19th February 2023. I’ve been neglecting my ticking duties since completing the Guide, but I’d managed a trio of GBG entries by 2pm on Sunday, which isn’t bad going, and we’ll gloss over the fact that I’d delegated the actual drinking duties to Mrs RM. She’d delegated shoe-buying duties to herself, too, and Darlington, made… Continue reading SHOE (AND BEER) SHOPPING IN DARLINGTON
A STOCKTON FLYER
19th February 2023. Two Sunday ticks, sort of, but I was more interested in persuading Mrs RM of the charms of Stockton before we headed home. She hadn’t warmed to a town centre whose main drag was in the middle of being demolished, but you should never judge a town on its indoor shopping centre,… Continue reading A STOCKTON FLYER
MRS RM TAKES THE BEER BACK. EXPERTLY.
19th February 2023. It had been nearly 20 years since we last visited Sedgefield, a County Durham town the size of Waterbeach acting as the “posh” bit for a famous parliamentary constituency you may have heard of, if only because of a famous visit to this unassuming pub just before my own arrival. The Dun… Continue reading MRS RM TAKES THE BEER BACK. EXPERTLY.
FEBRUARY ’23 STOCKTAKE
You may have read tales of GBG tickers visiting a hundred or more pubs in February and wonder “What had Norwich done to deserve BRAPA“. Read that as you want. I maintained a more leisurely pace; 46 pub visits, 30 of them new Guide entries. Nowhere near enough to finish the GBG a second year,… Continue reading FEBRUARY ’23 STOCKTAKE
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE INTERNET FAILED IN WETHERSPOONS ?
19th February 2023. I had ambitions to “Get Teesside Done” that weekend, but Marske’s micros had other ideas; Why, oh, why do people crash their cars into micropubs just before ticker’s visits ? So our ambitions that Sunday were more modest; 1) Get up and find the key to the loos at White Water Caravan… Continue reading WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE INTERNET FAILED IN WETHERSPOONS ?
TICKING IN THE CHAPEL, TIKKA IN THE BORO
18th February 2023. With Stockton ticked by ten to four, we headed to Middlesbrough via Thornaby. Frankly, my ‘Boro tick was probably closer to our campervan pitch in Stockton, next to the Tees and 20 minutes stiff walk out into the dull suburbs west of the Spoons where I left Mrs RM to enjoy the… Continue reading TICKING IN THE CHAPEL, TIKKA IN THE BORO
ANOTHER MICRO IN ANOTHER ALLEY – STARTLING STOCKTON
18th February 2023. Sorry about the blog free day yesterday, got distracted by this; No idea what it is, but I’m sure it’ll make a great micropub when it’s finished. Talking of micropubs, back to our Stockton Saturday. I was ahead of schedule so tried to track Mrs RM down in micro central, gave up… Continue reading ANOTHER MICRO IN ANOTHER ALLEY – STARTLING STOCKTON
BANKERS !
18th February 2023. Fame for our favourite, as Blackpool Jane‘s exploits in promoting Teesside (I always add a third “s”) send her to stardom. Wait till they see her “healthy” parmo, mind. Then they’ll be a backlash. Jane saw more of Boro than we did, but she missed out one gem. Despite having been four… Continue reading BANKERS !
IT’S A STOCKTON SATURDAY
18th February 2023. Suddenly, EVERYONE is heading to Stockton-on-Tees, Blackpool Jane, Mark the Sutton Fan, and Leon from the Wirral, who rather spoils the surprise of my next post with this one; But I was first, ME ME ME. Don’t forget that, Stockton. Mrs RM hadn’t been for ages, and I’d convinced her that Stockton… Continue reading IT’S A STOCKTON SATURDAY
POSH MIDDLESBROUGH
18th February 2023. A quick diversion off the A19 to Stokesley, one of those beguilingly “nice” North Yorkshire small towns for people who are too frit to live in Middlesbrough (see also : Yarm, Guisborough, Great Ayton). Stokesley is best known as the home of “Quorn”, but if they’ve a tasting rooms I couldn’t find… Continue reading POSH MIDDLESBROUGH
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