Finally from Burgess Hill, an unexpected source of blog material, a bit of art, and a bit of craft. The Signalbox opens at 4pm, and I’ll skip over the question of why craft bars open when it’s dark while Wetherspoons are serving beer at 9am. I can’t pretend it’s the most astonishing looking bar of… Continue reading THE TOILET AT THE BURGESS HILL SIGNALBOX
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.
“Lower your expectations”. ChatGPT prepares me for bucolic Burgess Hill.
December 2025. Burgess Hill. If this blog had a Mission Statement, it it would be “to promote the UK’s lesser known highlights” (Leek, Leicester, Leigh) and to warn people away from Maidenhead. I was aware, from a half hour in Quench a decade ago, that Burgess Hill was rather less alluring than Lewes, 20 minutes… Continue reading “Lower your expectations”. ChatGPT prepares me for bucolic Burgess Hill.
TOAD IN THE HOLE AT BN6 CRAFT BAR
December 2025. Hassocks. The vagaries of pub opening times laid bare in one day’s ticking. 1. Burgess Hill Spoons, open from 9am 2. Hassocks BN6 craft bar, open from 3pm 3. Burgess Hill Signalman, open from 4pm With my return train from Burgess Hill I had to do them in that order, too, and as… Continue reading TOAD IN THE HOLE AT BN6 CRAFT BAR
IS KEYMER PART OF HASSOCKS, OR VICE VERSA ?
December 2025. Keymer and Hassocks. An exciting Tuesday in the South Downs, but not exciting enough to attract Mrs RM away from the comfort of her caravan in Rye Harbour where she had a) working WiFi, b) crisps, c) that can of 10% Imperial stout that would later prevent her from collecting me from Rye… Continue reading IS KEYMER PART OF HASSOCKS, OR VICE VERSA ?
THE JOY OF BURGESS HILL SPOONS
December 2025. Burgess Hill. West Sussex Ah, Bucolic Burgess Hill. I’d been before, just the once, when Quench got in the GBG over a decade ago. Even Harvey’s can’t keep Quench in the Guide, replaced by a craft bar and a Spoons. Which might make you think that Burgess Hill is worthy of a detour… Continue reading THE JOY OF BURGESS HILL SPOONS
WHY, WIVELSFIELD ?
December 2025. Wivelsfield. West Sussex. But first, “Where, Wivelsfield ?” Firmly Mid Sussex, though as Mid Sussex doesn’t exist in the GBG, it’s a dip into the West Sussex chapter. Here’s one I completed earlier; Simon is making some inroads into this underrated county at the moment, a mix of micropubs along the coast and… Continue reading WHY, WIVELSFIELD ?
A PINT FOR MUDGIE
December 2025. Rye Harbour. Back in Rye from Waterbeach last Sunday, stunned at the news that Peter had died, I spent the next day writing about Mudgie and reading tributes to the man. Mrs RM had enjoyed his company on his last Proper Day Out in Atherstone and was equally shocked. Everyone seemed to be… Continue reading A PINT FOR MUDGIE
YOU SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FRIENDS. NOW, MORE THAN EVER
December 2025. Waterbeach. I forgot this photo last time, Dale’s Brewery converted to Hot Numbers coffee shop, one of Cambridge’s premier meeting points for folk who don’t pub. While in Waterbeach we invited Curry Charles and Julia (not sure of her prefix) over from Dereham for a curry at the Nepalese pub that has turned… Continue reading YOU SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FRIENDS. NOW, MORE THAN EVER
REINDEERS AT THE CAMBRIDGE BLUE
December 2025. Cambridge. I barely spent an hour at the Mill Road Winter Fair, enough for a couple of pubs, a couple of carols (is “Get Lucky” a carol ?), an ounce of regret I’d already had lunch (Tesco Meal Deal) and was meeting Curry Charles later for, er, curry as I surveyed dozens of… Continue reading REINDEERS AT THE CAMBRIDGE BLUE
MILL ROAD WINTER FAIR
December 2025. Cambridge. For the first time in a decade, I found myself in Cambridge on the same day as the Mill Road Winter Fair, one of the Big events in a social calendar dominated by Shakespeare and cover bands and beer festivals . Only £2.10 return fare from Waterbeach, and a chance to drink… Continue reading MILL ROAD WINTER FAIR
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