11th February 2023. Apart from being good company, Preston’s Matthew Lawrenson has the rare quality of being able to walk at my pace. So we arrived in the heart of Preston before the North End fans returned from their hammering at Burnley, before the pubs got too lively. Last time here with Matthew I’d forgot… Continue reading DOES ANYTHING BEAT A PLUM PORTER AND THE BUGGLES IN THE BLACK HORSE ?
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.
A GUIDED TOUR OF SUBURBAN PRESTON’S MICROPUBS
11th February 2023. This was the day I singlehandedly revitalised the East Lancashire economy with purchases of halves in micros and award winning pork pies. I also bought four (4) separate £2 bus tickets on the trip from Adlington to Fulwood*, which seems an extravagance at the time but my feet were chafing so I… Continue reading A GUIDED TOUR OF SUBURBAN PRESTON’S MICROPUBS
A SLICE OF LANCASHIRE LIFE IN LOSTOCK HALL
11th February 2023. Not quite The Longest Day, but 11/2/23 (2/11/23 for US readers) did include 9 pubs and 7 separate public transport journeys, and I’m still pulling bus tickets out of my jeans a week later. The train from Chorley would have taken me rapidly back to Preston station, but I really wanted to… Continue reading A SLICE OF LANCASHIRE LIFE IN LOSTOCK HALL
THE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED NEW GBG MICROPUB IN CHORLEY
11th February 2023. One of the many, many great things about this country is the bus services set up especially to speed GBG tickers from micropub to micropub. I know I never said that on the Isle of Wight but that’s because there’s an inbuilt feature on Southern Vectis buses that make you feel sick.… Continue reading THE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED NEW GBG MICROPUB IN CHORLEY
PALE, PIES & POST OFFICE CONVERSIONS -ADLINGTON IN 20 MINUTES
11th February 2023. I have a confession to make. My completely authoritative GBG completion spreadsheet is NOT 100% reliable. I was convinced that I had a pub called “Keg n Cask” to visit in St Annes, but also a nagging feeling I’d been there already. And by searching MY OWN BLOG while in Cask &… Continue reading PALE, PIES & POST OFFICE CONVERSIONS -ADLINGTON IN 20 MINUTES
TOP 100 PUBS – CASK AND TAP, BLACKPOOL
I thought the Cask and Tap was my first Top 100 Pub in Blackpool, but my crack team of unpaid researchers remind me that the Victoria in Cleveleys made the cut in 2016. There’s soon be more Sam Smiths pubs in my Top 100 than there are open Sam Smiths pubs. A rare micro on… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – CASK AND TAP, BLACKPOOL
TO THE TOWER !
11th February 2023. One down, how many more Lancashire micros could I manage ? I nearly got distracted at the first hurdle, tempted by the delights of Blackpool v Rotherham at Bloomfield Road, but they were only selling home tickets to “previous purchasers” * and the Millers had sold out their away allocation. I settled… Continue reading TO THE TOWER !
THE ONLY PERSON GETTING OFF AT SQUIRES GATE
11th February 2023. Mrs RM had left me at home alone for a week while she explored the craft bars of Eindhoven (no blog, sadly), so I didn’t need to seek her written permission for a night out in Lancashire. I probably should have sort Blackpool Jane‘s permission to visit her home town, but I’d… Continue reading THE ONLY PERSON GETTING OFF AT SQUIRES GATE
A FLAT ROOF PUB TO END NORTHANTS FOR GBG23
February 2023. I’ve neglected you. I’ve hardly mentioned MumsNet in months, while it’s been discussing the issues that define/divide the nation; I don’t know how folk in Northampton pronounce Ice Cream, but then I never know if it’s in the East Midlands (where it sits in the GBG) or the East (where it’s generally lumped… Continue reading A FLAT ROOF PUB TO END NORTHANTS FOR GBG23
ALL WELL IN THE WELLAND VALLEY ?
February 2023. Oooh, even more dangerously close to That Corby (the Middlesbrough of the Midlands). You might think this a bit odd given how smug I am about my knowledge of the UK, but I love finding a new GBG entry in a village I’ve never heard of. Wilbarston has 767 souls, and most of… Continue reading ALL WELL IN THE WELLAND VALLEY ?
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