A year ago I had my last pint in a Proper Pub, without check-in, sit down, follow arrows and the horror of table service. Days before I’d been in Milton Keynes Spoons at 10pm, where I sensed we were at the end of “normality”, if normality and Milton Keynes can ever really be used in… Continue reading 15 MARCH 2020 – MY LAST “PROPER” PUB
JABBED
As promised, I’ve had my first jab, thereby giving pubs permission to open their wine gardens in 4 weeks time.# Having booked Wakefield as it was 3 weeks quicker than Sheffield, Mrs RM was delighted to find she could combine my vaccination with a collection from Birstall IKEA. Sadly, that meant less time to explore… Continue reading JABBED
ROSCOE
“The village used to be all one really needsNow it’s filled with hundreds and hundreds of chemicalsThat mostly surround you, you wish to fleeBut it’s not like you, so listen to me, listen to me” “Roscoe” – Midlake Happy Sunday 14th, or “retiredmartin vaccination day” as it will shortly be known. Before I set off… Continue reading ROSCOE
POSITIVE FEELINGS ON THE WAY TO WHARNCLIFFE SIDE
Before you were distracted by a hunt for Pride in Ontario, I was on the edge of Sheffield seeking out positivity at Zion Church in Oughtibridge. Having confirmed, annoyingly, that Will was correct and that there indeed is a Sam Smiths pub here, I had an hour to excercise before my daily trip to the… Continue reading POSITIVE FEELINGS ON THE WAY TO WHARNCLIFFE SIDE
GUESS THE PUB SAYS “THE PRIDE IS DRINKING WELL”
This morning you get a “Guess the Pub” by request. An interesting concept, you’d think, giving the requestor a mild advantage. But he (or she, sexist) is sworn to secrecy on pain of excommunication from retiredmartin.com. It might be a doddle, as this pub is world famous as the boozer featured in Series 2 of… Continue reading GUESS THE PUB SAYS “THE PRIDE IS DRINKING WELL”
AN OUGHTI-DENDUM
“You seem to have neglected the Sam Smith’s pub, the Travellers Rest” says Will, responding to this morning’s post. Some people would have gone back in November and checked, but not me. Within TEN MINUTES of reading Will’s admonishment I was hitting the A61, and the delightfully bumpy tram line up to Oughtibridge. In truth,… Continue reading AN OUGHTI-DENDUM
NOT HAUGHTY IN OUGHTIBRIDGE
Back to the Sheffield suburbs again, and the first legitimate commuter village you come to beyond the end of the tram line. Once I’m 3 weeks clear of my first jab and have all these pub “wine gardens” to explore I might give the tram a proper workout. “Sheffield Wine Gardens by t’Tram” will be… Continue reading NOT HAUGHTY IN OUGHTIBRIDGE
3 MONTHS IN THE NORTH
Blimey. Today it’s 3 months since we moved from the Fens to Sheffield, and became honorary Northerners. 3 months on and Mrs RM is STILL smashing up bits of wood and sending me out on daily Click-and-Collect expeditions to Wickes/Dunelm/B & Q/IKEA. This is what the spare room looked like last night. Ignore the ear… Continue reading 3 MONTHS IN THE NORTH
REDDITCH MOVES UP TO SECOND
Kentish Paul recently wrote about writers block, and it’s fair to say that blog potential has been a bit scarce of late, so I’m grateful for the opportunity to examine crumbling pubs, rate takeaways and morbidly pore over the Covid League Table. Talking of Kent, their spell in charge of the leaderboard seems a distant… Continue reading REDDITCH MOVES UP TO SECOND
GUESS THE PUB GOES TO BAVARIA
Greetings from the nerve centre of retiredmartin, the only space in the house I’m allowed while Mrs RM arranges sofas, carpets, lino and probably other things I wouldn’t understand. Don’t faint, but I’ve just been to A NEW PUB ! It might even make WhatPub, if not GBG22*. Details to follow. Thanks to Sheffield Hatter… Continue reading GUESS THE PUB GOES TO BAVARIA
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