No, it’s not an ironically named indie band from Chipping Camden, booked to play at Latitude (is it ?).
26th January 2023.
If I’m forced to spend more than a day at home for legal or family reasons I get really restless, and having been in Sheffield more nights in January already than the whole of last summer I needed to get out on Thursday.
Even if it was back to a Bradford I only visited a month ago.
Now, I’m sure you assume there’s months of planning going into all these trips, but the truth is I bought my return on the Northern App, 5 minutes before the train left for Leeds.
That gave me about an hour to plan how I’d get two new West Yorkshire ticks, and to my horror I realised, I’d need to take a bus.
Actually, the bus to Eccleshill wasn’t TOO bad, and takes you on a majestic route past the long abandoned Prospect of Bradford.
On the journey I took another look at the Greedy Pig’s Facebook and realised, again to my horror, that the Greedy Pig was on a long holiday in Spain and wouldn’t be back till the 26th.
The 26th ? That’s AGES away ! Actually, how long is it ? Blimey. It’s today. Where has January gone ?
Someone was hoovering inside. A quick message exchange confirmed they’d be opening at 16:00, which gave me ample time to take in an actual bit of UK culture.
Bradford Industrial Museum doesn’t have the tourist profile of the Media Museum which is bang central and has back episodes of “Bless This House” to tempt you in, but it’s marvellous (and free, please donate).
From Glasgow to Doncaster to Leatherhead (honest), the UK has some wonderful social history museums, and Bradford’s displays on work and life were some of the very best.
The reconstructed back-to-backs with shared outside loos, hairdressers and 1970s bedrooms are beautifully done,
right down to the Babycham.
The displays on the industrial history of Bradford weaves (pun intended) in some great multi-cultural art,
and there’s a transport display to rival Coventry.
I’d brought the boys here as toddlers and either it’s even better or I have a rubbish memory, as I’d completely forgotten the breadth of their collection.
They’ve even got a printing press from the last Yorkshire Sports Saturday edition (aka the Pink or Green where you lived). If you can work out the main sporting headline this day you win a Balti.
The curry cafe is, of course, the main thing invented in Bradford in the 20th century, but an hour or so walking round this vast site will tell you far more about the innovative genius of the North than you’d ever imagine.
It’s a classic.
retiredmartin 
The back-to-backs in Birmingham’s Hurst Street only needed restoring, not rebuilding.
As “Sparkling perry” in 20cl measures rather than “Champagne perry” in one-sixth pints that Babycham can’t be far past its sell by date.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/F7ED/production/_124296436_museum9.jpg.webp
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-61231541
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I’ve no idea how the Bradford back-to-backs got there, but they look pretty authentic.
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I walked past the Prospect of Bradford twice without going in. Which is probably my biggest pub regret other than the nearby Cock and Bottle. Charlotte tells me she used to go to the Industrial Museum from her house every Saturday which is almost as ringing an endorsement as your own.
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I don’t recall the Prospect being that great 20 years ago, but the Cock & Bottle was a classic. When it briefly re-opened it still looked great but was rather daftly selling far more cask than was sensible (zero would have been better). The Corn Dolly is still marvellous, oddly unsung.
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I don’t know about unsung but the Corn Dolly was unopened on our Proper Day Out in May 2018.
Not an hour later the New Beehive opened specially for us.
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We’ll be there. What a great looking place. Love that type of museum.
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Hi Dave, I’m sure Martin would love to drop you off there, while he adjourns to the nearest pub!
Just ask him about the Sheffield Industrial Museum, next time you see him. 😁
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Well played, Paul 🙂
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The Media Museum is brilliant, and not as crowded as when Bill Bryson raved about it. I’ve still never seen “This is Cinerama”.
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The last time I went to Bradford I went to Shipley and Saltaire instead.
One of those perfect 4 or 5 pub places you can complete in a day and not feel like you’ve left anything on the table, with a five or ten minute walk between.
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I know what you mean. 4 or 5 pubs is perfect. Every so often one of their pubs drops a notch and another one goes up one, e.g. The Shipley Pride.
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Legal reasons that force you to remain in your main abode?
The bricks and mortar that you’ve probably invested a lifetime’s work and achievements in, and you don’t like spending more than a day there?
Asking for a friend, in case you were wondering! 😀
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Martin is like the family cat; Mrs RM chucks him out after breakfast and doesn’t let him back in until the street lights go on.
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I’d be happy to just live in hotels like a rock star, Paul.
Legal reasons – being legally married to Mrs RM I have to entertain her parents when they visit. At least they like pubs.
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I’m slightly envious, if truth be known Martin, as I enjoy staying away from home when the opportunity arises. Mrs PBT’s needs a little more persuasion, but the intention is for us both to see a little more of the kingdom, than in previous years.
Does living like a rock star, mean behaving like one – TV’s thrown out the window, Rolls Royce in the swimming pool etc? or is the lifestyle of a “ticker” a little more restrained?
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TVs in the swimming pool, Ford Fiesta Pop Plus in the bath.
I love staying away. Mrs RM stayed in Leeds alone (shock) the other day.
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