January 2025. Leeds.
After a Wednesday spent driving 6 hours from Tunbridge Wells to Sheffield, battling A14 closures and football crowds, punctuated by long calls to the Medical Examiner and Coroner, we needed a break on the Thursday.
Why on earth did we choose Leeds ?
Well, it was the first train leaving Sheffield station, that’s why. Two minutes later and we’d have been heading for Hull.
Anyway, trying to exit Leeds Station while the interminable building works go on is always great fun, and we found ourselves walking towards a water taxi (£3) that never materialised, before somehow emerging near the Scarbrough.
The Scarbrough (without that first “o”) is the one you can’t see on the map.
Mrs RM had sketchy plans for culture while I nipped north to a Meandwood tick, and I couldn’t sell the Moot Hall Arms as “culture”, despite that dirty L***s 1975 badge.
But I did think she’d like a pint of Jaipur in the smart Thornbridge pub, which I stood on the corner of Boar Lane searching for before Mrs RM said “It’s behind you“.
Mrs RM remembered the Bankers Cat from 2021; her memory is holding up better than mine.
I do remember when Thornbridge were getting celebrated for saving Pale Rider and the Burton Unions. Was that just a gimmick ? I haven’t seen those anywhere lately.
It’s a classy place, packed with middle-aged couples (says he) and women drinking pints.
Sheffield is getting its own Thornbridge flagship opposite the town hall this summer, and I reckon it’ll revitalise the rundown Fargate shopping street.
I hope the cask is a little better than the Jaipur and Astryd in Leeds. Cool and tasty (NBSS 3+), but despite some impressive turnover it lacked that touch of crispness you get in Sheffield.
Lacings always lie.
retiredmartin 
I had a friend who used to show up at the airport and choose his flight based on that same criteria. You’re much more spontaneous than the average person. So was he.
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We were on the tram to the station and I had the “next Sheffield departures” showing the next train to leave. Done that several times.
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If it was Maidenhead would you have gone? Just how spontaneous are you?
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Dave,
I doubt if we’ll have a Sheffield to Maidenhead train this century.
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What do you do about your ticket? Buy it on the train, I suppose?
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I’m putting in the card details as I run for the platform.
The trains from Sheffield (and Manchester) are SO unreliable I’ll often wait till the trains appear before I press PAY.
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Or just happens to need the lavatory as the guard enters the carriage ?
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London’s getting its own Thornbridge flagship soon, as well, I gather.
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Care to guess where that might be, somewhere near Kings Cross?
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We can only hope.
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Actually in Fetter Lane, just north of Fleet Street.
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👀h “Fetter Lane”. Marginally nearer than King’s Cross. 👍🍻
https://thornbridgebrewery.co.uk/blogs/news-from-the-brewery/thornbridge-co-announce-new-site-in-the-city-of-london
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Don’t ever recall Jaipur pouring like that!
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Anonymous = Ian J.
Sorry I’m new to blogs.
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Hello Ian.
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Yes, that’s certainly a Northern head, isn’t it !
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Unlike da Yoof, I don’t use my phone for making payments. It’s card or cash, as far as I am concerned.
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