
Mrs RM promised me she’d get me behind with the blog, and the April highlights post finds me nine (9) days and twenty-three (23) pubs behind. I’ll never catch up !
Do I care ?
Of course not. April saw me tick fifty-five (55) new GBG entries, a return to form after the Spanish flu of March . The GBG completion is back on ! (albeit ready to be derailed at any moment).
You can see the ticking progress in the lovely pinked map at the top. Expect a spreadsheet very soon.
Of course, life is more than just ticking pubs, it’s about me spreading my sunshine round grim southern towns like Lewes.

and keeping the UK hotel market alive in places like Devizes.

Devizes was, as always, wonderful, but the unexpected sporting highlight was my first trip to the World Snooker Championships at Sheffield’s crucible. My money is on Cliff Thorburn this year.

Pubwise, the beer was a little less great than previously, more 3- than 3+, as the fuel crisis seems to be hitting trade and beer turnover quite hard.
In Great Yarmouth, this classic wedge pub (there’s a posh word for wedge) was a joyous way to finish Norfolk,

but Pub of the Month goes to the Punch Bowl in Great Broughton, and not just because Workington needs all the accolades it can get.

This community pub (often two words to instil fear) met the Mrs RM 3 tests of friendly welcome, good beer, and free crisps. She’s easily pleased. But you knew that.
Beer of the Month was a tie between the Anarchy IPA in the Sheffield Tap,

and this can of German lager at the Jeff Rosenstock gig in Nottingham.

while the worst drinking decision was the bottle of Prosecco in Spoons on Easter Sunday.
I just realised I haven’t given you any of my modern music tips you actually read this blog for. And I managed 3 gigs last month’ punky Jeff, post-core Low, and poppy Matilda Mann.

Which brings me to my Preview of May, where I’ll be attempting another 55 new pubs in some exciting overseas locations (not Portsmouth), and trying hard not to get TOO excited by my gig in Leeds next week.
The American songstresses are back in town, singing songs about being old. Like, 25.
I can’t imagine ever being that old either, Alix.
You’ve pretty much done five of the seven kingdoms in the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy there, just Kent and Wessex holding out now.
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Wasn’t “Heptarchy” a track by The Fall ?
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By “overseas”, do you mean the IOW buses are coming back?
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Please don’t mention the IOW buses. Mind, the bus from Aberdeen to Ellon (not Brew Dog) is going to be bad enough.
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You can have a quick half in the Tolbooth and then hit the Ellon – Inverurie bus and stop off in Pitmedden and Oldmeldrum. Only 10-15 minutes between stops.
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https://retiredmartin.com/2019/03/21/queasy-in-oldmeldrum/
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Scotland seems markedly “un-pinked.” Will your ticking be a repeat of the 1974 Guide, which ignored the country altogether? Some, but not me, might say that’s the best thing to do with Scotland, but I’m sure you have cunning plan, of sorts, tucked up your sleeve!
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I’ve only completed Greater Glasgow, Paul, and most of the “counties” there are half done.
I’d like Scotland to have achieved independence in 2014 so they could have their own GBG.
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