Can there be a more attractively located place than Atherton, the jewel in the “bit between Wigan and Bolton“. Note “Dangerous Corner”, an area reserved for BRAPA comfort breaks, and Gin Pit, an area reserved for BRAPA after 6 pints. The mining towns between A580 and M61 (“58061 AM”) are largely corkers, though Tyldesley tended… Continue reading “SHE BELIEVES IN ME” – KARAOKE IN ATHERTON
Month: December 2019
THE DRUGS DON’T WORK IN ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD
Sometimes I feel like the luckiest lad in the world, until I remind myself I can only name one Van Halen track (“Walk this way“) and am therefore culturally redundant. On Sunday I got a haircut from the lad which was almost worth the cost of his barbering course, and then set off for Woollybackland.… Continue reading THE DRUGS DON’T WORK IN ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD
“YOU CHOOSE”
A dull photo to end Northamptonshire for another year, but don’t be fooled. The Crown in West Haddon is yet another gem in the county to stand alongside the mighty Duke’s Arms in Burton Latimer and the Piper in Kettering, which I insist I get to take BRAPA to. Plain, bustling, welcoming village pubs are… Continue reading “YOU CHOOSE”
LONG BUCKBY, M’DUCK
I loved the Badger’s Arms in Long Buckby, and I know BRAPA will too. How can you resist a place run by a Mr Badger (or indeed, Mr. A. Badger). They’ve even opened a railway station half a mile down the road for Si’s visit in in 2027. I covered Buckby three years ago, and… Continue reading LONG BUCKBY, M’DUCK
BRIDGE OVER UNTROUBLED CHARWELTON
Blimey, I’m catching up a bit. In fact, I’m about to put Northamptonshire to bed, the best place for it. Award yourself a half of Doom Bar if you knew where Charwelton is. “Daventry” is close enough. Not quite Clun, but I was able to stand in the middle of the A361 to take this… Continue reading BRIDGE OVER UNTROUBLED CHARWELTON
IN (CHESTERTON) CLUBLAND
Last month I visited 32 pubs (out of 88 in total) that weren’t new GBG ticks, a pathetically unprofessional effort. And here’s one of them, the NCI Club in the tight terraces of north Cambridge (Chesterton, to be precise, which I rarely am), just north of Christ’s Pieces. Quite what a Sports and Social Club… Continue reading IN (CHESTERTON) CLUBLAND
A PINT, A CURRY, “YMCA” – LEICESTER COMPLETE
Part 2 of our 2 part Leicester thriller starts with an amble across town to a small pub at the station. On the way I tried to persuade Charles into the Ale Wagon, but I’m afraid he’s a delicate flower and walked past. Now, a small (I assumed) pub at the station run by a… Continue reading A PINT, A CURRY, “YMCA” – LEICESTER COMPLETE
LEICESTER LICKED IN THE LION
Last time I did a proper crawl in Leicester the city was on an all-time high. A local CAMRA leaflet had brought in tickers in their millions, an ill-advised merger between Leicester Tigers and Hull Tigers had been averted, and the Ale Wagon had started selling craft Prosecco from a help-yourself wall mount. Or perhaps… Continue reading LEICESTER LICKED IN THE LION
WIGGING OUT IN WIGSTON
WiFi gone rubbish again, so this little post comes to you via the Manchester tram from Eccles. Wigston is only a mile west of Oadby, three south of Leicester, and shares those unique characteristics of small Leicestershire towns. Yes, a Spoons and a micropub in a shopping precinct. No Bass here. Or bingo. Charles still… Continue reading WIGGING OUT IN WIGSTON
“TWENTY-SEVEN, OADBY HEAVEN”
Oadby ? Yes, Oadby ? 2 miles south of Leicester, venue for my last big outing in November. A first trip out with Curry Charles since the dhansak and Rochefort 8 in Earls Court in June, an awfully long time ago. June in fact. I had five GBG pubs to complete Leicestershire on Sunday, plus… Continue reading “TWENTY-SEVEN, OADBY HEAVEN”
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