A week ago I was in Newcastle, getting ready for a big night out in the Toon. But after ticking that 3rd pint in Whitley Bay the week caught up with me, and even a restorative flat white in Kith & Kin. Should have had a dip. I had to jump off the tram back… Continue reading A BIG EURO NIGHT
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WHITLEY BAY – CHIMPS, CHEEK, CHIPS
Where were we last Saturday ? Oh yes, on the beach at Whitley Bay. Made you a video. Now it was time for my penultimate tick for Tyne & Wear. I was expecting the Split Chimp, wayward cousin of the original Chimp near Newcastle Station, to be quite smart; outside a Champagne bar, next to… Continue reading WHITLEY BAY – CHIMPS, CHEEK, CHIPS
THE BAY
Calm down ! That’s not Mrs RM above (or me). Whitley Bay, the Margate of the North ? Or the new Folkestone ? It’s gone all posh, hasn’t it ? Ever since Mrs RM and I came here 15 years ago, admired the beach and mispronounced Tynmouth, it’s seen an influx of young people with… Continue reading THE BAY
NORTH SHIELDS – IN THE CAT HOUSE
Enough of Tyneside politics, let’s see a cat in a Tyneside micropub. Actually, although the Enigma Tap calls itself a micropub, you’d probably think “craft bar”. Who cares about labels ? I failed to gauge the pub cat’s opinion on the matter, but did notice her/his/their confusion with the directional arrows. The young chap was… Continue reading NORTH SHIELDS – IN THE CAT HOUSE
NORTH SHIELDS – IN THE DOG HOUSE
One thing is for certain; if we get closed down because of Lancastrians licking Cobra handpumps or whatever I’ve enough blog material to last out the summer in the bank. I always tell BRAPA to spread his material out a bit but will he ever listen ? You left Mrs RM and I in West… Continue reading NORTH SHIELDS – IN THE DOG HOUSE
HIT THE TOON
The next diary entry is a bit of a set-up post after the rigours of conquering Hadrian’s Wall. Well, actually we got half-way, but that was 40 odd miles, plenty enough for Mrs RM on this trip. We’ll go back and do Haydon Bridge to Newcastle later in the summer, then think about the bits… Continue reading HIT THE TOON
EVERY GOOD EVENING ENDS WITH A SPOONS COOKIE DOUGH SANDWICH
STILL on Friday night, but only one of the recommended Hexham pubs in the Trailblazer Guide to Hadrian’s Wall left to do. Of course, it’s the Spoons. I know that love for the “People’s Pub Chain” isn’t universal, even amongst my esteemed readers. But you get a far better mix of folk in the Forum… Continue reading EVERY GOOD EVENING ENDS WITH A SPOONS COOKIE DOUGH SANDWICH
NICE
Let’s be nice about a gastropub, for a change. The Heart of Northumberland is SO nice it would sit nicely in Islington. It had been recommended to us by the nice barman in Wark, which was nice. I pretended to go to the loo so I could see the hand pumps. Ooh, local beers, that’s… Continue reading NICE
(OVER)DUE A DEUCHARS
I was pleased to find the Grapes full, after reading that there hasn’t always been the rush back to pubs they might have hoped since the Heaventeenth (Simon’s Surrey pubs looked a bit quiet, too). I would have popped in the Tap & Spile for old time’s sake; there’s not many survivors from the mid-90s… Continue reading (OVER)DUE A DEUCHARS
NO ROOM TO SQUEEZE (IN) THE GRAPES
Back from Wark (I think it’s still Friday), via the wonderful looking pubs of Acomb and Humshaugh, where Mrs RM had kindly acted as my DES 3 years ago when she did a stint working up the A68 in Scottish Borders Council. Being a kindly person, I let her have an hour recovering in the… Continue reading NO ROOM TO SQUEEZE (IN) THE GRAPES
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