retiredmartin

11th February 2023.

One of the many, many great things about this country is the bus services set up especially to speed GBG tickers from micropub to micropub. I know I never said that on the Isle of Wight but that’s because there’s an inbuilt feature on Southern Vectis buses that make you feel sick.

With half an hour till the return rail journey to Preston via Chorley I jumped on the first bus heading north.

In Blackpool last year a 5 mile bus trip cost me almost as much as a third of craft murk (£5.80), but it seems most single journeys are capped at £2 at the moment,

The £2 bus fare cap on single journeys in England is to be extended until the end of June.

And we’ve also committed £80 million to protect vital bus services 🚍

Find out more here: https://t.co/RwMc0D7FN9#GetAroundForTwoPounds pic.twitter.com/begIEtRNT9

— Department for Transport (@transportgovuk) February 17, 2023

which has certainly made the bus an option (even if it was £2 I could have saved entirely by waiting or walking).

About a mile out of Adlington the (female) driver slammed on the brakes, either because a pub ticker had walked out in front of the bus or because there was a new micro the nice lady thought I might want to get out at.

Chorley is up there with Stockton and west Sheffield and Sidcup as a centre for micropubs.

It’s also a great town, and a delight for lovers of bonus apostrophe’s.

Actually, Nelipots looks great is bound to get in the GBG now, along with lots of new names like Ben’s Tap and Speakeasy and Clarke’s Sibin.

And the thing is, they all seemed busy, queueing round the block at Bob’s;

Bob is the indoor market gem, the thing that brings the day trippers in to town when ladies blouses and pies aren’t quite enough (and when are they ever not ?).

I’d love to have dawdled long enough to bring you pictures of misericords and chancels from St George’s Church, but I’d arranged to meet a Preston legend later and HATE being late (which is why I’m always an hour early, Matthew).

So it was a lightning half in Guide newbie Shed & Garden.

Until recently this was just called Shed, but a combination of unexpected foliage and expansion into next door has seen a Garden added.

“The garden is quite something, with paving, gravel paths, picnic tables and a pergola giving a real outdoor feel” says What Pub.

It’s as far in feel from your Thanet micropub as, ooh, the Boar’s Head is from the Petersgate Tap (niche comparison).

Loads going on; live music, cheese and wine, bottomless afternoon tea, dwile flonking.

I didn’t warm to it, mainly because of the screechy gin women who I’d have no doubt applauded in other circumstances. But it was heaving, and a packed pub is a wonderful thing, even if it means your own seating options are limited.

What are these guys looking at ?

Nothing, they’re just wondering what my NBSS score for the Black Edge Gold is gonna be. 2.5, I guess.

Mrs RM would have loved it.