retiredmartin

I first came to Sunderland in Easter 1997. Petrol in Roker was 59.9p a litre, the match with Charlton a sell-out as the move to a new stadium loomed, denying me a vital tick on the way to The 92.

It was a year before I made it back to the Stadium of Light. Petrol was still 59.9p a litre; it’s never been that low since.

But what we most recall from that trip 25 years ago was the stretch of sandy beach from South Shields to Roker, full of interest, and with a top quality restaurant (Little Italy) right on the cliff at Seaburn.

Now I’m 57 it doesn’t take much to excite me and the prospect of a 4 mile walk to my last Tyne & Wear tick and back in chill winds couldn’t sound any better.

#NoFilter, as the kids say when they use filters.

Perhaps not the busiest time to visit Sunderland’s seaside, but I loved the colour.

In total contrast to the arcades and chippies, the house below is the centrepiece of Whitburn Bents, a row of gorgeous fishing cottages. If they were in Brighton they’d sell for £1.739 million each.

Whitburn’s micro joins the two Boldons as “difficult Tyneside places for Si to get to”.

“Not another micro !” says Brenda from Bristol.

But Blue’s is a bit special, I thought.

It felt lived in, and chatty, and it’s a good job Mrs RM stayed home of that bottle of Triple would have been in danger.

I finished this one on a pint. Lovely murk from Two by Two that was cool and rich and wonderful (NBSS 4.5).

He let me drink it seated at the bar (“Traitor !” shouts Dave), as we agreed that no-one wants to be the first person to go to the back room, just in case no-one else comes.

“Take a look at the back room” said our star barman, when I asked about the name.

Yes, Blue is the pub dog. He owns the pub. Probably a tax dodge in these parts, but that’s a wild guess about tax law relating to micro ownership.

Anyhow, here’s the pinked page;

I stopped to admire the boats (top) Another 3 pints of the murk and I’d have attempted to cross the sea to Sark in it.