July 2025. Northampton. I’m drowning in blog material at present, but resisting the temptation to rush through some of our loveliest unsung towns. Like Northampton, on a first visit to the centre in seven years, an old codgers trip where we met the actual Mayor of that fine town. It seems to be a town… Continue reading A WISTFUL LOOK AT THE RIFLE DRUM
Tag: Beer
SCANADALOUSLY, MY FIRST TIME IN LIVERPOOL’S VINES
July 2025. Liverpool. Thursday night brought a gig at Manchester’s New Century Hall, and I really didn’t fancy any GBG ticking before hand after that Stannington Stagger. As Simon will find out when he completes in 2044, the chase is better than the catch (Lemmy, 1980). So goodness knows how I dragged myself to Sheffield… Continue reading SCANADALOUSLY, MY FIRST TIME IN LIVERPOOL’S VINES
STANNINGTON BRASS
July 2025. Stannington. Sheffield. Back from Newcastle, GBG ticks in the bag, I then added an NCTSS 4 with a “cheeky” crispy beef and Singapore rice from China Dragon outside Darlington station. It deserves an extra half mark, really, for being open after 10pm when Google says it’s shut. I genuinely have no idea if… Continue reading STANNINGTON BRASS
Could YOU walk past the Laurieston ?
July 2025. Glasgow. Back at Glasgow Central from edgy but exciting East Kilbride I had a couple of hours till my £66 return to Sheffield, sadly not long enough to attempt a visit to Carluke’s craft bars but time aplenty to walk across the Clyde for a curry. That area southside down to Hampden Park… Continue reading Could YOU walk past the Laurieston ?
LET’S FINISH SUFFOLK ! THE QUEEN’S HEAD, BRAMFIELD.
June 2025. Bramfield. Suffolk. My Dad reached 90 at the end of January, a remarkable achievement considering his appetite for Chinese food, a mid-life heart bypass, 50 years of manual work and the stresses caused by his son over an even longer period. Some of that stress would no doubt have come on the A1120… Continue reading LET’S FINISH SUFFOLK ! THE QUEEN’S HEAD, BRAMFIELD.
STRANGEWAYS, STRANGE DAYS IN CHEETHAM HILL
June 2025. Manchester. Driving Matt home from Luton Airport yesterday I asked him to guess how many pubs I’d managed on my two (2) days in Manchester. “A dozen ?” says Matt, who obviously reads this blog. “None“. Yes, a couple of cultural days, and a £34.99 Travelodge next to the AO Arena, itself rather… Continue reading STRANGEWAYS, STRANGE DAYS IN CHEETHAM HILL
ROOSTERS AND CHICKEN WINGS
May 2025. Sheffield. And so we leave Georgia, the capital’s airport so comfortable we arrived there over 3 hours early and still nearly missed Last Call. Great name for a bar; but with Staropramen at a tenner I gave it a miss. Back home in Sheffield I lasted almost a day before sneaking out up… Continue reading ROOSTERS AND CHICKEN WINGS
A RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA. YOUR TBILISI CRAFT BEER GUIDE
May 2025. Tblisi. Georgia. Your final post of holiday snaps; I’ll skip over the Vardzia cave network, and return to good ol’ English BBB tomorrow. I had to squeeze Randy in here somewhere; she’s a big fan of the Caucasus craft scene, particularly tomato gose. Due to Independence Day our Uber into Tbilisi had to… Continue reading A RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA. YOUR TBILISI CRAFT BEER GUIDE
A DASH ROUND DALSTON
May 2025. Dalston Kingsland. London. I know how to get to Dalston Kingsland from Waterbeach; down the M11 to the North Circular, A12 past the Olympic site, slow bit past Homerton Hospital and the Pembury Tavern in Hackney, then park, anywhere. I hadn’t driven this far into London for an age, reminds be why I’ll… Continue reading A DASH ROUND DALSTON
RETIRED MARTIN ON VOCATION
April 2025. Sheffield. Mrs RM was in full “am blogging, don’t disturb me” mode last Thursday so couldn’t accompany me on my calorie burning walk into town to check out a new Bass tip. The refurbished Foresters had a turned round pump clip that day, turning it round as soon as I’d gone past, to… Continue reading RETIRED MARTIN ON VOCATION
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