July 2023. Alsager. Four ticks by four, which sounds like a Ted Nugent album, and time for some non-GBG exploration. We were heading back to Sheffield in the morning, so nothing too adventurous. How about Alsager ? Said no-one ever. I couldn’t tell you anything about Alsager, bar its GBG history and location, all the… Continue reading AND A NIGHT OUT IN ALSAGER….
Author: retiredmartin
Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.
WEIGHING THE GREENGAGES IN HOLMES CHAPEL
July 2023. Cheshire. A fourth and final new GBG pub on the Cheshire mini-crawl with Mrs RM as taster-in-chief, and a rare visit to Holmes Chapel. With the social club in the Guide, I reckon all the remaining What Pub entries have made the GBG at some time. I can see I’ve been to the… Continue reading WEIGHING THE GREENGAGES IN HOLMES CHAPEL
“A few hints on how things work”
July 2023. Cheshire. Real Cheshire. Before I start, guess what’s behind the (frankly pathetic) swing at my next pub. Answer at the end (DON’T LOOK YET DAVE !). A third pub in an hour as we whizzed through posh Cheshire (just north of Middlewich), and the inevitable reacquaintance with Messrs Brunning & Price at Bostock… Continue reading “A few hints on how things work”
EVERYDAY SEXISM IN SANDIWAY
July 2023. Cheshire. Four new Guide pub ticks in 90 minutes; it was just like the old days. A motley crew, too. Brewery tap, two chain diners and a social club. Next up, after a trip through the rich pretty bit south of Frodsham was an ultra-rare Chef & Brewer in Sandiway (never heard of… Continue reading EVERYDAY SEXISM IN SANDIWAY
A CHESHIRE CHAPTER STARTS
July 2023. Cheshire. I had a good think about whether to lump loads of pubs together in this post and then thought “No, less is more, stick to one pub per post“. The Jesus & Mary Chain were always at their best when their live shows lasted 15 minutes rather than 90. Mrs RM had… Continue reading A CHESHIRE CHAPTER STARTS
DISPENSING CAREER ADVICE AT UTTOXETER STATION
July 2023. Uttoxeter. I consulted the bus timetable to return from Kingstone to Uttoxeter; it seemed to suggest I should have left the previous week. Still, the alternate walk back via Loxley was rather less stressful than the outward slog, helped by the armful of questionable toffees (top) grabbed from a jar as I left… Continue reading DISPENSING CAREER ADVICE AT UTTOXETER STATION
WELL, AT LEAST THE CHIPS WERE GOOD
July 2023. Uttoxeter. The Wikipedia entry for Kingstone is the dullest in the UK. But at least they have a “man of the people” as their Member of Parliament; I’m sorry if that photo is more scary than my ring finger. When you’ve walked four (4) miles out to a pub you really, really, want… Continue reading WELL, AT LEAST THE CHIPS WERE GOOD
FINDING MYSELF UNEXPECTEDLY IN UTTOXETER ON LADIES DAY
July 2023. Uttoxter. I’m singlehandedly propping up provincial rail companies as I forlornly tick straggling GBG pubs over summer. Another trip into Staffordshire via Derby (saving about a tenner) for a lone new Guide entry near Uttoxeter. At Derby’s Platform 4a it suddenly dawned on me I’d made a big mistake. Huge. I’d clearly picked… Continue reading FINDING MYSELF UNEXPECTEDLY IN UTTOXETER ON LADIES DAY
JULY ’23 HIGHLIGHTS + AUGUST PREVIEW
In 1975 the Indian cricket team, invited to chase an England total of 334 in 60 overs in the first World Cup match, said “Nah, no thanks“, and stoically dead-batted their way to 132 for 3 for the draw. Sadly, there’s no draw in limited overs matches. In similar fashion, I’d long ago given up… Continue reading JULY ’23 HIGHLIGHTS + AUGUST PREVIEW
A SAM SMITHS PUB RE-OPENS IN YORKSHIRE
July 2023. Sheffield. One of the big draws of a move to Yorkshire was the ferret racing Sam Smiths pubs. But no sooner than I arrive than Sir Humphrey started closing them, albeit for completely understandable reasons like “failure to serve Humphrey’s favourite pudding“. So imagine my delight to read better news in the Sheffield… Continue reading A SAM SMITHS PUB RE-OPENS IN YORKSHIRE
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