obvious example of the St Lawrence Seaway, do they have canals in Canada?
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Google Rideau Canal!
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Ooh, that’s impressive John. Never heard of it. Thanks
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I grew up the other side of Stockport and fondly remember that we always used to get a large sack of sweets donated by Swizzels to our school events! (and not even in return for getting into a strange man’s car…)
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You can thank the Luftwaffe for that, bombing them out of their East London factory in 1940 and sending them to a disused wick factory in New Mills.
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Interesting, didn’t know that!
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Did you know, that the hat tax, or hat duty, was a tax levied by the British Government from 1784 to 1811 on men’s hats. The tax was introduced during the first ministry of Pitt the Younger and was designed to be a simple way of raising revenue for the government in a rough accordance with each person’s relative wealth. It was supposed that the rich would have a large number of expensive hats, whereas the poor might have one cheap hat or none at all.
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Reg,
On our Proper Days Out we often get folk from Luton, now resident in Sheffield, and Stockport.
I’m quite sure they could tell you a thing or two about hats.
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Sir, with respect, drawing from my vast, though admittedly unresolved catalogue, of general know-it-all, facts of interest etcetera, corroborated – corroboree – a sacred or warlike assembly of aboriginals – may I remind you of the exploits of one William Barker of Manchester? In the 1890s, Billy cleared a canal thirty-five feet wide, making a running jump, jack-knifing into a second, to land, perfectly dry, on the other side. My inventory of hat-related facts is similarly detailed, but I would be grateful for any further information kindly supplied by your friends.
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Jimmy Swizzel, the Oldham manager?
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Oh, Pete, surely you know me better than that 😉
Fairly sure we walked past Swizzels but shut 😕
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If you thought that had no space, wait till Accidental Brewery in Lancaster gets in the 2020 GBG
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Sounds great 😕
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It’s a nice walk along the tow-path of the Peak Forest canal. It reminds me of a previous life when I lived in Romiley.
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Didn’t know that, though I knew you were in Salford. Honorary Stopfordian, nearly.
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I only resided in Romiley for a short six month period – post university.
A nice little town, with several Robbie’s pubs. One of my aunts still lives there.
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More white subway tiles !
Anyhow,nice to see Nicola Sturgeon venturing that far south …
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White subway tiles behind the bar a sign of craft.
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A “whichever ” toilet fills me with dread -there are reasons that ladies like their own loo.A 1 toilet micro pub is not ideal -the Cellars in Maidstone has a very fine ladies loo complete with individual towels for hand drying -we can be civilised in The Stone occasionally !
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I haven’t yet managed a visit to the Cellars. I must rectify that soon.
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Best in Winter really,as it is a bit sad to be in a cellar when the sun is shining no matter how good the beer is ! Can’t vouch for the quality of the Gents though !
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The feeling is mutual, Pauline ;-0
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A beer connoisseur from the north
Would travel all day on a horse
In rain sleet or hail
For Export Pale Ale
In a pub with Humphrey’s rules in force
But it’s a John Smiths not a Sam Smiths beer mat so I had best stick to the day job !
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That opening picture is an absolute classic…Charles looks intrigued
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He’s Scottish.
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Ah right 😉
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“…Though he’d rather have cask Bass, of course.”
Those wall-mounted tables are probably the smallest such surfaces I’ve ever seen! “I’d like to set down my packet of crisps here but alas, there’s no room.” But I suppose they’d say they’ve got no choice, given the limitations of space?
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I’m really not criticising them, any more tan I’d criticise Champagne. I just like space to swing a cat (not the pub cat).
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