14th April 2023. The Bucolic Brum Bender continued into the Jewellery Quarter, and a genuine pre-emptive tick at the Hen & Chickens. Despite the rain, I joined Kentish Paul in a leisurely pace that allowed us to take in the beauty of the industrial quarter, which features a “Top 500 trees growing out of buildings”… Continue reading CURRY LADS IN THE HEN & CHICKENS
TOP 100 PUBS – THE BULL, BIRMINGHAM
14th April 2023. After the impromptu 16.5% Jamaican tonic wine (and it’s not often you can write that) I wasn’t really bothered about the Bull. I’d been before, knew it was a classic “country pub in the city” style place, but on days like this you want to stick to the new, surely < Far… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – THE BULL, BIRMINGHAM
BIRMINGHAM PUB CRAWL TEMPORARILY DERAILED BY JAMAICAN TONIC WINE AT THE SHISHA BAR
14th April 2023. Even in 2023, “D” is followed by “E”, and so it was that we left the Bartons Arms to brave the rain on the way to the Jewellery Quarter. Except that Life After Football had different ideas. “We should pop in the Steak House, proper Brum bar” he said, convinced we’d passed… Continue reading BIRMINGHAM PUB CRAWL TEMPORARILY DERAILED BY JAMAICAN TONIC WINE AT THE SHISHA BAR
The one where Retired Martin goes to the Barton(s) Arms and takes more pictures of the Visitors’ Book than the Heritage Pub.
14th April 2023. The centrepiece of our Big Brum Bender was NOT, as you might have thought, the trophy room at Villa Park, but rather a recently re-opened heritage pub gem a few yards away. Shamefully, I’d popped in here last for an emergency comfort break, and owed it some belated custom. The Bartons Arms… Continue reading The one where Retired Martin goes to the Barton(s) Arms and takes more pictures of the Visitors’ Book than the Heritage Pub.
THE RETURN OF DAVENPORTS, THE RENAISSANCE OF MILD
April 14th 2023. Next up, a genuine pre-emptive tick just north of Snow Hill. Not that I believe in that GBG ticking nonsense anymore, of course. Funny how I’d never heard of the Queens Head , (formerly the Queen’s Head, What Pub helpfully tells us, though oddly there’s an apostrophe on the sign), as you’d… Continue reading THE RETURN OF DAVENPORTS, THE RENAISSANCE OF MILD
LUNCHTIME DRINKING NOT (QUITE) DEAD YET
14th April 2023. Prop Up The Bar, aka Oxford Nick, has finally posted on the Brum Bender (here). I’m delighted he’s blogged on the day, as I can nick his best lines and refer to the “Davenports Smut” without actually putting the photos on here. Nick even did his own map, but I’ll stick with… Continue reading LUNCHTIME DRINKING NOT (QUITE) DEAD YET
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO STAFFORD’S PAUL MUDGE
Yes ! A rare photo of a teenage Paul back in the day when CAMRA was a young person’s game. A pint for guessing the beer, It’s fifty (50) years today since Paul Mudge was legally able to drink and I would conservatively estimate he’s saved 32,369 pubs since then. I’m not sure Penkridge would… Continue reading HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO STAFFORD’S PAUL MUDGE
LEADMILL, LOW-ALCOHOL BEER, LIGETI QUARTET
April 2023. Living in Sheffield gives you unrivalled access to the full spectrum of cultural opportunities, in venues ranging from the famous Crucible to tiny pubs to the iconic Leadmill. Mrs RM hadn’t been to a gig at the Leadmill since we moved, and it was too long to wait for Tommy Cannon, so I… Continue reading LEADMILL, LOW-ALCOHOL BEER, LIGETI QUARTET
GRAVY BOAT, ABEL HEYWOOD
April 2023. You left after me after an ill-advised couple of pints in Pelican (ex-Beatnikz), Squawk’s new bar in the heart of Mancunia. 100 yards away Matt and James were dropping a bag off at Matt’s flat and asked me where we should eat. Why do I still get to decide ? At least the… Continue reading GRAVY BOAT, ABEL HEYWOOD
TOP CASK UNDER £4. IN MANCHESTER !
April 2023. Wednesday nights are Manchester nights. Except this week; I’m letting Matt have my season ticket for the City v Arsenal game, too scared to go to games these days. 11 days ago I’d popped in to Helvete for an overdue cut (pics of haircut for Patronised readers only) after that Hyde hop. While… Continue reading TOP CASK UNDER £4. IN MANCHESTER !
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