It’s raining in Malta so I’m catching up with my blog and working out how many pints of craft I can afford with my euros. It’s 2.50 euros for Stella if your eyesight is as bad as mine. A far cry from Malta, the Peak District softens a bit as you wind towards Ashbourne,… Continue reading CROWDECOTE – A PUB ON PEAK FORM
ICE CREAM & SPRING CLEANS IN ALLGREAVE
BLOGGERS TIP: If in doubt about your featured image. Go with the cat. A farm cat, rather than a pub cat, but with free cows thrown in. And because you can’t resist a Paddy McAloon reference; This is the cat that catches the mice* at Hilly Billy Farm in Allgreave. I would normally tell you… Continue reading ICE CREAM & SPRING CLEANS IN ALLGREAVE
REVISITING THE CROWN & KETTLE
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
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