retiredmartin

April 2026. Stockport.

Back at Stockport Travelodge (£37.99, wouldn’t buy a pie, pint and programme at the Emirates) after the game I decided I wasn’t paying a fiver for WiFi, and the only watchable thing on the telly was “The Story of the Bee Gees“. Did you know they’re named after a famous UK band from the early ’80s ?

I needed an excuse to get out for a pint, and as so often, that excuse was curry. Dhansak of the day, Peshwari naan and pappadoms (£9.19 all in) from Blackpool Jane favourite The Last Monsoon, just round the corner from the Crown.

Obviously, if the Pineapple had magically re-opened I’d have gone there, but more chance of Winters selling Holts.

A belated return to the Crown, safely in My Top 10 pubs with its wonderful Bass and top welcome.

At the bar I start to regret my curry decision; should have had the pies from the year of my birth,

but I remember Mrs RM saying she definitely doesn’t want anything to eat, which means she definitely does.

I see the Boddies has gone, but that’s OK.

Only four of your northern pounds for Bass ! It was £5.95 for a weaker Bateman in rural Lincs.

And it’s immaculate, cool and crisp with a tight head.

I take it in the Bass room,

Wrexham produced mirrors and all,

but it feels a bit lonely, Bass is a social beer, so I join the youth of Stockport,

where p****d students shout “pork scratchings” and the soundtrack is “Kid A”, and the Bass reaches Bath Star heights (NBSS 4.5).

It’s a great end to a great Sunday, though in truth the dhansak and naan is less convincing, but Mrs RM scoffs the poppadoms to the sound of “Stayin’ Alive”.