April 2023. I had my Blackburn tick, I had my free bed for the night next to a graveyard in Oswaldtwistle*. To be fair, a very nice graveyard. But what to do now ? It’s only 20:45, the night is still young, even in greater Accrington. Oh look, there’s a pub. Last time here it… Continue reading A NIGHT NEXT TO A GRAVEYARD IN OSWALDTWISTLE
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.
WHERE THE **** IS KNUZDEN ?
April 2023. In my dotage, I imagine I’ll re-read my own blog and reminisce about the magic night when I slept in my campervan in Oswaldtwistle (pronounced Os-twit). Oswaldtwistle is the mysterious land between Blackburn and Accrington best known for the eponymous Mills visited by coachloads of gentlefolks on the lookout for fragrant candles and… Continue reading WHERE THE **** IS KNUZDEN ?
BURNLEY, BURNLEY
April 2023. “If I was a Lancs GBG compiler, I’d make ‘Briercliffe’ a separate place, but I don’t make the rules” wrote illegal pub photographer Simon in January, during an epic blog catch-up I might soon need to replicate. And I agree with Simon. While CAMRA argues about how thick the paper should be in… Continue reading BURNLEY, BURNLEY
RESIST THE BANANA COOKIE-DOUGH CHEESECAKE STOUT, RESIST
April 2023. Attendees at CAMRA’s Sheffield AGM raising some issues with the beer quality at the members bar would have been well advised to take a short walk out towards the town centre, where the University Arms and Bath Hotel offer high quality local cask. Walk another 5 minutes past approx. 372 (excellent) Asian restaurants… Continue reading RESIST THE BANANA COOKIE-DOUGH CHEESECAKE STOUT, RESIST
VOLUNTEERING
April 2023. I’d volunteered to help CAMRA set up the Members Weekend in Sheffield. If ever I was going to help out, I guess it was this week, with it on the doorstep, in the venue where James had his graduation ceremony a year ago. Look ! There’s a What Pub entry for the weekend’s… Continue reading VOLUNTEERING
APRIL 2023 STOCKTAKE + MAY PREVIEW
ALL monthly highlights packages should come with a picture of Stafford Paul, the Pub Man’s Pub Man, with a pint of mild in a Davenport’s pub. I’ve somehow fallen behind on the blog, so Paul’s campaign at the AGM to ditch real ale in favour of craft keg DIPAs is still to come, and you… Continue reading APRIL 2023 STOCKTAKE + MAY PREVIEW
TOP 100 PUBS – THE TOWN WALL TAVERN, COVENTRY
Right, time for some of this… April 2023. This is the problem with having completed the Guide. I now feel it’s fine to be distracted from doing GBG23 (if I ever was) by the temptations of the past. I mean, what’s the point of visiting Coventry if you don’t go the Cathedral Town Wall Tavern.… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – THE TOWN WALL TAVERN, COVENTRY
SENT TO COVENTRY, HAPPILY
April 2023. Thank you GBG23, for giving me a first visit to Coventry since Christmas 2018, bar a (failed) pre-emptive at the Ricoh. Has Cov changed much ? Well, blimey. Where has all this building work north of town come from ? Can it all be student accommodation, like in Sheffield ? Dunno. But it… Continue reading SENT TO COVENTRY, HAPPILY
AILBHE REDDY AT THE BRUDENELL
16th April 2023. Mrs RM came to TWO (2) of my hardcore gigs in mid-April. That string quartet at the Leadmill, and Irish singer-songwriter Ailbhe Reddy at the Brudenell. Can’t get two more ironic venues than that. Only one drawback, rubbish Leeds trains. So I get to chauffeur Mrs RM to Burley Road and escort… Continue reading AILBHE REDDY AT THE BRUDENELL
ALL HAPPENING IN ASHTON
15th April 2023. Still two hours before kick-off at the Etihad so, just for once, I had a leisurely afternoon just dawdling. And there are few better places to dawdle than Ashton-under-Lyne. When you’ve had two lunchtime pints in short order the temptation is always to head for a third somewhere interesting; but not eating… Continue reading ALL HAPPENING IN ASHTON
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