Leaving night-time Southampton for quirky residential Southampton takes me past a mere 127 takeaways, and the famous “Portsmouth Child Turned To Stone” exhibit, arriving at the Bookshop Alehouse just in time to claim a seat (a bit of a rarity for a micro on a Friday). As per usual, I walked past it twice, mistaking… Continue reading MURKY, MICRO, MAGNIFICENT
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.
LURED IN BY SOUTHAMPTON SPOONS. AND CRAFT.
Completing the Good Beer Guide requires professionalism and an ability not to be swayed by temptations outside the True Path. Just ask Pubmeister. So no Beer Festivals, no Proper Pub crawls round places you’ve done before, and definitely no bottles of DIPA at home. And pre-emptive ticks only if their presence in the next… Continue reading LURED IN BY SOUTHAMPTON SPOONS. AND CRAFT.
THE SAINTS ARE COMING
An uneventful trip from Fratton to Southampton, though sadly I failed to log in to the free WiFi to check availability of tickets for the big show next week. Oddly, looking at the flyer I was reminded that Micky Quinn used to play for Portsmouth Southampton is always a slight let down after Pompey, lacking… Continue reading THE SAINTS ARE COMING
SOUTHSEA’S (BELLE) ISLE OF LOST SOULS
The photo above was taken just before 4pm on Friday, in the Meat & Barrel on Southsea‘s main shopping street. Look on the bright side; at least it wasn’t called Sant Yago. Or John Lewis. It’s one of the two new Guide entries in Southsea, neither of which has a mobility scooter outside or… Continue reading SOUTHSEA’S (BELLE) ISLE OF LOST SOULS
POMPEY ! PRESLEY ! PUMPS ! PISH !
Petersfield endured, it was onto a bumper Hampshire derby showcasing the best and worst of the South coast. Starting in Pompey, which isn’t short of pubs. An admission. I was a teenage Pompey fan during the glory years (Div 4); an attachment based seemingly only on a visit to a Chichester convent and Bognor Regis… Continue reading POMPEY ! PRESLEY ! PUMPS ! PISH !
THE PETERSFIELD PROBLEM
A weekend away from the lovely Mrs RM in Portsmouth to clear the ten Hampshire Beer Guide entries, working WiFi and a tenner for Chinese takeaway; that’s my definition of FUN. Shame that one of those ten was in Petersfield. Some towns have a lot more Beer guide pubs than you’d expect, based on size… Continue reading THE PETERSFIELD PROBLEM
ANNOYED RETIRED MARTIN – RETURN VISIT
Those of you who enjoy the torment of us pub tickers finding pubs unexpectedly closed are going to love this. A successful (in ticking terms) couple of days in Wiltshire was to conclude with the attractive sounding Cross Keys in Corsley. Tucked safely away from the Killing Fields of Frome, albeit worryingly close to the… Continue reading ANNOYED RETIRED MARTIN – RETURN VISIT
“EXPERIMENTAL” BEERS IN THE TEST VALLEY
First of all, an apology to anyone who didn’t get to read “An old soak in Basingstoke” before it mysteriously disappeared from my site last night. It was one of my best, probably selling for 88p on the dark net. I blame the Russians. Or Russ. Or Basingstoke Tourist Office. If I can be bothered… Continue reading “EXPERIMENTAL” BEERS IN THE TEST VALLEY
THE ANGEL OF ANDOVER
Take a close look at that glass. That folks, is a half of Old Speckled Hen in the Angel, the new Beer Guide pub in Andover. And whatever else it was, it was also the best beer I’ve had so far in June. Before we get to that, here’s a lovely OS slice of unfussy… Continue reading THE ANGEL OF ANDOVER
COME ON PERU !
Buoyed by our cricket team’s success in taking mighty Scotland to the penultimate over last week, I’ve decided to jump on the sporting bandwagon, before the Premiership starts and I go into hiding. When I handed over my haul of CAMRA magazines to Dave last week, I left a Panini World Cup album in the… Continue reading COME ON PERU !
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