April 2025. Wolverhampton. Just like Tiny Tim tiptoeing thru’ the tulips back whenever, our #PubMen heroes set off through the blossoms of Wolverhampton’s West Park for Pub No.2. As I’ll never tire of telling you, Wolverhampton is a city of some beauty. Two National Trust properties, ancient churches and a pub with a tree in… Continue reading ROYAL OAK, WOLVERHAMPTON. A GOOD SUB FOR THE ONE WITH THE TREE IN THE GENTS
WOLVERHAMPTON’S STILE – THE KING OF PROPER PUBS
April 2025. Wolverhampton. Mainly due to it opening at 11:30, we started our Proper Pub Day Out in Wolves at The Stile. Not always ideal to start at the best one, though the pub standard never really dropped, at least until one of our group moved on to Fireball whisky. A very high standard of… Continue reading WOLVERHAMPTON’S STILE – THE KING OF PROPER PUBS
NO SUNBEAM, BUT SUNSHINE OVER WOLVERHAMPTON
April 2025. Wolverhampton. What started out as a “Proper Day Out to Wolves” on the codger forum became Sheffield Hatter’s “Curated Pub Research Trip” when thrown open to the CAMRA masses on Discourse. Which meant Will had to pin down start points, lunch breaks, bus routes and supply commemorative T-shirts. It’s hard being a leader.… Continue reading NO SUNBEAM, BUT SUNSHINE OVER WOLVERHAMPTON
SURPRISING REQUESTS IN THE SHAKESPEARE
April (finally) 2025. Sheffield. Spring has arrived, and Sheffield’s Peace Gardens look lovely just before the start of the End of the World or whatever’s happening this week. The city is (still) going through a construction boom. Historic Fargate has been beautifully tidied up, and there’s some expensive new flats towering over Derek Dooley Expressway… Continue reading SURPRISING REQUESTS IN THE SHAKESPEARE
ON GWYDIR STREET
March 2025. Cambridge. Finding tea in a pub on Sunday night gets harder by the year, even in tourist Cambridge. A bit of a surprise to find grub on Gwydir Street, whose residents typically retire to bed at dusk with an improving text from the outdoor library, probably that one by Danish philosopher Peter Schmeichel.… Continue reading ON GWYDIR STREET
THE ONLY BASS IN CAMBRIDGE
March 2025. Cambridge. Mrs RM was still (still) getting ready to leave the Travelodge for our night out in Cambridge as I left the Alex, which meant I’d have to find somewhere new to wait for her, I suppose. A fourth visit to the “new” Kingston Arms since it put the Bass on, and again… Continue reading THE ONLY BASS IN CAMBRIDGE
A DASH TO BEAT LAST ORDERS AT THE ALEX
March 2025. Cambridge. With “Sunnyside” on the market I’m looking for some budget options when I visit Dad in his care home, and as an alternative to the camper the Travelodge on Cambridge’s Newmarket Road Travelodge looks a good bet. Free parking on Sunday, Lidl bakery for breakfast, Wrestlers over the road for your Thai… Continue reading A DASH TO BEAT LAST ORDERS AT THE ALEX
NOTES ON QUALITY IN SHEFFIELD. AND CRISPY BEEF
March 2025. Sheffield. The problem with Sheffield is knowing when to say “that’s enough”, whether it’s Luddite cider or crispy beef. There was never any chance I wasn’t walking from New Barrack to Sang Lung, barely pausing to admire the lamppost art. “Twenty minutes ?” says the new lass in Sang Lung. “That’ll be perfect”… Continue reading NOTES ON QUALITY IN SHEFFIELD. AND CRISPY BEEF
BRING YOUR OWN VINYL AFTERNOON AT THE NEW BARRACK TAVERN
March 2025. Sheffield. A few folk back in Waterbeach have (apparently) expressed surprise that I won’t be returning back to the “family home” at Sunnyside following Mum’s death, oddly oblivious to the fact I only left it recently to avoid the flat monotony (and pot holes) of the Fen Edge. Within 15 minutes of my… Continue reading BRING YOUR OWN VINYL AFTERNOON AT THE NEW BARRACK TAVERN
YOUR RIPON DAY TRIP GUIDE
March 2025. Ripon. You can’t complain about £2.40 for 24 hours of parking in a Yorkshire cathedral city; I make that nearly 10p an hour. Having eaten our ChatGPT approved Booths Spanish picnic we must have fallen asleep early, as I completely missed the hornblower calling last orders at 9pm in the market square. But… Continue reading YOUR RIPON DAY TRIP GUIDE
retiredmartin 