retiredmartin

July 2024. Sheffield.

The question I’m most prepared for is “What’s new and exciting in Sheffield then, Retired Martin ?“.

It’s not a question I’d get if we’d moved to Dereham or Milton Keynes, for sure.

Not a lot brand new since The Old Shoe a year ago, I thought, but then suddenly remembered the burst of activity in Hillsborough since Covid. Pangolin, Beer House S6*,

and the revamped Railway just north of the Wednesday ground.

One RM visit 18 months ago, and then nothing. But it’s just been awarded CAMRA Pub of the Month, not to be sniffed at, and just as importantly is next to the Dunelm store where Mrs RM took back the bathroom fitting a day too late to get a refund so had to get a credit against dishcloths.

It’s a workaday pub sign; I prefer the original hanging up inside,

and inside a functional multi-roomer with bench seating, which is the minimum you expect in Sheffield.

But how many Kelham pubs have a teapot like this,

hmmm.

It’s definitely not competing with Kelham Island, but lovely Steady Rolling Man, Cloudwater and Abbeydale are decent keg options on a night it was too hot for cask.

But not for Pickled Onion Monster Munch, the prince of snackage (Slabs crisps still win).

492 calories per 100g, but the pack is only 72g so I guess you can divide that figure by at least 5.

The pub is worthy of a visit just for the jukebox collection; AC/DC on the way in,

The Clash on the way out.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever, as my old boss used to say about his interminable spreadsheets back in the late 80s.

Donkey Kong was already on hiatus by the late 80s, but you can play it free at the Railway (Missile Command for me),

and the joyous sound of children in the games room tells me parents were bringing their children to play video games while they drank Staropramen, which is better than being left in the porch with a bottle of Panda Pops and a bag of Salt’ n’ Shake when you’re 9.

A little treasure, though probably not on the CAMRA beer tourist itinerary.

Back home, I finally cracked open the Banana Pastry Sour.

*Just been there, fantastic beer.