I won’t be mean spirited; today is a great day for Oxford. You might think I’d be a bit miffed my own cure for Covid (a gallon of Doom Bar, crispy shredded beef, 2 aspirin) was pipped to the post by the Oxford Uni/AstralWeeks effort, but not a bit of it, and I’m delighted to… Continue reading WELL DONE OXFORD
A DOZEN DOOM BAR DAZZLERS
“There’s nowt such thing as bad beer, it’s just they that keep it that spoil it” – Brad, The Furnace I know you doubt me, but Brad’s maxim is never truer than with our nation’s favourite beer (sorry, Donnington BB). I probably drink half a dozen pints a year, mainly in Spoons. I’ve never taken a… Continue reading A DOZEN DOOM BAR DAZZLERS
SEVEN SAM SMITHS SIZZLERS
Bass pubs are fine, but I know what you’re really after* is some photos of Sir Humphrey’s homages to an Edwardian era. With Dickensian working conditions. There’s been a tiny difficulty capturing the majesty of Sam’s pubs of late. But you can get round the mobile phone ban one way; and I’d like you to… Continue reading SEVEN SAM SMITHS SIZZLERS
ALCONBURY BYPASSED
Greetings from Locked-down Waterbeach, where the nearest I’ve got to a pub recently is this fine exhibit in our local garden centre; I wish there really was a pub that looked like The Wesley. Those blokes in the West End Tap are much too close; typical micropub. Just the lone pub in Alconbury; I’ll definitely… Continue reading ALCONBURY BYPASSED
TOP BASS PUBS – THE RECOUNT CONTINUES
I kicked a hornet’s nest, as they say in Carluke, with those Top 7 Bass pubs. To avoid wars with Pontfaen and Portishead, here’s another seven for the intrepid Bass Man or Woman who has a second day (or week) on their hands. It does make the map look a little more representative of the… Continue reading TOP BASS PUBS – THE RECOUNT CONTINUES
BURY ST EDMUNDS – NOT BURIED YET
Possible law-breaking, now, as we leave the county (just) for some essential shopping. Do that in Renfrewshire and you’ll be attacked with a battered haggis Mars Bar. Technically I’m safe buying my aubergines from Bury St Edmunds in Tesco as it has a slightly lower Covid rate than our own village. The sign at Junction… Continue reading BURY ST EDMUNDS – NOT BURIED YET
MY FAVOURITE BASS PUBS
“Your favourite pubs in which to have a pint of Bass” Another request from Dave; those Yanks are so demanding, aren’t they ? Here’s seven, one a day. Quite a celestial bunch in many ways; The Star, Bath It’s two years since my Big Day Out in Bath, and not many days have bettered it… Continue reading MY FAVOURITE BASS PUBS
IN CLUBLAND
Well, I asked for requests… “Aren’t Social Clubs in the Beer Guide great !” said no-one ever, remembering identikit rectangular halls and an odd, indefinable, absence of “cosiness”. Well, here’s one that is great. I haven’t been in the Red Shed for 2 decades, and was only reminded of it today by this comment on the… Continue reading IN CLUBLAND
UTTER MADNESS IN SAWTRY
You were warned. Teversham, Grantchester, and now Sawtry. And you’ve got Fulbourn, Hilton and Alconbury to come. #OpenThePubs Mrs RM feels my utter despair. “The ******** are going to keep the pubs shut, aren’t they ?” I just asked her. “Get me another coffee” she replied. But at least she’s accompanying me on my little… Continue reading UTTER MADNESS IN SAWTRY
GRANTCHESTER AND THE ARCMINUTE MICROKELVIN IMAGER
Yes, pubs MUST re-open on 2 December (somewhere, anywhere) or you face many more posts like this one. Yes, I’m scraping the Cambridgeshire village barrel now, but at least Grantchester has picturesque (albeit closed) pubs. It still gets the undergrads walking out along the Cam to admire a village seemingly untroubled by the temporary loss… Continue reading GRANTCHESTER AND THE ARCMINUTE MICROKELVIN IMAGER
