October 2024. Edge Lane. Manchester. CAMRA published a guide to classic pub crawls in the late 90s with some basic Holt houses. A lack of Holt is the only gap in Matthew Curtis’s excellent guide to Manchester beer. Spying a Holt pub on the tram back from Droylsden to the Etihad, it seemed daft not… Continue reading THE HALFWAY HOUSE, A CLASSIC HOLT
A DART TO DROYLSDEN
October 2024. Droylesden. “Fancy a cut tomorrow before the City game ?” asks Matthew. Such a nice lad. Well, if your children won’t take you to the pub I guess a monthly haircut is second best. An 11am slot gives me time for a pint or two before the Etihad. Very few new entries anywhere… Continue reading A DART TO DROYLSDEN
THEY ALSO SERVED, WHO ONLY DROVE PUB LEGENDS AROUND SOUTH YORKSHIRE
October 2024. South Yorkshire. For a second week in a row I get to be DES to one of the pub ticking legends around Greater Rotherham’s rich collection of new Guide entries. While “pints only” BRAPA‘s initial target was a conservative half dozen, “strictly halves unless it’s Doom Bar” Ian aka Alfie had loftier ambitions;… Continue reading THEY ALSO SERVED, WHO ONLY DROVE PUB LEGENDS AROUND SOUTH YORKSHIRE
OLD BLOKES, NEW MUSIC
October 2024. Norwich. I was actually in Norwich for a gig that Wednesday; the two new pubs and a stunning dusk were bonuses. Yes, yes, it’s a fine city. I’ve been to the Arts Centre in the shell of St Swithin’s a few times over the year, a lovely 300 capacity choice for musicians adding… Continue reading OLD BLOKES, NEW MUSIC
“****ing let ‘im in, he wants a beer”. NORWICH’S MARLBOROUGH ARMS
October 2024. Norwich. A second GBG newbie for the self-proclaimed “City of Beer”, as different from the Weavers as Manchester’s Hare & Hounds is to Mackie Mayor. Which is fine, Viva la diffidence as they say, and the 10 minutes stroll the quirky Coslany quarter, over St Crispins Road and into the irredeemably dreadful and… Continue reading “****ing let ‘im in, he wants a beer”. NORWICH’S MARLBOROUGH ARMS
SUFFOCATINGLY NORWICH
October 2024. Norwich. There’s a Twitter account called Fesshole where you admit to non-legal crimes such as calling mathematics “math” or asking for a taster of Doom Bar. Well, along with a grudging respect for micropubs, I’d like to admit that Norwich pubs aren’t all bad. It’s the self-awareness that’s bugged me, that “City of… Continue reading SUFFOCATINGLY NORWICH
WHAT’S THE POINT OF NEW COSTESSEY ?
October 2024. (New) Costessey. This being a diary, I’m obliged to bring you pub-by-pub details of my ventures, even to unspeakably dull Norfolk towns like Costessey. Looks like a suburb of Norwich to me, and why is it given the prefix “New” ? A bit like Curry Charles’s hometown of Dereham adding “East” at the… Continue reading WHAT’S THE POINT OF NEW COSTESSEY ?
CLIMBING ST BOTOLPH’S STUMP
October 2024. Boston (UK). I stopped in Boston after lunch at Anton’s Gowt, somehow convinced that 200 steps up one of our steepest church tower was a great idea straight after 1,955 calories of stodge. But climbing St. Botolph’s Stump is the best way possible to confirm that, indeed, Lincolnshire is still very flat, and… Continue reading CLIMBING ST BOTOLPH’S STUMP
ALL HAIL THE STEAK AND ALE PIE IN ANTON’S GOWT
October 2024. Somewhere near Boston. Ah, the Lincolnshire dining pub with a 1980s theme. But then it’s always the 1980s in Lincolnshire. Let’s welcome the Malcolm Arms at Anton’s Gowt to the GBG, which are words you don’t expect to hear. More cutting edge craft murk for the dozen diners driving out the 2 miles… Continue reading ALL HAIL THE STEAK AND ALE PIE IN ANTON’S GOWT
BILLINGHAY, HEY, HEY
October 2024. Billinghay. One of the joys of a new Good Beer Guide is finding out which remote Lincolnshire boozer with uncertain hours and a lone Bateman pump will require Simon to beg a lift from Daddy BRAPA this year. So, a big muddy welcome to Billinghay, far enough away from the mods of Sleaford… Continue reading BILLINGHAY, HEY, HEY
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