JULY ’21 STOCKTAKE + AUGUST PREVIEW

Pubs are back !

OK, they were sort of “back” on April 12, and then a bit more “back” on May 17, but July 19th was when those bar codes and perspex and one way stickers were binned and we could finally order our beer at the bar, consigning the evil of table service whereby people continually come into contact with you rather than leaving you alone.

In truth, it felt very much like July 2019, from which month I’ve selected at random this pub. Can you name it ?

Back in 2019 I was struggling with the Huawei watermark, this month it was the dreaded “motion” feature on my new phone. Where’s my 1957 Leica ?

Anyway, here’s the travel map*.

Blimey. What have I got against The South. Apart from all the other tickers and tourists being there.

A dearth of really new places for me, which is starting to get wearing. wo years ago was our last (ever ?) trip abroad, as we did New York. I’m glad now we squeezed that in before lockdown. Will we ever meet Americans again ?

THE HIGHLIGHTS

I enjoyed going home to watch the Euro final with my Dad. I never did ask him if I watched the ’66 4-2 at 18 months old. My two lads enjoyed seeing Manchester and Sheffield spring back to life.

Our short trip to feed Duncan in Builth Wells enabled us to admire the Long Mynd on the way. The borderlands with Wales are too gorgeous for words, so here’s the pic.

And just to prove I don’t have an anti-Cambridge bias, this was the scene before BRAPA arrived.

THE STATS

Ahead of the Spreadsheet issue, now longer-awaited than the new Boyzone LP, I’ll merely confirm eighty (80) different pubs in July, though sadly only half of those (40) were new Beer Guide ticks.

Pub quality improved after 19 July, oddly, while beer quality was decent (NBSS 3 and better) except in the smaller bars which suffered from the heatwave and the fact they’re hardly ever open.

PUB OF THE MONTH – The Rutland Arms, Grimsby

Well, who’d a thought ? Grimsby ? My eldest lad headed for Cleethorpes yesterday; I should have sent him here. Earthy, vibrant, welcoming, cosy and with a stunning bargain pint of Old Mill.

BEER OF THE MONTH – Baby Faced Assassin, Roosters Brewery in Old Gate, Hebden Bridge

The Baby Faced Assassin was Mrs RM’s pint on Thursday night and I had to nick it, it was that good.

AUGUST PREVIEW

I need to catch up on the blogs (am currently on 23 July), update the Blog Map and bring you that GBG progress spreadsheet before Duncan complains.

Plenty to go on there, isn’t there ? Let’s head north, and west, and leave the south till the Londoners have gone home.

*Reminds me, must update that blog map

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.

14 thoughts on “JULY ’21 STOCKTAKE + AUGUST PREVIEW”

  1. I keep seeing that pic of your lads & the elder one definately seems to be making a rude gesture with his right hand -you need to have a word about this type of naughty behaviour ,upsetting us laydeez !

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  4. From where I sit, a very good month.

    “Will we ever meet Americans again ?” That is a question that I hope does not have a scary answer.

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  6. I did watch the 66 World Cup Final at the tender age of 4 years and 9 months but I don’t remember much about it. We were on holiday and my Dad, who normally had no interest in football, insisted on watching it. I do remember sitting in a darkened room in the guest house in front of a flickering black and white telly when I’d rather have been playing on the beach.

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