June 2024. Gosport to Selborne. A break from pubs, on this blog and IRL (as the Mumz say), so if you’re after pubs you’ll need to come back in, ooh, 6 hours time. Our two-nighter down in Hampshire concluded on Father-in-Law’s 88th birthday with a “no expense spared” breakfast from Gosport Lidl, £5.04 feeds 4,… Continue reading GILBERT WHITE

June 2024. Gosport. My work for this 3 days of in-law entertaining nearly done, it was time for a walk; At last, a decent step count. Blackpool Jane did a very similar trip recently, but she only claimed 19,317 steps, though possibly more meat raffles were clocked up. From Queens you head towards the marina… Continue reading THE POWDER MONKEY (well, one of them, anyway)

June 2024. Gosport. The rubbish buses had scuppered my plans to attack central Gosport’s craft glories (probably not open anyway since it’s a Monday), so I cut my losses and walked the 10 minutes through Newtown to the town’s second GBG perennial. At least, the Queen’s Hotel used to be, as the window revealed on… Continue reading THE QUEENS HOTEL, GOSPORT – OK WITH JOE, OK WITH ME

June 2024. Gosport. It’s amazing how quickly you can fall behind on this blog; I’m still on Monday a week ago (is that how say it ?), so let’s get on to the trad boozers Gosport is famous, perhaps world-beating, for. Blackpoool Jane raved about Gosport recently, highlighting the craft in Katie’s, 33 Green Bottles,… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – THE JUNCTION TAVERN, GOSPORT

June 2024. Portsmouth. Two things were recommended for our Pompey trip. The Spinnaker Tower, and the D-Day museum. Wot ! no green tiled pubs ? Father-in-law had chosen to have his birthday the week of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings, which on the one hand made parking in Southsea an operation on a… Continue reading PRIDE DRINKING WELL AT GUNWHARF QUAY

June 2024. Gosport. In fairness to my parents-in-law, they’re game for anything, even Eritrean finger food, which means I can take them in micropubs and industrial estate brewery taps. and they’re quite mobile for (recently hospitalised) folk in their mid-80s. But can I get them to decide where to head for breakfast. “Where would YOU… Continue reading THE DEMISE OF WETHERSPOONS GREATLY EXAGGERATED

June 2024. Portsmouth. A break from blogging about pubs for a second (and the next post is from a Spoons, which hardly counts according to many), as I luxuriate in the views across Gosport Harbour. Once again, Portsmouth looks splendid leaving the hubbub of the Pembroke, and heading past the underrated Cathedral, back towards the… Continue reading THE VIEW FROM PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR

June 2024. Portsmouth. Mrs RM messaged me as I left the Vaults in pursuit of a third Pompey pint of the night, reminding me to bring back wine and chocolate. I didn’t need a third pint (but then Mrs RM didn’t need wine and chocolate, either), with my two newbies ticked, but I’d been chauffeuring… Continue reading QUIZ NIGHT IN THE PEMBROKE

June 2024. Southsea. A sunny Sunday evening in Portsmouth as I got the ticking done while the Old Folk (not Mrs RM) had an early night. Good to see Pompey getting down wiv the kidz with a cutting edge musical line up this year, though the Southworths may be surprised by Mr Zimmerman’s latest name… Continue reading THE VAULTS, SOUTHSEA