February 2026. Charlton. Two South London pubs relatively close together, but with no great public transport option that I understood, so an athletic walk west from Plumstead to Charlton through some “unprepossessing” suburbia, where unprepossessing is a posh word for “a bit daggy”. You’re on the edge of the historic Woolwich Royal Artillery Barracks; this… Continue reading CHARLTON, FOR THE ATHLETIC
UP THE (WOOLWICH) ARSENAL
February 2026. Woolwich to Plumstead. Gig night in London, a chance to get a rare couple of GBG ticks, with an exciting Thameslink trip past London Bridge (new and shiny) and Greenwich (old) to Woolwich (scruffy but exciting). I knew Woolwich had suffered a few pub closures, but goodness me that’s a lot of grey… Continue reading UP THE (WOOLWICH) ARSENAL
A LAST HURRAH FOR DOOM BAR
February 2026. Downham Market. £9.30 “invested” on an old person’s evening out in Downham Market, and all I had to show for it were some blurred photos from the Crown, which I’m out to convince you is a great pub. Perhaps I can borrow Mrs RM’s superior phone camera (she denies it’s any different). Even… Continue reading A LAST HURRAH FOR DOOM BAR
TOP 100 PUBS – THE CROWN HOTEL, DOWNHAM MARKET
February 2026. Downham Market. When mum was coming towards the end of her life just over a year ago I was virtually living in Waterbeach. The only thing keeping me sane were a few short rail trips once mum was in bed, exciting places like Littleport and Downham Market. As the sun set, I returned… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – THE CROWN HOTEL, DOWNHAM MARKET
SPRING HAS SPRUNG
February 2026. Waterbeach. My cousins from North Norfolk came over last week to give us hand clearing Mum’s belongings (yes, it’s a long process). They used to love visiting Sunnyside, and have recently acquired a liking for the Nepalese food at Waterbeach’s White Horse. That view of the gault was from this evening, but last… Continue reading SPRING HAS SPRUNG
A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES
February 2026. Back from Hull, Mrs RM taunts me with photos from her Rome weekend. Prize if you can name this one, quite famous I reckon. I’d been abandoned while she went off on her girls weekend, but I get to sit in my new favourite place, the big sofa at Sang Lung, waiting for… Continue reading A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES
THE HULL STATUE TRAIL
February 2026. Hull. I can’t leave Hull without another quick look at the Old Town, one of our very finest. The city really got its tourist act together for its spell as UK Capital of Culture, producing loads of trails for its wealth of museums (more than Sheffield) and statues. Quite a focus on William… Continue reading THE HULL STATUE TRAIL
MY LAST EVER PINT IN A BREWDOG
February 2026. Hull. Just back from a lovely evening with James at the “new” Harlequin, burgers and 12% Dutch banana bread pastry stouts, and finding it hard to find the enthusiasm to complete my blogs on Hull. Which probably sums up the whole problem with BrewDog. No-one cares any more. Leaving Sam Smith’s Blue Bell… Continue reading MY LAST EVER PINT IN A BREWDOG
FEBRUARY ’26 STOCKTAKE + MARCH PREVIEW
Only 30 different pubs, and 10 Italian bars in a month of just one revisit; the Fargate proving its popularity with Sheffield folk during trips with Ian and Rich (two top Pub Men), who would have approved of this pump clip. February was one of those months, looking a bit lighter on the map due… Continue reading FEBRUARY ’26 STOCKTAKE + MARCH PREVIEW
THE TORTURE OF A SAM SMITHS PUB
February 2026. Hull. Getting your GBG tick done early is a good idea, as anyone who’s been on Orkney worrying if the death of the Queen will mean your penultimate Guide pubs will close as a mark of “respect” will confirm. But it does raise the question, “What next ?”. There’s plenty of heritage pubs… Continue reading THE TORTURE OF A SAM SMITHS PUB
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