Another year, another trip to Englefield Green, for a fourth GBG pub in a village you’ve never heard of. Don’t lie, you’ve never heard of it, though the legions of beer “tickers” (ugh !) will no doubt be familiar with Egham and its infamous United Services Club with a gazillion different hoppy beers to taste.… Continue reading “BANTER & PINTS” IN ENGLEFIELD GREEN
CHEER UP CHERTSEY, WE’RE GOING DOWN THE PUB
A desperate attempt to weave Sham 69 into a blog post set only a few miles from Hersham, but these are desperate times. And Chertsey has an air of desperation the lovely church can’t dispel. EVERYONE in the main streets was wearing an office lanyard and a worn-down expression as they collected their meal deal… Continue reading CHEER UP CHERTSEY, WE’RE GOING DOWN THE PUB
A WEARY WALK FROM WALTON-ON-THAMES TO THE WEIR
There’s a sort of GBG completists code of conduct, alluded to in Boak & Bailey’s article on Guide ticking weirdos in the new BEER. I hope you like the photo of me. Mainly, Duncan will alert Simon and myself to a micro pub that changed (reduced) its opening hours, or an impending local festival at… Continue reading A WEARY WALK FROM WALTON-ON-THAMES TO THE WEIR
STAINES – HARD TO BEAT
A bit of a shift from cute Cotswolds to (figuratively speaking) surly Surrey next. For the pubber, Surrey tends to group into 4 main headings; Stockbroker suburbs to the north (Englefield and Epsom) – Brunning & Price land Grittier “Real” towns (Staines, Woking) – Courage pubs run for Chelsea fans Surrey hills village pubs… Continue reading STAINES – HARD TO BEAT
A HAPPY HOOKY IN CHIPPING CAMPDEN
I guess there’s a sort of inverse relationship between beauty and Bitter in the Cotswolds; the greater the tourist honeypot factor, the lower your chance of a good pub. Chipping Campden is gorgeous, the Lavenham of the Cotswolds, and yet I’ve never been to a pub here before. What can it mean ? Quite a… Continue reading A HAPPY HOOKY IN CHIPPING CAMPDEN
DONNINGTON – NICE PUBS, SHAME ABOUT THE BEER
I was going to call this “Faggots & Chips & Dross in the Cotswolds” but with Russ in your readership you have to be extra careful about your blog titles. My blog naming team had a real struggle with this one. Perhaps mining the Monks classic for inspiration isn’t a wise move, either. We… Continue reading DONNINGTON – NICE PUBS, SHAME ABOUT THE BEER
TENNIS BORES IN BURFORD
SPOILER : Contains rare praise for Greene King, so move on now if that upsets you. If you’re American and travelling the Cotswolds on the Fodor (or even the retiredmartin) recommended route, I bet that Burford looks like that “Lil ol’ England” of your dreams. Or of any Richard Curtis film, anyway. It’s very hard… Continue reading TENNIS BORES IN BURFORD
WITNEY – A MUG OF TEA AND MAGGIE MAY
Quite a few reports from our more affluent, and therefore duller, counties to come. One of them will feature England’s worst beer and best faggots and chips, so something to look forward to. First to Witney last Monday, where I hoped to find a recent Prime Minister stocking shelves in Waitrose, or at very… Continue reading WITNEY – A MUG OF TEA AND MAGGIE MAY
HARTSHEAD – PUB OR KENNEL ?
My journey back from Manchester was enlivened by news reports on the craze sweeping the country (i.e. the South) for grown men to dress up as dogs. My only comment is that you can’t possibly drink a pint of Bass wearing that outfit. The debate (what is there to debate ?) brought to mind my… Continue reading HARTSHEAD – PUB OR KENNEL ?
JANUARY ’18 STOCKTAKE
A month that started here; and ended here; can only be a great month. Dryanuary has been a roaring success,with a round 50 new GBG pubs (take that, BRAPA) in 15 counties. completing just Notts this time. And Nevada, of course. Highlights were the pubs of Northumberland, the Manchester Beer Festival, and that “3 Billboards”… Continue reading JANUARY ’18 STOCKTAKE
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