When we look back critically at our first year in The North next month we’ll balance the progress on the hedge and the calories lost walking up Whitehouse Lane against progress on the hedge and a failure to get to grips with the Peak District on our doorstep. Well, the Peak will always be there,… Continue reading TO THE MOORS
YOUR CUT-OUT-AND-KEEP GUIDE TO FINDING BCM IN EVESHAM
There are very few certainties in a pub ticker’s life, but you can be certain that on your travels you will find a hitherto undiscovered Banksy, someone will ask you directions to a pub you’ve never heard of (because it closed in 1989), and the last micropub in a county will proved irritatingly difficult to… Continue reading YOUR CUT-OUT-AND-KEEP GUIDE TO FINDING BCM IN EVESHAM
ENIGMATIC EVESHAM
I’ve too many photos of Evesham to squeeze into one post. Any more than ten and I bore myself, and besides, the pub is my last Worcestershire tick and deserves its own post. I was intrigued to hear that Kidderminster legend (he once ate two Aggborough cottage pies at half time) Life After Football hadn’t… Continue reading ENIGMATIC EVESHAM
TICKING ON THE WYCHAVON WAY
Another day, another late assault on a GBG21 county. I left it quite late to tackle Worcestershire, with a couple of stragglers down south on the Wychavon Way. and a fly. It’s all action on the retiredmartin blog at the moment. What a gorgeous little village, overgrown gardens and folk selling cider from their front… Continue reading TICKING ON THE WYCHAVON WAY
A RACE FOR THE PRIZE IN GREAT SHEFFORD
The last post featured a Berkshire gastropub mercifully free of scatter cushions. No such relief in my final Berks tick, the eponymous Great Shefford, but oddly I’m a fan of clutter and chintz as long as there’s life. Anywhere selling dog ice cream for £3.50 is bound to have life, even if a rather different… Continue reading A RACE FOR THE PRIZE IN GREAT SHEFFORD
BEECH HILL – OUD, CEDAR & AMBER
If these little posts were pub write-ups in the Beer Guide they’d be “Try Also”, a short-lived feature from the early 2000’s that was created so as not to upset pubs that would have sued if they’d been completely kicked out of the Guide. The Elm Tree in Beech Hill deserved its entry in GBG21,… Continue reading BEECH HILL – OUD, CEDAR & AMBER
I’M SORRY, I HAVEN’T A CLEWER
A year ago retiredmartin was in a bad way. Pubs had just closed as the unexpected Lockdown 2 hit as dark descended, and after a final hurrah in London my blog material dried up. Both of our lads were kicking their heels, and our move north to Sheffield hit an unexpected snag due to an… Continue reading I’M SORRY, I HAVEN’T A CLEWER
HOW DID I END UP IN SWINDON SPOONS ?
The truth is out there (not THERE) and the truth MUST be told. With all of Swindon’s options, I somehow ended up in the Spoons. Not in the grotty but loveable GBG occasional Savoy, either, but the shiny Sir Daniel, whoever he was. Quite what attracted me away from the lure of Swindon Kebabs, who… Continue reading HOW DID I END UP IN SWINDON SPOONS ?
CIDER WITH RETIRED MARTIN
So, as I was saying, I left Chippenham 2 (or 1+) ticks to the good, and returned to Swindon for an early night blogging. Except it was only 19:30, and how often do you find yourself in Swindon at 19:30 with a bed for the night paid for ? I really wanted an Arkells but… Continue reading CIDER WITH RETIRED MARTIN
SATURDAY NIGHT IN CHIPPENHAM
As always, young Quinno is strident with his views on all matters Pubs West; But is he right ? Certainly, Chippenham (pop. 45,620) has a lot of competition for the pub ticker pound (or groats if you’re in Calne). It’s traditional to bring you some context on a town before I bombard you with pics… Continue reading SATURDAY NIGHT IN CHIPPENHAM
