Last Wednesday night was football night, and the coldest of the season so far. The Etihad always looks at its best in the hail. Several of the obituaries to City fan Mark E Smith mentioned his regular appearances at the Crown & Kettle, another gorgeous theatre, but of pub life in this case. I… Continue reading REVISITING THE CROWN & KETTLE
THREE HOOTS FOR STANDISH !
My penultimate Greater Manchester tick came in Standish, a place I’ve always mentally put in Lancashire (don’t start, Mudgie). Hoot Standish (presumably there’ll be a branch in Hooton soon) sounds very micro in the description, but with 3 major advantages over the usual Herne franchise. 1) It sells lager, so everyone feels comfortable, rather than… Continue reading THREE HOOTS FOR STANDISH !
WINDMILLS WEST OF WIGAN
Parbold is one of those magical villages that seems to produce a new Beer Guide entry every year, just as you think you must have been to all the pubs there. Oh, I have. Quite impressive for a village of 2,582 to have all 4 pubs in the Beer Guide in recent years. Some commentators… Continue reading WINDMILLS WEST OF WIGAN
GOLBORNE GOES FOR THE REVEREND
A terrific mix of pubs so far this year. Each time the new GBG “drops” (ugh) I’m amazed at how many traditional pubs enter the Guide. Unless you’re in Kent, when there are maximum size restrictions for new entrants to the good book, And it’s good to see Golborne follow Newton-le-Willows into the Guide with… Continue reading GOLBORNE GOES FOR THE REVEREND
“THERE YA GO, CHUCK”
I still get people commenting on this blog about how unlucky I am to go loads of rubbish pubs when I could just go to the Maypole/Cambridge Blue/Petersgate Tap all the time and drink great beer in convivial surroundings. Where’s the fun in that ? I love the variety of pubs that gets in the… Continue reading “THERE YA GO, CHUCK”
HYDE-ING FROM HAIL IN LYMM
Enough of the southern softies with their Peroni and rugger; back up north for a few ticks before chips and City. Into Lymm, famed as the place where BRAPA insulted the locals by asking whether the village was in Greater Manchester. I visited the location where Simon was sacrificed to the God of Proper Counties.… Continue reading HYDE-ING FROM HAIL IN LYMM
CHICKEN WINGS & CHER CDs IN ABINGDON
A last Oxon tick before the big city centre crawl later this month, and another chance to reassess Abingdon, surely the Newbury of the North. The Morland livery, Abbey grounds and town museum are highlights of a modest town with much to be modest about, as someone once said. But I like modest towns that… Continue reading CHICKEN WINGS & CHER CDs IN ABINGDON
LONGWORTH – OTTERS AND OVAL BALLS
For real #PubMen, there’s only one thing worse than the Christmas drinker. And that’s the “Six Nation Sozzlers”, who turn (mainly) Home Counties pubs into Hell for six weeks at the start of Spring. Just ask BRAPA. Due to UK discrimination laws, I’m not allowed to exclude Rugby Union fans from this blog, but know… Continue reading LONGWORTH – OTTERS AND OVAL BALLS
A HEARTFELT PLEA IN BESSELS LEIGH
All my favourites in this one. Brunning & Price non-pubs, geographical labelling errors, jam jars with rubber stoppers, real ale fails, and polite society. See, Oxfordshire does do pub drama. Obscure Oxfordshire, too. A hamlet with not much more than a pub. The Greyhound is in Bessels Leigh on the map, Besselsleigh on What Pub,… Continue reading A HEARTFELT PLEA IN BESSELS LEIGH
A PINTLESS POTTER ROUND PYMOOR
The burst of posts recently may lead you to believe there’s no such thing as a dry day in the retiredmartin house, but don’t be fooled. Three dry days a week minimum, and no drinking bottles at home stronger than Tactical Nuclear Penguin. So here’s a walk in the Sunday sun through the dullest… Continue reading A PINTLESS POTTER ROUND PYMOOR
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