January 2024. Heath Charnock, Chorley. I rather arrogantly assume I could tell you, or at least make up, some interesting perspectives on every part of the UK (bar the Shetlands; are the Shetlands part of the UK ?). But when Heath Charnock’s Bay Horse popped into the Beer Guide last autumn I genuine had no… Continue reading THE MYSTERIOUS HEATH CHARNOCK
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HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 19 – LANCASHIRE
Getting these “best of” posts out before midnight every day, on top of my incredibly busy days, is so stressful. I almost just picked five from Preston tonight; Black Horse, Old Vic, New Conti (for music), Vinyl Tap, Blue Bell, before remembering that Blackpool Jane would never speak to me again, But I will start… Continue reading HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 19 – LANCASHIRE
IT ALL GOES AWRY IN CHORLEY SPOONS
January 2024. Chorley. It was such a good plan. Ben’s Tap, the Flat Iron and Riley’s Taproom; 3 new Chorley GBG entries a minute apart. Fantastic ticking. Only Riley’s wasn’t open. Facebook said 1pm, What Pub said 2 pm, but it turned out the correct answer was 3 pm. And although the pinned post on… Continue reading IT ALL GOES AWRY IN CHORLEY SPOONS
“Are ya CAMRA ?”
January 2024 (though I fear I’ll be writing 2023 till at least the 12th so good job we don’t use cheques anymore). Chorley. I very nearly skipped the Flat Iron, as it used to be the Market Tavern, and professional tickers would consider it poor form to revisit a pub just because it had changed… Continue reading “Are ya CAMRA ?”
CHORLEY NOT ?
January 2024. Chorley. January is always a tricky month for pub tickers. Obviously there’s the temptations of Dryanuary and the desire to proclaim your worthiness with photos of yourself at home in Wakefield with a nice cup of cocoa. And if you do bin off Dryanuary, will the weather, rail unions, and micro opening times play… Continue reading CHORLEY NOT ?
HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 18 – KENT
Finishing Kent always feels like a BIG achievement, something about all that coastline, all those different train lines, all those wrong micro opening times. And picking the first five in Kent has been the toughest pick so far. I’ve deliberately left out the Nelson Arms in Tonbridge, as that had enough publicity of late but… Continue reading HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 18 – KENT
STOKING THE FIRES IN COGENHOE
My last Beds pub in Harrold was right on the border with Bucks, and also with Northants; you get a lot of those “3 counties colliding” scenarios as you hit the Midlands, which is what makes the current ordering of the GBG so nonsensical. Beds at the very start, Northants half way through. Use the… Continue reading STOKING THE FIRES IN COGENHOE
“Please wait HERE to be seated”
January 2024. Harrold. Bedfordshire. Despite not being obsessed about GBG completion anymore there’s still a modest thrill about finishing off a Guide chapter, even if it only needs one (1) tick, as in Bedfordshire. Mind you, Harrold’s Oakley Arms is about as close to posh Bucks as you could manage, a couple of miles from… Continue reading “Please wait HERE to be seated”
HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 17 – THE ISLE OF WIGHT
Our first venture offshore (unless you’re living on Wight), and a county that gave me great joy to complete on 2022. I’m not saying the pubs are rubbish, there’s a fair few unpretentious boozer straight from the South London/Kent playbook. And they get extra points for producing a lovely printed guide to the pubs in… Continue reading HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 17 – THE ISLE OF WIGHT
MAMMON
January 2024. Cambridge. I’d arrived in Cambridge at 5pm, and aimed to have left by 6. M um locks the door at 7, to keep out the Waterbeach undesirables. Mum had given me a short shopping list for the Sainsbury’s by the station (bananas and mushrooms), but with 12 minutes spare after two rapid pints… Continue reading MAMMON
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