Trent Bridge was a bit chaotic after the chaos of the England v New Zealand test. Best hide in the nearest GBG pub for a while and then catch a late train, eh ? Nottingham and neighbouring West Bridgford is a bit dull for GBG pubs these days, but Castle Rock do a decent line… Continue reading A STRATFORD HAVEN IN WEST BRIDGFORD
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.
AT THE TEST MATCH
On the evening of Monday 13th June the 2nd Test Match between England (World Cup winners or whatever) and New Zealand (World Test Cup champions, or whatever) was heading towards a dull draw. A nice lady from Notts CCC came on Radio 5 Sports Extra and told us entry to the 5th day, normally about… Continue reading AT THE TEST MATCH
“Do you have anyone to go for an impromptu pint with ?”
Back in Sheffield after a triumphant conquering of Fife and the Lothians I looked forward to a few quiet days catching up on the blog and reading MumsNet. This thread took my fancy… Well, to save you reading MumsNet, the short answer is NO, Mums don’t go out for impromptu pints. They’d expect 3 weeks… Continue reading “Do you have anyone to go for an impromptu pint with ?”
WHO’D A (MILNA)THORT IT – LOCH LEVEN LICKED
BRAPA ruminated, as only he can, on some less than great beer so far this summer. The beer in the east of Scotland was pretty good (NBSS 3 stuff), if never spectacular, but I loved the pubs in Fife and Perthshire, where I headed for a night after concluding “the Kingdom” in St Andrews. On… Continue reading WHO’D A (MILNA)THORT IT – LOCH LEVEN LICKED
JULY ’22 STOCKTAKE + AUGUST PREVIEW
July 2022. Perhaps the best month of my life. Since Mrs RM and I BOTH forgot our wedding anniversary for the 30th time I can safely say that and live. Despite the life-changing crisps from Jones of Cymru, and a record hundred and one (101) GBG ticks in July, it’s been the beauty of the… Continue reading JULY ’22 STOCKTAKE + AUGUST PREVIEW
A SAUNTER IN ST. ANDREWS
A third and hopefully final ticking trip to “saucy St. Andrews“. No, the TIC doesn’t actually call it that put “frightfully upmarket” wouldn’t work well as a slogan. We arrived just before the 150th Golf Open, thereby annoying those annoying Americans who shout “In the hole !” before every shot (instead getting a Yank who… Continue reading A SAUNTER IN ST. ANDREWS
ANGRY MAN AGITATED AT ANSTRUTHER CHICKEN SLICES
Three years ago I escaped from the CAMRA AGM to do a bus trip round the Fife coast to Anstruther. I’m not saying the CAMRA AGM was dull, but the main discussion concerned whether Life Members (“leeches”) should be shot or hung. Why waste bullets, I say. In 2019 I declared Anstruther “rubbish”, but now… Continue reading ANGRY MAN AGITATED AT ANSTRUTHER CHICKEN SLICES
THE QUEUE FOR TOASTIES IN LOWER LARGO
Still in Fife, the shaded area on the map; I love that bit of coastline between the big bridge (I think it’s called big bridge) and the golf place, and if you can get over the shock of the Brewer’s Fayre in Glenrothes the pubs are worth the trip. Another of Fife’s highlights is the… Continue reading THE QUEUE FOR TOASTIES IN LOWER LARGO
THROWING THE BALL BACK IN FREUCHIE
More modest posts about modest little Scots boozers, and more proof that Fife is a corking chapter of the GBG as long as you care little about whether your beer is GBG 3+ or GBG 3- (3.25, Mike). Actually, it’s the Kingdom of Fife, of course, just as it’s the Mess of Merseyside and the… Continue reading THROWING THE BALL BACK IN FREUCHIE
GLENROTHES REVISITED, WITH SURPRISING RESULTS
Until last month, Glenrothes was, perhaps, best known for the Retired Martin blog post from a GBG Brewer’s Fayre serving only an undrinkable Doom Bar. “But ALL Doom Bar is undrinkable, surely ?” writes a luddite on Discourse. Oh, and its proximity to the historic town of Raith, home to Kirkcaldy Rovers. But time, and… Continue reading GLENROTHES REVISITED, WITH SURPRISING RESULTS
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