“He’s not really going to do EIGHT Tyneside posts, is he ?” you ask. Dunno. Depends if they all produce enough photos to eke out a storyline. You can never tire of the Tyne, surely ? I can get a little tired of the micros behind the station, but that’s as much because I get… Continue reading GEORDIE BOYS, TICKING JOYS
“THE BUCKFAST PRIEST” OF NEWCASTLE
Last night I was fully caught up. Tonight I have eight new GBG pubs to bring you. Such is the magic of Tyne & Wear. I was able to combine my ticks with a good deed, giving my niece Emily and boyfriend a lift to their new homes. Wisely, they’d chosen to stay next door… Continue reading “THE BUCKFAST PRIEST” OF NEWCASTLE
THE BIG STORIES IN THE NEW BEER GUIDE
Well, I’m up-to-date with the blog, for the first time in 37 years. Just in time for a trip to Newcastle tomorrow. So I can now give you my considered views on the new Good Beer Guide. 1. The micropub craze is dead. Only joking. Seven new ones in Tyne & Wear alone, nine in… Continue reading THE BIG STORIES IN THE NEW BEER GUIDE
CARICATURES OF CHARACTERS IN ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE
Back to Manchester last Saturday for an eight goal thriller at the Etihad. I kid you not, the couple next to me turned up after a quarter of an hour, went for chips at half time and missed the sixth goal, then sodded off home to Stockport (it’s miles away) before the eighth. They probably… Continue reading CARICATURES OF CHARACTERS IN ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE
WELL, I LAUGHED
You have to be careful with old signs and sayings on the walls of your pub, of course, but this one at Thorpe Hesley looks OK. The joke didn’t quite justify the 32 minute trip from Parkgate, but a ticks a tick. Not sure what I can tell you about Thorpe Hesley. Middling old mining… Continue reading WELL, I LAUGHED
NO DISPOSABLE CAMERA **** IN THE DARTON TAP
In case you’re alarmed, the **** is BRAP, whose Adventure rather ran to ground in the Darton Tap in January, when a lack of careful planning meant a trip to a South Yorkshire chemist as humiliating as the one taken by Suggs in “House of Fun”. The results were hilarious. In honour of that classic… Continue reading NO DISPOSABLE CAMERA **** IN THE DARTON TAP
SUNSET OVER ROTHERHAM
What a beautiful week we’ve had here in the UK. Unless you live in Glasgow, presumably. Rotherham never looked so lovely, and I’m not even being sarcastic. I’d picked the Fitzwilliam in Parkgate (£37) because it was cheap ideally placed for the Rawmarsh Two and on the doorstep of the Parkgate metro. Parkgate is basically… Continue reading SUNSET OVER ROTHERHAM
PARKGATE – IT’S NOW OR NEVER
Plenty of notice for the Elvis night at the Fitzwilliam, anyway. Mind, you’re never more than 50 yards from an Elvis night in Rotherham. And increasingly, you’re never more than 237 yards from a new micropub. I almost did this one, round the corner from the Something Brew Inn… But my next GBG tick was… Continue reading PARKGATE – IT’S NOW OR NEVER
SOMETHING BREW INN IN RAWMARSH
At the moment I feel like an advertising billboard, promoting shows of Brackley Town, Paul Chuckle and now Echo Beach. You’ve still got 4 hours* to get to Something Brew Inn, Rawmarsh and shout your drunken requests for this one, which they might not otherwise play. Or “Side 2 of Crocodiles by Echo & the… Continue reading SOMETHING BREW INN IN RAWMARSH
SETTLING BACK INTO SHEFFIELD
Our house is like a bus station at the moment. Mrs RM is back from trips to Brighton and hopefully working on her blog before a fun day in Maidenhead. Matt is actually home for the weekend from his new life giving Mancunians haircuts. And you know about me. And finally James is now back… Continue reading SETTLING BACK INTO SHEFFIELD
