As I mentioned the other day, there’s some stupid hotel prices being quoted as our summer (“what Summer ?”) limps to an end, as lifeless as an Arsenal performance at the Etihad. Pub men have their work cut out finding cheery B & B s from which to tick Guide entries using unreliable trains. Step… Continue reading LUCIFER OVER STOCKTON
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.
HOW TO BRIBE A PUB TICKER TO GIVE YOU A GOOD REVIEW
Beer Twitter is a very serious business full or arguments about authenticity, oppressive capitalism and whether Doom Bar is the bestest beer. Stay well clear of Beer Twitter. Pub Twitter is fun and uncontroversial, unless you get into county boundaries or Baps v Barms. In Darlington, my second GBG tick for the year was about… Continue reading HOW TO BRIBE A PUB TICKER TO GIVE YOU A GOOD REVIEW
DARLO DECISIONS
I had two hours to kill in Darlington. There’s a railway museum just north of town that would interest some of you, but sadly the gallery celebrating the town’s football team (“QuakerShaker”) is still at the business case stage. And Aruba awaits development as a cat cafe. So I thought I’d better revisit an old… Continue reading DARLO DECISIONS
“And here are 38 Special”
A midweek trip north (but I AM north, right ?) to tick Durham, with a double in Darlo. On the way up I was tempted, as usual, to pop in to Piercebridge, inspiration for my most popular blog post. But Piercebridge will have to wait; I doubt they’ll be squeezing a micro into the yard… Continue reading “And here are 38 Special”
‘ROUND MIDNIGHT, IN THE CROW
The WHOLE world (except the Southworths) is descending on Sheffield at the moment, drawn in by tricky GBG ticks, artisanal burgers and obscure football grounds. Luckily, Sheffield is cheap, with £31 Travelodges and free camping in our garden if you bring your own potty. In contrast, these were the CHEAPEST rooms available in That Manchester… Continue reading ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT, IN THE CROW
MOVING IN MANCHESTER
A busy August, including a day spent helping Matt move (checks compass) south-west of their house in Ancoats into what I understand from young people is called the Northern Quarter. Nice tiling. Emma’s parents had done the hard yards the day before so all I had to do was make a succession of car journeys… Continue reading MOVING IN MANCHESTER
ANOTHER INADVISABLE ESB AT THE PARCEL YARD
We headed back along Oxford Street into Fitzrovia and back to King’s Cross, cheered by an afternoon of London discovery, ticking and culture. London’s main shopping street seems to consist entirely of “Candy” stores. But there’s beauty, everywhere. Amorino ices on Goodge Street was a joy, too. I reckon James deserved 3 scoops after letting… Continue reading ANOTHER INADVISABLE ESB AT THE PARCEL YARD
MARBLE ARCH MOUND – £6m WELL SPENT
So to the purpose of our London adventure, apart from 3 welcome GBG ticks of course. The Marble Arch Mound, a mound next to Marble Arch, has attracted the imagination of the British public in a way not seen since the craft beer exhibition at the Millennium Dome in 2000 (sole beer : Courage Best),… Continue reading MARBLE ARCH MOUND – £6m WELL SPENT
TOP 100 PUBS – THE VICTORIA, PADDINGTON
After checking whether we had enough left in the account for tea after that pint of Pride, we set off toward Hyde Park. A 22 year old is never really going to pick a Gordon Ramsay restaurant, and there’s a lack of Northern Quarter style curry caffs in West London, which is why I despair… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – THE VICTORIA, PADDINGTON
LONDON PRIDE ?
Part 3 of the Father & Son North London tickathon, as we began an hour long walk along the Grand Union towards Notting Hill. Let me be straight; London is a wonderful city, only behind Manchester, Nuremburg, Havana and Naples on my list. As we put Camden behind us we had the canal path to… Continue reading LONDON PRIDE ?
