retiredmartin

October 2024. Beeston. Nottingham.

I planned to bring you a long, scholarly analysis of the new GBG; winners (Chesterfield) and losers, emergent themes (one pump bozzers), notable omissions (Briton’s Protection) etc etc So expect that in 2026.

One thing that sticks out is how few new entries are in urban areas accessible by rail; Simon will love the challenges of rural pub ticking in the Midlands.

So best make the most of ticking by train while I can, including a trio in Greater Nottingham last Sunday.

From Sheff to Nottingham and back out to Beeston; the ticket inspectors gave me the sort of Spanish Inquisition reserved for old blokes at female gigs when I alighted at the main station a second time.

Beeston is a working town dominated by chemists and tobacco and science, on the edge of the sprawling University campus. The town centre has been carefully modelled on Long Eaton just over the county border, as part of the Notts/Derbys twinning arrangements.

The Pottle is a great little micro, almost cerebral with its reading and musical choices.

Perhaps a bit more beery than Rowells in Long Eaton, but despite some impassioned discussions at the bar about obscure music the soundtrack is very east Midlands.

With a potentially long day ahead I’d contemplated halves of the weakest beers like the Pro tickers do,

but then I saw they had the strong, cloudy one from Shiny (NBSS 4) and all hope was lost.

With 20 minutes spare before the train I could have given you a return to the Star, immortalised in Boon (top), or the Victoria, but I know you’d rather see George the Beekeeper,

Dali (actually born in Stapleford),

and, of course, our third favourite Richard (after Coldwell and Southworth).