5/6th May 2023.
Our good friends the Southworths had arrived in Lil’ Ol England ahead of the Coronation, but despite a frantic search we were unable to secure them tickets for the main event via Twickets so they had to make do with a day eating oatcakes and scoring beer, which sounds a good second prize.
The arrival of American tourists hoping for a sighting of Prince Andrew had pushed UK hotel prices sky-high that weekend, but Bradford seemed immune, so we arranged to catch up with the Southworths there rather than in Maidenhead where the Royal after-party was no doubt being held.
On the Friday night James and Mrs RM had joined me in a tasting of a selection of Coronation themed beer in Sheffield’s top riverside pub.
In truth, Mrs RM just wanted to try out her new phone which you’ll get to see the benefits of as we turn our attention to the Baltics just now. For now, admire the glare in the Gardeners.
I’ll be honest; those Coronation themed beers were disappointing, all pale and weak and indistinct. What happened to a good old 10.9 % imperial pastry stout for the King like we got in 1937 (possibly).
The Gardeners itself is always a joy. Real mixed crowd, drawn no doubt by the gammon sandwiches and pickle tubs,
as much as the views to the Don.
On Coronation Day itself, we managed to avoid the event entirely by hiding in Manchester pubs. Mum and Dad spent THE ENTIRE DAY watching the telly, without even a Crispy Beef and Singapore Rice.
A typically sunny morning, perfect for giant rabbit watching in the tables outside Fierce;
“Don’t get me anything weird” said Mrs RM, which counts out most of the options on Fierce’s board.
Except the ever reliable Hazy.
What would Blackpool Jane do ?, I wondered. Halves of Tiramisu Stout and a Black Sour, I guess.
What a sensible way to start the day.
Arch Royalist BRAPA was watching the procession on a giant screen somewhere in Kent,
so I kindly sent him the words to the service so he could sing-a-long, possibly after that final pint of ESB.
And then I left Mrs RM to her shopping and set off on an aimless wander round the Northern Quarter.
Later that afternoon at the Etihad, I would shamelessly stand to belt out “God Save The King” before City v Leeds, just so it’s be the the Scousers could get told off for booing the national anthem rather than us.
retiredmartin 
Pubs in central London were rammed on the Saturday. Great to see pubs making money and a great display of national pride and unity.
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Great to see pubs making money, certainly.
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It’s funny. We saw very little in the way of coronation events. Very different than it sounds like in London.
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Nothing in Manchester or Bradford, certainly. I guess it was all happening physically in London.
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Surely the BBC weren’t misrepresenting with their “The entire country unites on a day of joyful celebration”, Martin?
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“The entire country unties” as Sinn Fein becomes the largest party in Northern Ireland, though Scottish independence is paused for a while.
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