“Greetings to the new brunette” sang Billy Bragg in 1986, before he got woke and left his pap pop behind on Workers Playtime, the best LP of ’88. Today I say Greetings to the new Good Beer Guide 2021, the book we once thought might never happen as pubs closed in March, preventing the vital… Continue reading GOOD BEER GUIDE ’21 – A TRIUMPH IN ADVERSITY
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TOP 10 COUNTIES – No. 1 – TYNE & WEAR
It’s been an emotional run-through the Top 10 Counties. And here’s your winner (well, mine, your views don’t count, obvs). One of the smallest “counties”, but barely a square inch wasted (though the Boldons is a bit dull, unless there’s anyone there reading this, in which case the Black Horse is OK ). Let’s start… Continue reading TOP 10 COUNTIES – No. 1 – TYNE & WEAR
SITTING AT THE BAR AGAIN IN BLETCHLEY
More “recommended” pubs before the big launch of GBG21 on Thursday. I can’t wait. While you count down the hours, here’s a report from one of the UK’s richest cities. Honest, Milton Keynes is one of the great post-war British success stories, boosting replacement tyre sales by 33% in Buckinghamshire alone due to those roundabouts.… Continue reading SITTING AT THE BAR AGAIN IN BLETCHLEY
I’LL BROOK NO ARGUMENT – GREAT CORNARD HAS A MODERN CLASSIC
More “recommended” pubs for you before I turn to the Top County, which I’ll bring you as soon as I’ve arranged police protection from Tom Irvin. A rare trip to Sudbury, I thought. But it turns out I was only there 3 years ago. Clearly Mrs RM was distracting me back then. On another of… Continue reading I’LL BROOK NO ARGUMENT – GREAT CORNARD HAS A MODERN CLASSIC
TOP 10 COUNTIES – No. 2 – GREATER MANCHESTER
That pic above is of me, descending the steps to the Underbanks to a secret vault where I’ll be collecting the correct answers to my “Guess my favourite counties competition“, now into its 7th year. The tension is growing in London (North-West), Bedfordshire and the Kingdom of Fife. Are they in my Top 2 ?… Continue reading TOP 10 COUNTIES – No. 2 – GREATER MANCHESTER
MONKS ELEIGH – ALL RIGHT NOW
I reckon one photo is all you need to guess where I went next; Yes, it’s the brightly coloured cottages of Greater Lavenham, pilgrimage for Americans in search of the true fake Lil Ol England for decades now. If you know the Eleighs at all, it’ll be the famous Cock at Brent, whose bench seating… Continue reading MONKS ELEIGH – ALL RIGHT NOW
TITCHMARSH LACINGS SPECTACULAR
Is there no end to the wonders of east Northamptonshire ? Posh schools, Scottish enclaves, world conker championships (pre-Covid), and pubs called Duke. There’s also a little place called Polopit, right next to Titchmarsh. I thought I’d go and explore for no reason whatsoever. As ever, Polopit is best seen from my drone, which would… Continue reading TITCHMARSH LACINGS SPECTACULAR
EASY LIKE A (BARTON SEAGRAVE) WEDNESDAY LUNCHTIME
More of that blogging from places on the edge of Kettering that you’ve never heard of, even if you live there. Dave will be thrilled. Barton Seagrave, eh ? Sounds like a latter day Madness album, doesn’t it ?, with video set in a disused Wicksteed Park next door and loads of primary school children… Continue reading EASY LIKE A (BARTON SEAGRAVE) WEDNESDAY LUNCHTIME
THE SHEFFORD COLLECTION
More local-ish ramblings for you before the GBG drop on the 29th. No inference should be drawn about anything, EVER. Shefford is famous for two things. Firstly, in 2015 BRAPA visited during his Bedfordshire Reign of Terror, and this report on his embryonic blog is delightfully descriptive of a chance meeting with Everton title winner… Continue reading THE SHEFFORD COLLECTION
POSH, NOT POSH
I shall press on, avoiding the terms “Good Beer Guide” and “GBG21” as much as possible, and wake up to the sound of the CAMRA police knocking on my door at 4am* to strip me of my privilege. The new GBG will be full of micropubs, I bet ya, and I’d been warned about advised… Continue reading POSH, NOT POSH
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