retiredmartin

March 2025. Hilsborough. Sheffield.

Much of the non-political discussion that Saturday night with our guests from Chicago centred on “service” culture and Wetherspoons.

Dave (not THAT Dave) was in awe as I described folk drinking beer with their full English at 9am, and added a morning pint in Spoons to his To Do list, alongside a return to his childhood home in Teesside and an understanding of the mysterious appeal of Hendos.

I was skceptical Dave would actually join me in Spoons, with the smells of Mrs RM’s alternative breakfast wafting through RM Towers, but Americans are nothing if not keen, and it’s only 10 minutes downhill to Hillsborough.

The Rawson Spring is only half full at 10:23.

but Dave can clearly see some folk on second and third pints by now. I feel proud to be English.

I explain that ordering/paying by App means you don’t need a “server” showing you to your table, bringing you menus, writing down orders in biro, and then mysteriouusly taking your credit card away at the ends and berating your tip. Dave n turn is taken with the excellent acoustics and lighting.

We debate the calorific content of our options;

but there was no way Dave wasn’t doing the Full Monty in Sheffield, three hash browns and all.

I went “Trad”, but in honesty the small one at a third of the calories is often enough.

Perfect food and beer matching, a pint of malty Fyne Driftwood with northern head, cool and rich (NBSS 3.5).

In truth, there’s better breakfasts and better beer in Sheff, though not at those prices.

But just look at his face !