Richard loved West Dorset, and CAMRA magazines, so this next post is for him. Quite what he’d have made of the Rose & Crown in Longburton I can only guess. The village is strung out along the A352 on its meandering way down toward the Cerne Abbas Giant, a giant who clearly drank Draught Bass.… Continue reading GIANT DONGLE

I was really saddened to hear of the death of Richard Coldwell today. Our favourite stroppy Yorkshireman has been great company over many pub crawls since I first met him at his excellent local beer fest in Clifford 3 years ago. He was great company, and I’m missing him enormously already. We should have been… Continue reading RICHARD

Back to those pubs you seem to want me to write about, even if I just bung the half of pond water into the plants. I bet you’re already looking above for suitable pots, aren’t you? Sadly for you, the White Horse at Hinton St Mary (pop. 307, average age 73) was top-notch. I arrived… Continue reading GETTING HAIRY IN HINTON ST. MARY

Another day, another trip down to Dorset, another chance to walk through timeless Shaftesbury without BRAPA whining he needs the loo. I see the locals have already erected a statue of the angelic Simon after his February visit. No red carpet for me on my quick stop for flat white in ever excellent Coffee #1,… Continue reading HOVIS

Because you’re worth it (you’re not) a bonus post from boring Buckinghamshire, courtesy of Mrs RM’s glamarous IT job. Hurrah! According to the Great Spreadsheet, I’d never been to a pub in Chalfont before. The posh area north of Uxbridge on the A413 is a bit of a mystery, though presumably it’ll be a regular… Continue reading WHAT’S GOING FASTEST IN CHALFONT ST. PETER?

Back to my favourite subjects. Cask quality, Spoons and those CAMRA discounts we’ve been fighting so hard for since 1971. The Resolution is very much the 3rd Spoons in Middlesbrough, the one that never makes the Beer Guide, the one the ladies singing “I Touch Myself” move onto at 11pm. As you can see, it’s… Continue reading SPOONS CASK WOE GOES ON AND ON

A night out in Middlesbrough. You Southerners (south of Stoke) don’t know what you’re missing. Great architecture, overlooked Art Deco masterpieces, and inflatable sheep. No new Guide pubs in ‘Boro for a while, the micro boom of 2014-16 has subsided. BUT your CAMRA membership not only allows you to enter pointless arguments about broccoli on… Continue reading BACK IN PARMOLAND FOR KARAOKE

From the charm and sophistication of Somerset to the charm and sophistication of Middlesbrough in one swift seven hour detour up the A1. I’d been away from the True North for too long. At least a week. First time in Guisborough since 2006, when we travelled from Whitby for what Michael Winner would have called… Continue reading A MONK IN GUISBOROUGH

The last pub on my first excursion of the Summer into Zummerzet had been on my list for years. A short hop from Taunton, a safe distance from the terrors of Bridgwater, tucked into the Blackdown Hills, home of 97 year old landladies and Otter. I hoped I might get Otter in the Lamb and… Continue reading CIDER & SKITTLES

Enough of this live blogging from Manhattan. Back to the knitting. Chucking duff halves of Otter in plant pots in Somerset. Note the exclusive video evidence. It gets a bit dull after 5 seconds, as I forgot to turn off the camera, but you get the idea. Hands up who knew where Somerton is? I’m… Continue reading SECRET GARDENS FOR BEER CHUCKING