retiredmartin

The month started (traumatically) in a campervan in a car park in Ely and ended (traumatically)* in a campervan in a field near Salisbury and in-between took in a dozen trips up and down the A1 to tackle Dad’s care needs.

Bing Maps will only allow me to plot points A to Z, so take my word that this was a 4,000 mile month. Like 2022 all over again.

(Only) 44 different pubs visited, and just a dozen of those were GBG newbies. But folk on Discourse are predicting the end of the printed Guide anyway, and you can’t mark an on-line version in with pink (or green) marker so what’s the point of ticking ?

But at least there was Chung Hwa (the newish salt and pepper box is a hut with my Mum),

and a (whisper hit) almost enjoyable trip with the in-laws to see vintage cars and drink craft beer.

CAMRA really should be making a play for these younger drinkers.

New Pub of the Month – New Inn, Sandwich

A classic Thorley Tavern doing all the simple things well. Old Boys at the bar going “whee” when the barmaid smashes the glass, groups of pensioners divvying up the bill, chewy Gadds, a sandwich in Sandwich.

When Kent delivers, the pubs are as good as those anywhere (except where I live, obvs).

Sheffield’s own “new” Harlequin was the pick of the revisits, perhaps the most “diverse” pub atmosphere I’ve ever been in. And I’ve been in a Craft Union in Dereham.

And it had the best beer (in a good month, average NBSS score 3.44 !)…

Beer of the Month – Two by Two Pale

and the best company, though it was also a delight to meet up with the mysterious Dave in Canterbury, Will in the Red Deer and Newbury Tim in a wood, in Wiltshire.

Bet you can’t wait for my festival music reviews, can you ?

September Preview

Must be time to make my first furtive foray into Fife Scotland for two years, surely, particularly with the 2 year anniversary of GBG completion coming up on the 10th.

Speaking of which, isn’t there a new Beer Guide dropping (ugh) soon ?

Which cover are YOU getting ?

*All good today, thanks