As someone who treats every day as important as the next (except 22 December, obviously) you may be surprised I even recognise the end of the year as a thing. But the Awards issue is a contractual obligation, and you know how seriously I treat my obligations, particularly to Patronised reader who can view the… Continue reading THE 2022 RETIRED MARTIN AWARDS ISSUE
Month: December 2022
OFF TO STAFFORD TO MEET THE MUDG(I)ES
One more post, possibly a couple, before the Awards issue; you’ll need to be sitting down with your cocoa to find out which was my favourite pint of Doom Bar in 2022. 7th December 2022. A highlight of the year, as I make an overdue trip to meet up with Stafford’s Paul Mudge and Pub… Continue reading OFF TO STAFFORD TO MEET THE MUDG(I)ES
THE MAGIC OF MARHABA
5th December 2022. I spent the tram journey back from Radcliffe looking at a flurry of comments following the Telegraph article, none of which seemed to be actionable. Back in Manchester, I suddenly fancied a traditional Mancunian boozer. But instead ended up in Fierce, drinking a pint of something murky while I tried to read… Continue reading THE MAGIC OF MARHABA
THE BEST BEER, IN THE WORST SEATING, WITH THE MOST ECLECTIC SOUNDTRACK
Nearly missed this one, tucked away in the grim shopping centre in Prestwich. Keg, Cask Bottle was my third (3rd) Prestwich newbie, a bit of a contrast to the Holt and Hyde’s on the previous stop. It looked oddly familiar, but it wasn’t till I reached the bar I realised “I’ve been here before“. Only… Continue reading THE BEST BEER, IN THE WORST SEATING, WITH THE MOST ECLECTIC SOUNDTRACK
WHITE RAT AND WOTSITS AT RADCLIFFE’S NEW INN
Definitely a Cream track off Disraeli Gears, I think. 5th December 2022. I walked the B6292 from central Radcliffe to the New Inn. I really did. Look ! Here’s proof. Handsome church, stately town hall, weird statues that look like they belong in Bromsgrove. and after 20 minutes the New Inn, the very definition of… Continue reading WHITE RAT AND WOTSITS AT RADCLIFFE’S NEW INN
AN URGENT LOO STOP FOR RADCLIFFE
5th December 2022. My marathon* pub ticking day continued on t’tram toward Bury, but I jumped off at Radcliffe. As Will Hawkes astutely remarked in our interview, ticking the GBG forces you to visit places where others fear to tread. Dear reader, I had never been to Radcliffe before, and my visit to the New… Continue reading AN URGENT LOO STOP FOR RADCLIFFE
A HOLT AND A HYDE’S IN HEATON PARK
The Retired Martin household spent 25 December in Sheffield. No presents at all, but we did allow Mrs RM to serve a Christmas pudding she’d picked up cheap at Aldi late on Christmas Eve. I do not approve, but I have no say in my own house. All I want now I’m 58 (I know,… Continue reading A HOLT AND A HYDE’S IN HEATON PARK
NO POLITICS TO BE DISCUSSED IN THE BREWER’S PRIDE, SO CONVERSATION TURNS TO CAVITY INSULATION
When I was drawn back to Ossett the other week for a first new tick in a decade I remembered with affection the local brewery tap in that town. So I thought I’d go back and find it. I might need a third visit to do the Horse & Jockey, an ultra-rare OPEN Sam Smiths.… Continue reading NO POLITICS TO BE DISCUSSED IN THE BREWER’S PRIDE, SO CONVERSATION TURNS TO CAVITY INSULATION
PARTIZANAL
2nd December 2022. Sheffield’s railway station is the starting point for many exciting journeys. but increasingly there’s slim ticking pickings at the end. Never mind, at least a fourth trip to Nottingham in a year for gigs and cricket allows me to finish a Guide county, and pretend I’m “Doing the GBG” again. Or perhaps… Continue reading PARTIZANAL
WILL MAKES THE CASE FOR THE HEMEL HEMPSTEAD MAGIC ROUNDABOUT
1st December 2022. We should have called this little Sheffield pub crawl of unsung boozers something memorable like “Tipsy Thursday Trio” or “West Street Wobble” or whatever but then we’d breach CAMRA’s stringent rules on not taking the tutored tasting of ale and cultured exploration of public houses seriously and Mrs RM would be struck… Continue reading WILL MAKES THE CASE FOR THE HEMEL HEMPSTEAD MAGIC ROUNDABOUT
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