November 2025. Newhaven. East Sussex. There’s a lot of dashing around at the moment, multiple rail journeys planned, some mobile tickets, some you have to print out (why ?) and then you miss your train. And on the trip from Brighton to Lewes (patience) on Monday it suddenly occurred to me I could actually make… Continue reading A HARVEY’S OLD IN NEWHAVEN
A FAREWELL TO GRUBBS
November 2025. Brighton 2 pints before 12.30, and no breakfast. Bad idea, right ? Time for something healthy like a burger. I could have popped in one of the North Laines GBG pubs for grub, the Nelson or the multicoloured Albert, but the two things you can’t legally miss out on a trip to Brighton… Continue reading A FAREWELL TO GRUBBS
PUBLIC BAR, THE GREAT EASTERN
November 2025. Brighton. Can’t help feeling that an hour and two pints in Brighton straight back to the station is poor form, I didn’t even see the seaside, but it’s dark by 4 and I had other targets on the Sussex coast. And I did have time for a quick glimpse of Max Miller, who… Continue reading PUBLIC BAR, THE GREAT EASTERN
BRIGHTON, WITHOUT THE SPOONS VOUCHERS (but Jaipur still only £2.25 a pint)
November 2025. Brighton. A few new GBG entries along the Sussex coast, so let’s follow up Eastbourne and St Leonards with everyone’s favourite bit of London-by-the-Sea. Brighton feels a major city these days, with a Top 10 Premier League team and some of the highest parking charges in Western Europe, though the station itself is… Continue reading BRIGHTON, WITHOUT THE SPOONS VOUCHERS (but Jaipur still only £2.25 a pint)
A MODERATE MASTER BREW IN RYE HARBOUR
November 2025. Rye Harbour. One of the BIG questions, along with “Why ?” and “Would you like some wine Mrs RM ?“, is “Can you get a good Shepherd Neame beer anywhere ?“. Well, I’ve not found it in a generation, and the Sheps managed houses (including the nice looking one near the in-laws) seem… Continue reading A MODERATE MASTER BREW IN RYE HARBOUR
“Are you joining us for lunch ? Fabulous !”
November 2025. Iden Green. Kent. Our hour of National Trust worthiness at Sissinghurst over by 11, we took the picturesque route through the Weald of Kent, all oast houses and Bloomsbury set country houses and refined dining. On the way to Iden Green we pass Benenden, where Mrs RM once had to make a court… Continue reading “Are you joining us for lunch ? Fabulous !”
SISSINGHURST
November 2025. Sissinghurst. Kent. Coming to the end of our year of middle-aged National Trust membership now, but still time for a few late ticks from our temporary South-Eastern base in Rye before we ignore the requests to renew for ’26. Actually, has anyone ever completed a National Trust Handbook in a single year ?… Continue reading SISSINGHURST
RYE HARBOUR. LIVING IN THE PLASTIC AGE
November 2025. Rye. Back in Rye from Lydd, the town was gearing up for the annual bonfire night to mark the burning of the libelous copies of the 1974 Good Beer Guide (the “avoid like the plague” edition). The gate would be locked to prevent Londoners in pashminas breaching the walls, no trains after 3pm,… Continue reading RYE HARBOUR. LIVING IN THE PLASTIC AGE
MEAT RAFFLE, 10 PINTS OF FOSTERS, BABIES AND OLD BOYS, A STONE ROSES OBSESSION. LYDD’S FIRST GBG ENTRY WANTS TO BE ADORED
November 2025. Lydd. Kent. What’s that bit of land a few miles east of Romney Marsh ? “Boulogne” something something ? A small Channel Island presumably. Probably sells Butcombe, must investigate*. Just as I got to investigate Lydd (pop. 6,567) on Saturday, as it (remarkably) makes the Beer Guide for the first ever, and now… Continue reading MEAT RAFFLE, 10 PINTS OF FOSTERS, BABIES AND OLD BOYS, A STONE ROSES OBSESSION. LYDD’S FIRST GBG ENTRY WANTS TO BE ADORED
THE DELICIOUS CLAM
November 2025. Sheffield. In an era where folk spend £500 watching old Mancunians knocking out meat and potato pub rock in a park in Prestwich, £15 for a night of modern music in a club in Sheffield seems a bargain, though I’m sure one of you will tell me they’ve seen Dylan in a Dudley… Continue reading THE DELICIOUS CLAM
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