HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 15 – HEREFORDSHIRE.

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Let’s attempt Herefordshire again, shall we (the first post went out blank last night, causing riots in Weobley). Lovely county, some decent unspoilt pubs, but a few you probably think of as classics that have changed a fair bit over the decades (Leintwardine, Kington). The first one is still a classic, Ledbury – Prince of… Continue reading HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 15 – HEREFORDSHIRE.

YOU CAN RING MY BELL, RING MY BELL (TO GET ENTRY TO THE SWAN IN DARLASTON)

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December 2023. Darlaston. Greater Walsall. I was going to call it a day after Stourbridge because the fourth pub in Darlaston looked a bit tricky. Train back towards Snow Hill, change at the Hawthorns for the metro to Wednesbury, walk to Wednesbury exchange where they subject me to tinny Vivaldi and charge m 10p to… Continue reading YOU CAN RING MY BELL, RING MY BELL (TO GET ENTRY TO THE SWAN IN DARLASTON)

STOURBRIDGE – THE SHORTEST RAIL LINE IN EUROPE

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December 2023. Birmingham and Stourbridge. I’d arrived at New Street at 11:30, and arrived back there at 14:15 with two ticks in the bag, but the toughest couple were yet to come. The trick in Brum is not to dawdle in the centre admiring the Edwardian architecture, taking random photos for your blog, but just… Continue reading STOURBRIDGE – THE SHORTEST RAIL LINE IN EUROPE

KING’S NORTON – CURRY NOT CHOCOLATE

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December 2023. King’s Heath. Birmingham. The first tick of the day is always the hardest, and from Boldmere I was able to catch a train directly (“dreckly” as they say in the Fens) to the second. But first at Chester Road I had that joy of suburban Brum stations, folk having long, unintelligible conversations about… Continue reading KING’S NORTON – CURRY NOT CHOCOLATE

HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 14 – HAMPSHIRE.

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“Hampshire ? Just pick half a dozen in Southsea, surely ?“ Not quite. Remember this vast county contains such great pub towns as Basingstoke, Aldershot and Farnborough. Actually, one of those does have a shoe-in (or is it shu-inn ?) Farnborough – Prince of Wales (last visited in 2023) When I was hurtling towards GBG… Continue reading HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 14 – HAMPSHIRE.

FISHING FOR GRIMSBY PRE-EMPTIVES ROUND FRESHNEY PLACE

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December 2023. Grimsby. I actually played “Caribou” in the car on the way down to Waterbeach yesterday. It’s actually not as bad as contemporary reviews of Elton’s stellar run of early ’70s albums suggest, but those titles ! Who puts tracks called “Pinky”, “Grimsby”, “Solar Prestige A Gammon” and “Stinker” on a Number 1 album ?… Continue reading FISHING FOR GRIMSBY PRE-EMPTIVES ROUND FRESHNEY PLACE

HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 13 – GLOUCESTERSHIRE

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Well, this will upset a few people, notably a ticker in Newmarket. Picking five (5) pubs in Gloucestershire is tough, and not just because I started this post at 23:02 and need to complete it before midnight or Baa Baa turns into a cauliflower. Don’t panic yet, Baa Baa. Really, Bristol needs its own GBG… Continue reading HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY COUNTY. No. 13 – GLOUCESTERSHIRE