retiredmartin

April 2024. Oldham.

A flying to visit to Oldham to tick two of the entries in Matt Curtis’s epic Greater Manchester guide reached a critical point after the Ashton. The Eternal (post- Louise Redknap) question;

Pub or curry first ?

I should have said “curry, then beer“, but the Fox & Pine was literally round the corner,

just past the “modern dining” bit of Oldham,

and I suspected the Fox would only get busier and busier that evening as folk installed themselves ahead of the local CAMRA presentation the next night.

Will be there tomorrow night presenting the @CAMRA_ROB Pub of the Year award. 👍

— Tandleman (@tandleman) April 22, 2024

I (and a then 20 year old Matt) thought this was wonderful a couple of years back, and they didn’t have Bass then.

Now that Bass is fashionable again, due to the Wickingman, it takes centre stage amongst a frankly stellar cask range,

though frankly the canine menu would be enough to get some Lincolnshire pubs in the Guide.

What stands out is how chatty and cheery the folk behind the bar are, happy to chat Bass and foxes and Rugby League.

A quirky, cosy, community-focused place,

with the beer almost incidental. A very early ’80s soundtrack of the Police and Air Supply, who Jane had never heard of, being too young.

Except that the Bass was sensational; cool, rich and chewy. I haven’t scored a 5 this year, but perhaps this deserved it.

So good I had a second pint in 20 minutes. That’s almost the CAMRA definition of NBSS 5. Mrs RM’s Fyne was, er, better than fine.

It was at this point that Jane described the Burton nectar as “the Chicken Korma of beer“. Bass is NOT Chicken Korma ! More like the Lamb Handi.

And then to curry, via Oldham’s astonishing array of takeaways and saris.

Shimlas has branches in all your favourite Northern towns, from Keighley to Birmingham,

but you’ll have to wait for Jane’s blog to find out what we actually had, though I reckoned it was all high quality. Possibly Lamb Handi.

Oddly, we couldn’t persuade Jane (or Mrs RM) into a Lees pub on the way back into Manchester.