retiredmartin

On towards my last Cheshire Beer Guide tick for the year.

You can actually work out the new entries for GBG21 if you look very closely at the different shades of pink, and no doubt historians will in years to come in the same way they study the ceiling on the Cistern Chapel.

Chester is in the grip of some serious roadworks which prompted Google Maps Lady to say “Just Give Up“, but I made a lighting decision to head down and Lower Bridge Street otherwise I’d still be in Connah’s Quay now.

Our campervan, now back in action, found a lovely parking space next to the Covid testing facility in the Little Rodee car park on Search for Sites.

£8 for overnight parking, and the hum of the generator is a great aid to a night’s sleep. More councils (see also : Bury St Edmunds) should let campers and motorhome park overnight.

And then you’re a mere couple of minutes from a string of pubs leading to The Rows.

You’ll remember the Cavern of the Curious Gnome, which so irritated me with its lack of opening times detail on Facebook and Website.

Now THAT’S the sort of “boring info” I want.

Well let me now acknowledge that The Gnome has updated social media and its website is an exemplar of how to attract passing trade.

Pleasingly, the GBG entry means passing through a wine bar (Paysan) that is bound to terrify BRAPA. But not half as terrifying as what will greet him upstairs if his dodgy knee holds up.

A closer look at that bird cage showing a theme from “Valley of the Dolls“.

As so often with the last entry in a county, I loved the Gnome.

Perhaps because of the seating options round a toadstool, Mrs RM looked less convinced, though she liked the embossed beer menu.

Yes, it’s grapefruit murk (NBSS 3.5+) ! No idea what it was since I wiped my notes at the Yoga; Old Mudgie is good at identifying craft.

Oddly, this one didn’t feature on Pub Curmudgeon’s recent Chester crawl, but the next pub did.