ELECTION DAY

4 July 2024. Sheffield, Manchester, Salford.

Independence day, in more than one way.

Our first general election since moving to Sheffield.

Our polling station was empty at 11:30, but later that afternoon I saw a queue of young folk stretching almost out of Manchester’s Central Library in the direction of the Briton’s Protection, appropriately. Great to see, as someone who believes not voting is a sin akin to asking for a taster.

Mrs RM and I were in the Eternal City that afternoon, my mission a haircut (as “Mavis reckons you look like an old English sheepdog“), Mrs RM’s mission a photo of that barber.

I have a definite pride in Matt working at Helvete in Chinatown, one of the few non-Chinese businesses unless you count the pub trilogy along Portland Street.

We’d meet Matt later for tea (or is it supper ?), so I used the time to head west in search of a new tick in the Manchester Beer Book for you,

and would have gone in Mulligans for a Guinness (stout is your best bet after a heavy session the day before),

but there were, improbably, bouncers and I though it could wait for a quiet Tuesday in October.

So I sped on into Salford, past the sorry looking Mark Addy, to the banks of the Irwell where I got to see an actual demolition.


Not quite as exciting as Tommy Duck’s, I reckon.

Suddenly I realise how long it must be since I walked Salford, and look anxiously for a craft bar or statutorily enforced Sam Smiths rebuild or something.

My actual pub (up next) is the Salford stand-out, but on the way back I realise I’m going to need to come back to finish the Matt Curtis book,

perhaps combining a pint in the King’s Arms with some non-politicised comedy (top).

It couldn’t be as funny as the actual Channel 4 election night coverage with Harman v Dorries.

Mrs RM made me get out at the Lidl at the foot of our hill and bring the night’s snackage up.

Really, Maidenhead Conservative Club would have been the place to be.

I bet the Tories watched it in the Honeypot.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

22 thoughts on “ELECTION DAY”

      1. I was awake at 0430 next morning, mind. I saw the likely result and fell back into a peaceful sleep.

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      1. One of your best posts ever, with something for everyone. Haircuts (sometimes I have nightmares about having too much hair), Chinatown, Sam Smith’s (cameo appearance only), demolition job (how could anyone retire from that?), Maidenhead (in Salford?).

        …and Nadine Dorries.

        More please.

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  3. Think I mentioned in a previous post that I was the polling clerk at the election (Mrs B was Presiding Officer). Long day. Went to the pub afterwards and was in bed by 1.00. First time I haven’t stayed up for nearly 40 years. Amazing level of apathy for this election.

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  4. You and Mrs RM were obviously in for the long haul with all that scran.

    We had a wedding 💍 to go to, the next day, that meant me having to drive Matthew down to Uckfield the following morning – I shall explain all in a blog post, if I ever get round to writing it!

    Channel 4’s election night coverage, was well worth staying up for, though. 😄

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      4. It’s a bit like Beer52, only you get to choose your beers and without the hassle of cancelling! It’ll never catch on.

        I could get pastry stouts from The Antelope, or the shop opposite; but not enough. And anyone daft enough to regularly stay up until the small hours watching the Cubs needs a lot of pastry stouts!

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