retiredmartin

April 2026. Skipton.

I had (genuinely) brought Mrs RM to Skipton last Sunday for reasons other than beers (pork pies and canal basins, mainly), so it was disappointing when she stopped me on the walk to ask “What’s that pub like ?“.

I assumed she meant the venerable Devonshire, with its attractive salted caramel fudge pudding and £2.49 Spoons vouchered pints.

But no, it’s that similarly sounding Devonshire Vaults, which a rushed look at What Pub the curated CAMRA pub and club website failed to reveal much about.

But 9am to Midnight ? That’s quite something ?

“Go on ! Get outside your comfort zone, go somewhere that’s not in your silly book“.

I complete the Beer Guide, make her coffee in the morning, and this is the abuse I get.

It’s a sports bar, celebrating a “beloved” association football team in the adjoining county,

and Leeds v Chelsea were about to repeat the 1970 FA Cup final on the telly.

What did Tetley taste like in 1970 ? I may never know.

I didn’t think much of the 2026 version (2.5), but the Goose Eye Chinook Blonde was cool and tasty (3.5) and I like the fact they keep the same two beers on, despite being firmly told that a constantly changing range of identical beers is what people want.

Nope, they want lager, and TV football, and a marching band outside the window.

I assumed the band were demonstrating against gravy in pork pies, but it was the Scouts. Some of the Scouts were girls, which would never have happened in Billy Bremner’s day, but I’m glad it happens now.

The women here were wearing those vintage 1974 Leeds United shirts, Steely Dan were singing “Do It Again”,

but just for once Mrs RM turned down a second pint, and so did I, despite my Tets ending on a high.