July 2023. Moorthorpe, West Yorkshire. I can’t claim the South Kirkby is as exciting as Kirkby, Merseyside, or even South Elmsall across the rail bridge with its occasional Guide entry in the Barnsley Oak, but at least I’d been. And you haven’t. Moorthorpe is hardly noticeable on that map extract, seeming to exist only as… Continue reading MOORTHORPE GETS A STATION PUB
SOUTH KIRKBY – A MEMORIAL TO TIMES PAST ?
July 2023. South Kirkby. Apologies for the unexplained absence. I’ve just had an emergency removal of a painful part of my person by a skilled professional in Liverpool. But then, if you’re one of my patronised readers, you’d have seen the delicate operation in real time already. On Friday lunchtime I was debating my options.… Continue reading SOUTH KIRKBY – A MEMORIAL TO TIMES PAST ?
THE WORLD IS A ROSE
July 2023. Walkley, Sheffield. Mrs RM has been hard at work keeping me in the lifestyle to which I have long become accustomed, but joined me for a bottle of thrillingly expensive red wine and moussaka at the Greek Grill House on Barber Road in Commonside. Must have been a strong bottle of wine, because… Continue reading THE WORLD IS A ROSE
25 MINUTES BEFORE THE TRAIN FROM WOLVERHAMPTON. WHAT TO DO ?
July 2023. Wolverhampton. With West Midlands GBG in the bag, I reckoned one more pint before home (slowing down, old age). Colmore in Brum ? Not after Si’s withering assessment at the weekend. How about Wolves ? Perhaps the Chindit on the walk back ? Haven’t been there for a decade. Sign advertising for a… Continue reading 25 MINUTES BEFORE THE TRAIN FROM WOLVERHAMPTON. WHAT TO DO ?
SIZZLING WOLVERHAMPTON
July 2023. Wolverhampton. It had taken three hours to get from Sheffield to Pensnett for the penultimate West Midlands tick. You’ve seen the photo of the cob; you’ll know whether that slog out from Dudley was worthwhile as well as inevitable. Now it got even more tricky. Look at the map and Wolverhampton looks mere… Continue reading SIZZLING WOLVERHAMPTON
DUDLEY M.O.R.
July 2023. Dudley. Tuesday lunchtime. It’s raining in Brum (twinned with Glasgow) again. I’ve no idea what logic saw me heading back on the train to Birmingham a mere three days after that Saturday of micros and brewery taps. Certainly, it was safer to visit the Black Country once BRAPA had left, and an uncompleted… Continue reading DUDLEY M.O.R.
PLUM PORTER AND KATSU CHICKEN IN SPOONS
July 2023. Hillsborough. Sheffield. Not sure what you’ve done to deserve a blog post on my lunch in Spoons; surely an Instagram post like Mrs RM does would be sufficient. Perhaps. But as I staggered out of Beer House I knew that I needed to eat (Axholme Rob doesn’t eat when he’s pubbing, it’s his… Continue reading PLUM PORTER AND KATSU CHICKEN IN SPOONS
MURKY MARVELS AT HILLSBOROUGH INTERCHANGE
July 2023. Hillsborough. Sheffield. Music lovers descend on Hillsborough today for the annual celebration of mediocrity (sponsored by Brew Dog) that is Tramlines. Mrs RM just asked “Is Sophie Ellis-Bextor on again ?“. (No). Once they’re behind the fences at Hillsborough Park they won’t be allowed out, so no chance to explore the thriving ale… Continue reading MURKY MARVELS AT HILLSBOROUGH INTERCHANGE
TICKING THE TICKERS
July 2023. Sheffield. When you’ve ticked all the pubs, thoughts naturally turn to ticking the other folk engaged in this most noble of callings. You’ll remember the first annual tickers conference in Chesterfield. Well, if you do, you’re doing better than us. Some tickers are aiming for GBG completion, some to do all the heritage… Continue reading TICKING THE TICKERS
That quick Sunday evening pint in the Blake Hotel
July 2023. Sheffield. The sun is back in Sheffield, just in times for Tramlines its annual celebration of middle-aged, middle-class nostalgia. Friday’s headliners are the bloke out of the Verve, Bloc Party, and MYQ Kaplan, who I’m convinced ran accountancy training in the ’80s. And the beer comes from Brew Dog. Oh dear. Tremendous fringe,… Continue reading That quick Sunday evening pint in the Blake Hotel
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