February 2025. York. A Sunday night in York, but not here; not in the Grand (£229 tonight), not when you can stay at a Travelodge 5 minutes walk from the walls for £32.99. UK hotel prices have gone mad recently, just take a look at Premier Inn in London in April, and on a grey… Continue reading YORK CITY. EXCEPCIONAL
Tag: Black Swan
A WINNER IN THE 11:15 AT UTTOXETER
3rd March 2023. Due to popular demand we returned from Greece at the start of the month, just so I could start blogging about UK towns and pubs again for you, dear reader. It took longer to exit Luton Mid-term parking than it did to fly home, due to, and I quote the parking operator,… Continue reading A WINNER IN THE 11:15 AT UTTOXETER
“So, HAS Swanage changed then ?”. “Enough”.
The Spanish Inquisition lady in Corfe Castle was intrigued by the fact I’d been to Swanage as a chubby 11 year old in THAT summer of 76, and asked if I thought it had changed. “Enough”. “Oh dear” But I wasn’t complaining. Everywhere has to change a bit, or we’d all be drinking mild at… Continue reading “So, HAS Swanage changed then ?”. “Enough”.
GHOSTS HAUNT THE BLACK SWAN IN YORK
After my post on the 1980 North Yorks Guide, reader “US” Dave asks; “Other than the Black Swan are there other York pubs in that guide then that are commonly visited now ? “ The answer seemed to be “NO”. Most of York’s 2021 GBG entries are outside the centre, and the central pubs long… Continue reading GHOSTS HAUNT THE BLACK SWAN IN YORK
SHIPSHAPE SEAHOUSES
What a great way to finish Northumberland’s new entries in GBG20. A Proper Pub in Seahouses on the gorgeous Northumbrian coast, home to stuffed penguins that you can buy instead of actually making the hazardous half hour boat trip to the Farne Islands, home to a very sick unretiredmartin in 2007. If Holy Island is… Continue reading SHIPSHAPE SEAHOUSES
LEFT TO MY OWN DEVIZES
22nd February 2020 The White Bear was the second and last of my new GBG ticks on this Wiltshire Wander, which is a disappointing tally when I see how BRAPA has been plundering the North. I really fancied a 6X, long a favourite beer despite many commentators on CAMRA Discourse describing it as “twiggy brown… Continue reading LEFT TO MY OWN DEVIZES
LEARNING THE ROPES IN IRONBRIDGE
12th February 2020 Slightly out of sequence, these next two. But then one of my readers, probably called Derek, would no doubt have studied the next photo and declared “Sir, Jupiter looks particularly high in the sky for a visit after 8pm on a Thursday“. That’s the view over the flooded plains above Buildwas Abbey… Continue reading LEARNING THE ROPES IN IRONBRIDGE
SCRATCHING A BASS ITCH IN CRICH
This post title only works if the locals really do pronounce it CRY-ch, of course. Crich is the first place out of Derby or Nottingham where you’re really aware of the Peak. Their transport Museum makes a useful place to entertain toddlers who are young enough to be fobbed off with brightly coloured trams,… Continue reading SCRATCHING A BASS ITCH IN CRICH
“FOOD SERVICE STOPPED AT 2”
More mixed Moors tales, and more evidence that Cleveland CAMRA pick pubs for the Guide based on beer quality. Well done them. For a change, a really interesting Ordnance Survey extract for you too. Starting with something not encountered for a while; the unexpectedly closed pub. I joined several folk at the entrance of the Downe Arms,… Continue reading “FOOD SERVICE STOPPED AT 2”
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