I had a few beers with West Brom’s pub expert (and only Arsenal bondholder) in Wolverhampton, as you do. The company was first-rate, the pub staff and customers were cheery, and the beer was good to excellent. Only a failure to remember to eat the faggots and grey paes soured the afternoon later. The city… Continue reading THE POSADA, A GEM IN WOLVES
SHREWSBURY – THE SAME, BUT EVEN BETTER
A sure sign I’m getting older is that I appreciate Shrewsbury more now than 20 years ago, rather than finding it in any way complacent and old-fashioned. I even like the wonderful Dingle, spending more time in total there this year (10 minutes) than my own garden. As a rule, I like change; as long as I can… Continue reading SHREWSBURY – THE SAME, BUT EVEN BETTER
MUCH ADO ABOUT MICROS IN SOUTH WARWICKS
I’m getting a bit bored of micropubs. There’s a predictability about layout, clientele, breweries and even the price of a pint (no need to ask, it’s £3). I appreciate that I’m wrong though; micros are revitalising real ale, increasing the number of pubs and allowing tickers to tick lots of overhopped beers. But there you… Continue reading MUCH ADO ABOUT MICROS IN SOUTH WARWICKS
EVESHAM MARKET SQUARE
Last year I took my Dad on a whirlwind tour around the National Trust properties on the Warwick/Worcestershire/Gloucestershire border. He’s nearly recovered in time for this year’s NT crawl. Snowshill Manor stood out that day; Despite the lure of the Fleece in Bretforton and several Cotswold options we stopped in Evesham looking for food, or at least… Continue reading EVESHAM MARKET SQUARE
THE WRESTLERS – PAD THAI, PUMPS, BUT NO POOL
Apart from the Cambridge Blue and the historic Eagle, the Wrestlers is Cambridge’s perhaps best known pub. Certainly for visitors to the Abbey Stadium it was the default pre-match pint following the loss of most of the Newmarket Road locals. It seems to have lost that status since the latest “improvements” turned it into a restaurant.… Continue reading THE WRESTLERS – PAD THAI, PUMPS, BUT NO POOL
PUB CATS AND COOL FOR CATS IN RAMSGATE
At the risk of alienating my German reader, I should say I’m no animal lover. Like smokers though, I quite like to see them in pubs. Thanet’s pubs are among my favourites because they are closest to my own “Moon Under Water“, which is a bit more urban than Simon Everitt’s otherwise exemplary Green Owl. I like a… Continue reading PUB CATS AND COOL FOR CATS IN RAMSGATE
THE YARD OF ALE, ST PETERS
Nick from Erlangen doesn’t keep an active blog, but his twitter account is one of the best photographic accounts of current UK pubs I’ve seen, along with Alan Winfield and BRAPA. We’ve compared notes on our favourite pub towns, and I’ve still got work to do to persuade him of the merits of Mansfield and Macclesfield.… Continue reading THE YARD OF ALE, ST PETERS
WHITSTABLE – VICTORIANA, BREAKING BAD AND BASS
The sun always shines on North Kent, which explains why Whitstable was again packed mid-week with London daytrippers in search of pashminas, panna cotta and Prosecco. It really is my favourite bit of Islington. While it lacks the marsh walks of nearby Faversham, you can construct some decent rambles around Tankerton, but really it’s a place… Continue reading WHITSTABLE – VICTORIANA, BREAKING BAD AND BASS
BACUP
This is only marginally worthy of a separate post to be honest, but I bet no-one has ever blogged about Bacup before and I’m a glory hunter as you’ll know. There’s not a lot to be said about Bacup apart from noting it has great scenery, and the occasional great bit of tiling. The Crown… Continue reading BACUP
CHORLEY CHATTER
It’s not quite Proud Preston to be fair, but I always enjoy the annual trip to Chorley to tick off a new Guide pub or two. To me it’s an exemplar small market town, with an actual market that lacks the glamour of Bury but at least sells stuff people want. Not sure what Botany… Continue reading CHORLEY CHATTER
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