NO HYDE-ING PLACE

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24th January 2020

I’d still intended to pop along to the Manc Beer Fest after a couple of halves, but a couple of things derailed my plans.

First, a hideously calorific plateful of gunk selected by Matt at Archie’s in the Arndale. Now the lad has left the Royal Family he needs to earn a living making cheesy chips, I guess.

archies
Please, no more

And then a smoke signal from the east letting me know that the Tweed Tap in Hyde was open.

Now every year we tickers have a few new entries we called TLOs (tricky little sods) which either open daft times, close due to neighbours complaints, or have just unfathomable hours.

Two previous attempts by other tickers to breach those Hyde defences as smoothly as an 1887 Preston inside forward had failed.

I just sent them a Facebook message.

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See, it’s that simple.

Even better, I could catch the rattler from Victoria towards Marple, hop off at Hyde, grab a quick half and get back on the train half an hour later. The joys of breaking your journey. Is breaking your journey ever NOT allowed ?

Hyde

Sadly, the pictures on the Tweed Tap Facebook page are not entirely representative.

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Hyde is a solid east Manchester Cheshire town, the Leigh of the south (sorry), with some proper red brick and cheap biscuits in the market.

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Oooh, nice tiling.

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Tiling porn

No time to stand and admire, only 22 minutes to neck a half and walk the seven minutes back to the station when I finally found the Tap, which is now Tapless having sold the microbrewery.

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Actual sign outside the micro

Now I don’t know about you, but table football (on another tables) spells Proper Pub to me.

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Is it art ?

Loads going on here, though sadly I’d missed Tracey’s birthday party by a week.

“You know it’s stout, don’t you ?” said the jovial landlord as I inexplicably opted for a pint of the Prospect,

I didn’t, but I’ll drink anything.

It was marvellous, a silky rich NBSS 4.5, the beer of the year. And I NEVER lie about NBSS.

There was a touch of Wigan’s cheery Blundell’s Café Bar about it; oddly that one has a mural of Venice even though it’s in Wigan. What can it mean ?

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Lovably odd

Astonishing beer apart, it’s just a community bar, playing “All In All” by Joyce Sims and with couple of City fans chatting real ale and ridiculous football pricing.

I loved it so much, I suddenly realised I had six minutes before the train to Marple. Could I make it ?

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

8 thoughts on “NO HYDE-ING PLACE”

  1. “Beer of the year”! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you crown a beer with that distinction before, it must have been a very fine sup indeed. Then again, judging by how you administrate your list of Top 100 Pubs, perhaps you allow yourself 17 beers of the year. 😉

    There must be a special feeling of satisfaction when you get to one of those places with super limited opening hours. Probably hard to resist pointing a finger in the publican’s face just before leaving the place. “You thought you could best me. Yeah, but I won in the end. I WON, DO YOU HEAR ME?!”

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      1. How about asking them what is the point of running a business which is never open? Even more so, a business in the hospitality sector.

        There’s nothing very hospitable about a bar that’s only open every third Tuesday when there isn’t an “r” in the month!

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      2. Totally agree.

        This place felt more community bar and it’s possible the sale of their shortlived microbrewery had caused some issues not apparent from their Facebook.

        For some micros it is very much a second job, a hobby some would say.

        It’s the uncertainty rather than the hours themselves that irritates 🤔

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  2. Popped in here on the way to Hyde United v Grantham Town as the wood bar was down to dregs and completely sold out at 4pm despite an increase of 50% from the previous years order.

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      1. £7 as I was 65 in December 😀. £10 regular and £1 extra to sit. Two little old ladies in a Swiss chalet style hut in the corner of the ground were serving burgers etc and a delicious homemade chicken soup with bread for £2.50p you don’t get that at City.
        £5 yesterday at Truro to see Farnborough lose a mighty fine game to the league leaders.
        Yes it’s hard work having fun 😜

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