You’ll be relieved to know Mrs RM and I welcomed in the new year and Dryanuary with a pint and a National trust tick yesterday, but before we get to 2025 I’ve got more of those contractually obligated “Best of ’24” posts for you. After all, there’s (marginally) more to life than pubs and beer,… Continue reading 2024 RETIRED MARTIN TRAVELS – A YEAR OF TWO HALVES
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THE 2024 RETIRED MARTIN PUB AWARDS
OK, let’s start the annual review posts with pubs, it’s all you’re here for. I’ll cover “LIFE” next. THE STATS Five hundred and sixty (560) different pubs, though barely two hundred pubs new GBG entries. I will do a GBG spreadsheet post soon so the professional tickers can laugh at it. With responsibilities to frail… Continue reading THE 2024 RETIRED MARTIN PUB AWARDS
ENDING 2024 WITH A 15% IMPERIAL STOUT IN NORTHSTOWE
December 2024. Northstowe. Cambridgeshire. Not too long till the end-of-year awards, but best never be too presumptuous and assume you’ll last till midnight, eh ? Despite what I just told you about declaring for 2024, Mrs RM was desperate for a trip out to an embryonic scruffy New Town, but NOT Waterbeach. Northstowe, 20 minutes… Continue reading ENDING 2024 WITH A 15% IMPERIAL STOUT IN NORTHSTOWE
“Oh, go on, let’s do the Brew Dog”
December 2024. Sheffield. Due to a bout of man flu acquired standing in the cold watching non-league football this next pub may well be my last of 2024, meaning I’m up to date and can bring you post on my American lesbian music highlights of the year. Back in Sheffield after our thrilling Miners Welfare… Continue reading “Oh, go on, let’s do the Brew Dog”
KIVETON MINERS WELFARE FC v STAVELEY MINERS WELFARE FC RESERVES
December 2024. Sheffield. Right, a random collection of Sheffield’s Irish boozers, craft bars and brewery tap rooms in the bag, let’s do the Big Match. Dr John had gone ahead of us to get programmes; groundhoppers won’t consider a stadium ticked if there’s no programme, a bit like pub tickers need to touch a mobility… Continue reading KIVETON MINERS WELFARE FC v STAVELEY MINERS WELFARE FC RESERVES
I WANNA GO TO (ST) MARS (OF THE DESERT)
December 2024. Sheffield. A Friday night in Sheffield between Christmas and New Year with two of the great tickers. Duncan was the first man to complete the GBG, Dr John from Edinburgh a ferocious groundhopper in his late 70s. We left the Grapes as “Like A Rolling Stone” came on, were thwarted by an unexpected… Continue reading I WANNA GO TO (ST) MARS (OF THE DESERT)
The Guinness AND the Madri run out in Sheffield
December 2024. Sheffield. I stayed on for a second day in Sheffield while Mrs RM held the fort in Waterbeach, sorting through 30 years of knickers and photos. What a hero. I had a plan to actually do some GBG ticks; out to Congleton and then back via Macclesfield and Poynton appealed. But then Duncan… Continue reading The Guinness AND the Madri run out in Sheffield
SILK IN A GLASS. THE BEER HOUSE IN HILLSBOROUGH
December 2024. Sheffield. Mrs RM had kindly stayed with mum for a couple of days while I drove the boys home and got depressed at the Etihad. There’s one sure-fire way to cheer Retired Martin up, and it comes in two cardboard containers from Sang Lung in Hillsborough. And the 15 minutes it takes Sang… Continue reading SILK IN A GLASS. THE BEER HOUSE IN HILLSBOROUGH
A CLECKHEATON CHRISTMAS
December 2024. Cleckheaton. Into the (Spen) Valley, as The Skids sang in 1979. Duncan is your expert on The Skids. Chris Dyson is probably your expert on the small industrial towns betwixt Halifax, Bradford and Huddersfield and has all you need to know about Cleckheaton. But I seem to have beat him to the Mill… Continue reading A CLECKHEATON CHRISTMAS
FROM GLOSSOP TO ANCOATS
December 2024. Manchester. I read on the Manchester City forum today that consideration is being given to an idea to make Glossop part of Greater Manchester. In return Derbyshire will get Stockport, I guess, which will at least pacify those folk who scream “STOCKPORT ISN’T IN MANCHESTER !!!”. Back to Christmas Day, and Mrs RM… Continue reading FROM GLOSSOP TO ANCOATS
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