On one day I singled-handedly saved pubs in Warrington, Bromborough and Runcorn. Think what I could do to Carluke and Wythenshawe if they had any GBG pubs to save.
It seemed like only yesterday since I’d been staring at Runcorn‘s glorious chemical works, but in fact it was August when I stood across the Mersey as Hale had a (shortlived) burst of Guide glory.
I normally take the opportunity on these trips to Halton to make a disparaging comment that will upset Pub Curmudgeon, but I’m in a particularly cheerful frame of mind at the moment, even by my high standards.
I particularly like the chemical works at Weston Point,
though the Liverpool Echo has captured them at their pink best so I’ll use their photo;
There’s a Sam Smiths pub in there somewhere, I just know it, but today my rare Runcorn tick is in Weston Village. See local legend Kirsty Does Runcorn (PG) for all the pubs, including this one where Mrs RM abandoned two young children and your hero to go shopping on a sub-zero January in 2010 and then forgot about us. I never forget.
The Roundhouse (aka Round House) looks an unlikely Guide pub, and it is, with a CAMRA Community Pub award to boot.
The light shining from the bar is a match for the chemical works.
And the blue Christmas lights are no less bright.
But what’s this ? Just the one pump !
As Sting nearly sang on Ghost In The Machine, “One pump (not three (3) ) is enough, for all of us“. And Sting is only wrong 97% of the time.
One beer was plenty across the Mersey in Hale in August, and unless you’re afraid of tasting something, Hobgoblin is a fine choice. Served in a Sharp’s glass, it was cool, rich and beautifully presented, a solid 3 (you were hoping for more, weren’t you ?).
Three blokes in within 5 minutes of 4pm opening, the Golden Hour, plus a HUGE dog that I tripped over.
TV Quizzes on the screen, Premiership flags on the ceiling, laughter in the air.
Deserves its place, it really does, rather like those one beer boozers in Durham mining towns.
Let the lacings reveal….
retiredmartin 
“god shoppingon” (sic?). New thing?
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“God shopping” is street slang for go to church, obvs (poss).
Where is Russ when he’s needed ?
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“Your hero”. Baa Baa has been in the family that long?
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I went past this pub twice a day for seven years on the school bus, but I have never been in it. Of course it wasn’t open when we passed, and for all but the last couple of weeks I wasn’t of legal drinking age anyway.
It used to be called something else which I forget – The Roundhouse was its nickname.
No Sam Smith’s in Runcorn, but there are two in Frodsham, both of which are now keg.
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That looks just great.
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There is a Sam Smith’s in Runcorn, the Weaver Hotel, first stop on the Victorian pub crawl now the dockside has closed.
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Sorry, yes, that’s a relatively new one.
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There used to be a Sam Smiths pub finder (James Gretton ?) on the internet but I’ve struggled to find it of late. Didn’t know Sams were still acquiring pubs.
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They acquired a job lot of mostly rather ropey pubs from Oakwell Brewery – they’re not buying pubs in general.
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Ah yes, that’s the one I was thinking of, Kirsty.
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