retiredmartin

May 2024. Sheffield. Before I start, Happy Birthday James, a quarter century just flew past. A big day in our household as Alfie, Baa Baa and Charlie get their annual wash, a first for Charlie. I put them on the lowest wash and spin so they wouldn’t shrink (#domesticated), and popped out for a pub… Continue reading SHRINKFLATION

May 2024. Sheffield. One of the bonuses of moving to Sheffield 3 years ago is that I get so many visits from famous Pub Men and Women; the really nice ones even stay over. That’s what a guaranteed 3 new entries in the UK’s top pub city gets you. Can you imagine visiting someone in… Continue reading AN UNTAPPD WIN v THE PUBMEISTER IN TRIPLE POINT

May 2024. Sheffield. Sunday brought a (flying) visit from the Pubmeister, and record crowds had gathered on the streets around the station that Bank Holiday weekend to cheer Duncan on. Or perhaps they were celebrating the survival of Wednesday/relegation of United. Whatever, I’d never seen Sheffield so busy; it’s a city that takes its New… Continue reading ALL THE PUBS IN SHEFFIELD BY FOOT – THE LORD NELSON

May 2024. Manchester. Three (3) entries in the Mancunian Beer Book ticked in a little over an hour, all of them modern brewery taps underneath (or close to) the railway arches. What a cliche I’m becoming. But Track make excellent real ale; their Sonoma has been one of the great cask beers of the last… Continue reading ALL THE PUBS IN THE MANCHESTER BEER BOOK – TRACK BREWERY TAP, PICCADILLY

May 2024. Manchester. Two hours till kick-off, a dangerous amount of time with Piccadilly’s brew taps on the route. I was challenged last month when I (re) visited Sureshot. “Why (oh why) didn’t you do Balance. It’s next door !”. And so it is. Under the arches, as Flanagan and Allen once sang, but not… Continue reading ALL THE PUBS IN THE MANCHESTER BEER BOOK – BALANCE BREWING, PICCADILLY

May 2024. Stockport. A 5.30 Saturday kick-off v Wolves at the Etihad, sadly no longer clashing with Olivia Rodrigo at the Co-op across the road as she opted to busk outside the Arndale Centre instead, sounded perfect. The walk through Sheffield station on Bank Holiday Saturday finds the city as busy as I’ve seen it,… Continue reading ALL THE PUBS IN THE MANCHESTER BEER BOOK – RUNAWAY BREWERY, MANCHESTER

May 2024. Kinver. Herefordshire complete, our campervan overnighter at the Waterworks in Hereford’s posh bit (I know !) was quiet apart from the alarm going off twice, the second occasion prompting a security van to come out. Probably just a werewolf. Better than the alternatives at the dodgy-sounding St. Martin’s car park. Never mind the… Continue reading KINVER EDGE ROCK HOUSES

May 2024. Hereford. An unsatisfactory overnighter in Hereford, lacking return visits to the Barrels and the crafty place, but I did tick the last newbie in the county, and while the Orange Tree may be a bit identikit Black Country it was cheery and the beer was great so I’ll take the win. A young… Continue reading IT’S A BLACK COUNTRY WORLD AND WE’RE JUST TICKING IN IT

May 2024. Hereford. Day 2 of the May Marches march. We needed a place to park up for the night in Hereford, a place with toilet facilities for Mrs RM; what could be more appropriate that the overflow car park for the town Waterworks Museum, tantalisingly only open on Tuesdays. Just as tantalisingly, I could… Continue reading HEREFORD BACK STREET BOOZER