Go on. Guess the beer at the foot of the photo. I caught up with the Beer & Pubs Posse at the Old Vic. Instinctive I want to add an “e”, but it’s not that sort of boozer. Forget Spoons, this is the real drinkers pub; its City Arms, or Hare & Hounds, or Railway.… Continue reading A SOBER START IN THE OLD VIC
Month: September 2019
PRESTON : FROM FRANKFURT TO FLEETWOOD VIA FISHERGATE
Back from Chorley Thursday night back in Manchester was one of the worst in my life. And I’ve spent New Year’s Eve in Maidenhead. You’ll remember I was helping to settle young Matt in during his week in the Big City, sharing a room at Ibis Budget on the edge of Ancoats. That Thursday night,… Continue reading PRESTON : FROM FRANKFURT TO FLEETWOOD VIA FISHERGATE
COTTONING ON TO CHORLEY’S CHARMS, IS IT BAPS OR IS IT BARMS ?
The return journey from Glasgow to Manchester was uneventful, bar a succession of Spanish students sticking their phones in my recharging point and leaving them buzzing all the way to Lancaster. Come Thursday, with an arduous day out in Preston ahead, I settled on a quiet day in Chorley, capital of the bit between Bolton… Continue reading COTTONING ON TO CHORLEY’S CHARMS, IS IT BAPS OR IS IT BARMS ?
“I’M 54 IN KILMARNOCK, I’M NEVER GONNA BE THAT AGAIN”
I may well be the only UK citizen who had “Visit Kilmarnock” on their Bucket List (No.156, just after Glyndebourne). “Good luck” said Duncan, as he dropped me at the station to fend for myself. Perhaps he thought the dogs were real. New Look is much scarier. Killie might be the largest town I hadn’t… Continue reading “I’M 54 IN KILMARNOCK, I’M NEVER GONNA BE THAT AGAIN”
IT’S ALL FYNE
I have no real rules for blogging, beyond ensuring that I upset someone, hopefully someone too far away to hit me. But I reckon 400 words and ten pictures is tops. It took me over 3 years to read Moby Dick, a book that could easily have been condensed into 358 words. Back to the… Continue reading IT’S ALL FYNE
THE CHAUFFEUR
STILL on the great West Scotland Wander of a fortnight ago, I pause to congratulate Duncan on his excellent driving and commentary on the lesser-known Rural Killie Pub Krawl. With limited underground stations or landing spaces for private jets, pubbing in North Ayrshire is a challenge. You can see the success of my late August… Continue reading THE CHAUFFEUR
DANCING ROUND THE MAYBOLE
The only thing missing from Tuesday’s dash round Greater Paisley was a chance to appreciate the many cultural attractions that Scotland has to offer. So when Duncan offered a more leisurely trip on Wednesday to tackle tricky Ayrshire, I was determined to play the tourist card. “What’s in Maybole, Duncan ?” “Oh, nothing, nothing. Though… Continue reading DANCING ROUND THE MAYBOLE
AUGUST ’19 STOCKTAKE + SEPTEMBER PREVIEW
I was just wondering why I hadn’t seen BRAPA’s August review when I realised I hadn’t done one myself. Membership of the GBG Tickers Society requires this monthly return on progress. I do have the minor excuses of being stuck in a field, in Dorset, at the start of the month. End of the Road… Continue reading AUGUST ’19 STOCKTAKE + SEPTEMBER PREVIEW
TEN TICK TUESDAY – A PAISLEY PUB CHASE
It was, of course, spectacularly kind of Pubmeister to taxi me around his own patch on my Scottish West Coaster, and Bing Maps reveals he drove 3 hours to help me make this a Ten Tick Tuesday. And his driving is certainly better than BRAPA’s. The only downside is the tinge of guilt I felt,… Continue reading TEN TICK TUESDAY – A PAISLEY PUB CHASE
JOIN THE PUB TICKERS AND SEE THE WORLD (WELL, RENFREWSHIRE)
I’m just back from the new Cambridge Brew Dog, where the cask was off and I was too early for the 8% Imperial Coconut Porter. Now I feel refreshed and ready for more GBG19-to-20 cross ticking and some distant memories of the Scottish jaunt. "And then I met up with Duncan Mackay and remember very… Continue reading JOIN THE PUB TICKERS AND SEE THE WORLD (WELL, RENFREWSHIRE)
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