It’s been wonderful seeing young and old packing out Sheffield pub gardens, confounding the doubters, but now it’s time to get ticking that Beer Guide before the next Lockdown. Folk may be nostalgic for a proper Lockdown by July.
Let’s take the train to Barnsley, home to TWO (2) new ticks. What riches !
The afternoon train towards Huddersfield is half-full, another good sign. The next day I heard the radio ad for Barnsley Town centre and it all made sense.
The transport interchange is a building site, with loads of signs saying “Not this way !”, “No, not Queen St either” and “Take the Red pill”. But you can see how futuristic it all is now.
My first time in this lovely, gritty town since 2017, when it hosted Question Time and Isabelle Oakeshott failed to gain admission to Barnsley’s new micropub (or the Conservative Club with its GBG-friendly Wobbly Bob) afterwards.
Our youngest son has been planning a trip to enjoy the town’s famous nightlife as normality returns, though I’m unsure what counts as normality in Barnsley.
On New Year’s Eve 1995 in Piccolos Mrs RM was offered a Cinzano Coffee instead of the duller Baileys option. Craft indeed.
The town lives for the weekend, like a rarely heard Gary Moore lyric, so Thursday afternoon isn’t the best time to appreciate its charms, but I’ll try.
It’s stunning, the Town Hall more glorious than the Taj Mahal, the cobbled streets and blossoms a rival for York or Chester.
Let the doubters doubt, regular readers will know I’m telling the truth.
Sadly, my first new tick in the glossy Gateway project is unexpectedly closed, of which more later.
But I’m not downcast, following a trail of spotless Old Town gardens to Palm Street.
Where I find this..
retiredmartin 
…thus narrowly escaping a Gin Bar for a pint(s) of John Smiths Smooth. Win-Win!
Be interesting to see how attractive pubs become during this weeks mini-monsoon. I’m determined to find somewhere dry on Thursday this week, but can’t decide where yet. Probably not Barnsley though, in fact (and you’ve never thought of this one I’ll wager) I’ve given Barnsley the Chop!
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Bright 🔆 here Mark. I’ve no idea what rain is 😉
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Barnsley Chop. Give you 10p for that one.
Barnsley is one for the pub connoisseur.
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Actually, it’s long-distance rail travel I’ve given the chop, £40 rtn from Harborough, fun! I go where the missus will drive me, or £20 will just about cover it on a train. Really looking forward to when HS2 means there’s more places I can’t afford to travel to, but faster.
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I’ve never drunk a pint of John Smith’s Smooth.
I did start one the other day, mind.
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I’m sure I had a pint of JSS once because I have a distinct memory of how nasty it was. However, I can’t for the life of me remember where or why I had it.
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Carluke.
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Never been to Carluke and it would probably have been Belhaven Smooth there (just as nasty). Must have been in Bristol and someone probably bought it for me without asking and I was too polite to refuse it.
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Unexpectedly closed when I went too, around 18 months ago. Not gone back yet.
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Said they only open Fri – Sun do as not to disturb neighbours. Odd model.
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“Where I find this…” One of only three pubs in the whole country called Miners Rest, but no doubt you have already begun calling it the Miners Arms.
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Been to the one in Long Ashton, Bristol. Lovely pub.
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That area south west of Bristol beyond Ashton Gate is a complete mystery to me!
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Your photos make Barnsley look rather nice ! Sadly folk from West Yorkshire rarely visit the South,so I have never been
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I knew folk wouldn’t believe me, but the Old Town was gorgeous. Barnsley folk take real pride in their houses and gardens, and the walk west from the Town Hall is stunning. No-one believes me, of course.
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Great blossoms…surely a legendary boozer…?
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“It’s been wonderful seeing young and old packing out Sheffield pub gardens, confounding the doubters”
It’s a bit weird doing these in reverse (just did “THE DAY I LET PUBS DIE (2)” earlier). All of those young and old packing out the pub gardens will do you for a treat in a few days. 😉
“The next day I heard the radio ad for Barnsley Town centre and it all made sense.”
I’m still trying to make sense of this whole bloody year!
“But you can see how futuristic it all is now.”
It STILL doesn’t make sense!
“though I’m unsure what counts as normality in Barnsley.”
Not sure what counts as normality anywhere these days.*
* – I’m sensing a theme to my comments here. 😉
“On New Year’s Eve 1995 in Piccolos Mrs RM was offered a Cinzano Coffee instead of the duller Baileys option. Craft indeed.”
Or maybe just ‘crafty’ on their part. 🙂
“The town lives for the weekend, like a rarely heard Gary Moore lyric, ”
I thought that was Loverboy, not Thin Lizzy?
“Let the doubters doubt, regular readers will know I’m telling the truth.”
Wait, what? Isn’t that like the two doors with two guards puzzle? 😉
“Sadly, my first new tick in the glossy Gateway project is unexpectedly closed, of which more later.”
I promise to get to it before May 2nd is out.
“Where I find this..”
Oooh. The plot thickens. At least for me, as I’m 3 days behind and have to stop for the night.
Cheers!
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