July 2026. Sawley. Derbyshire. A really great day’s pubbing organised by Super Shawn of Leicester; half a dozen stops in suburban Derby close to the Trent. The only issue is the anti-social inclinations of some pub crawlers surveyors. Folk who leave the main group to drink halves (ugh) off the main trail or, even worse,… Continue reading SAWLEY SUPPING – (3) THE TRENT LOCK
Month: July 2026
SAWLEY SUPPING – (2) THE NAG’S HEAD
July 2026. Sawley. Derbyshire. A fair few pubs for the 6,629 good folk of Sawley, most of them in the Good Beer this century. I’d started at the smart allrounder and GBG perennial White Lion, by which time the breakaway group had already declared the Ay Up at the similar Harrington Arms “not drinking well”.… Continue reading SAWLEY SUPPING – (2) THE NAG’S HEAD
SAWLEY SUPPING – (1) THE WHITE LION
July 2026. Sawley. Derbyshire. Another month, another top pub crawl, again organised by the estimable Shawn Collier of Leicester. Long Eaton station for Derbyshire’s Sawley and the Trent; can this unsung corner of the East Midlands match Nottingham, Derby and Burton ? Only 43 minutes on the train, 42 minutes of which were used up… Continue reading SAWLEY SUPPING – (1) THE WHITE LION
NOT ONE, BUT TWO (2) NEW CROSBY PUBS
Learn more July 2026. Crosby. Merseyside. Attempting to rescue gig night in Liverpool without the gig, I’d at least done the culture and the beach, and could now get a new GBG tick in curious Crosby, where even the safetywear outlets serve Bass. Perhaps. Leave the commercial district and the pubs at Moorfields, glance at… Continue reading NOT ONE, BUT TWO (2) NEW CROSBY PUBS
FINALLY FACING MY WATERLOO
July 2026. Waterloo/Crosby. Merseyside. An afternoon in Liverpool before a gig that had just been cancelled; what to do ? Loads of museums, but most of the Scouse culture comes in the pubs, and the Globe or the Vines would have been top places to drink it in, but my ticket took me up the… Continue reading FINALLY FACING MY WATERLOO
SCOUSE
July 2026. Liverpool. Since we got back from all that foreign muck in Armenia you’ve had a string of classic UK pubs. The Harp, the Cock, the Rutland, the New Barrack, the KIT, the Tunbridge Wells Spoons…. And a trip to Liverpool on Thursday to see long-term RM favourite Julia Jacklin preview her upcoming 4th… Continue reading SCOUSE
CHECKING CASK QUALITY IN THE TAVERN
July 2026. Sheffield. As you’ll know by now, I care little about beer, but much about beer quality in pubs. Perhaps only someone who’s had an NBSS 5 Doom Bar and an NBSS 2 Harvey’s Sussex will understand the distinction. In truth, I reckon cask quality has got a little worse over the last year… Continue reading CHECKING CASK QUALITY IN THE TAVERN
JUNE ’26 STOCKTAKE + JULY PREVIEW
Late with the highlights, but at least the blog is now virtually up-to-date, or was before this week’s Proper Day Out in Sawley. Always best to start the month with a Dalek. A typical looking June map, lots of Lancashire, Yorkshire, London and Kent, but not much else. No idea why I’ve stuck a red… Continue reading JUNE ’26 STOCKTAKE + JULY PREVIEW
“THE LOWEST PUB IN THE BRITISH ISLES”
June 2026. Holme. Cambridgeshire. We popped down early on Tuesday to see Dad on his 91st birthday with card and chocolate. He barely stirred from sleep, at least until the Salvation Army band turned up after lunch to play for him. I couldn’t face staying down in Cambridge, so we came straight back. Finding an… Continue reading “THE LOWEST PUB IN THE BRITISH ISLES”
ALL CHANGE IN SHIPLEY
June 2026. Shipley. Despite the lure of a pint in Shipley’s top-rated pub, and a chance for Mrs RM to use David Hockney for a boost in views like I did with Humphrey, we called it a night after that curry. But as we headed back to the Travelodge, next to the half-decent Noble Comb… Continue reading ALL CHANGE IN SHIPLEY