retiredmartin

April 2023.

Notice how Mrs RM hangs on Paul’s every word. If only she gave me that much rapt attention*. We had the pleasure of Paul’s company during the CAMRA AGM, which started at Sheffield Uni where Paul was able to add a goodie bag I may well have filled myself that week.

Now I normally avoid beer festivals like the plague at all costs, but we happily bumped into Will the Hatter and I decided to give the members bar a go, if only so I could bring you a photo of the scratch and sniff card.

I think that’s what it’s called. In the bar I chatted to the lovely E and her husband Peter of Tandle Hill fame, Caroline Schwaller the Queen of Kendal, and Richard Adams, the sane one on DIscourse.

The beer was all “OK”, NBSS 3 stuff, probably better if you like ticking rare “scoops”, but I sensed Paul and Will were keen to escape to a Proper Pub.

Ah, here’s one;

And here’s Will “photobombing” my shot.

The Bath is back to its very best, as long as you ignore folk telling you not to have the Plum Porter.

ALWAYS have the Plum Porter.

This was the pub where Paul shared this wonderful photo of his first legal pint. The photo of his first illegal pint is only available to Patronised readers.

After that Will took us on an epic journey up a 1:4 slope up to the Blake. Will and Paul may have a combined age close to Simon’s weekly alcoholic units consumption but they bounded up Blake Hill like new born lambs after a pint.

You know about the Blake. A great pub, busier than ever this Friday night and with a better mix of Sheffield life than you’d expect.

The sign of a great night is when you turn to the Orval.

It was a great night.

*Joking.