November 2025. Levenshulme. It’s been a slow start to ticking the new cohort of Greater Manchester Guide pubs. If you’re approaching middle age like it’s wise not to drink too much before a match or a gig, but a pint in Levenshulme gives me time to admire the red brick, the panda art, the High… Continue reading “BRING YOUR OWN VINYL”. THE STATION HOP, LEVENSHULME
Tag: Blackjack
“CHEWY”
December 2023. Macclesfield. “So, you spent an afternoon in Macclesfield, Retired Martin. What’s the maximum posts you can possibly squeeze out of that ?”. Er. Let’s continue; Will wanted to visit the Blackjack brewery bar aka Jack in the Box in the Picturedrome, which gives it at least three potential different names to confuse GBG… Continue reading “CHEWY”
CRAFT v CASK IN THE SANDBAR
September 2023. Manchester. The students are just about to return to Uni, bands will be releasing their “difficult” third albums and touring it round social clubs in University cities though the Fall. I’m still not sure when the Fall starts. Just a day after the five hour drive back from End of the Road (EOTR),… Continue reading CRAFT v CASK IN THE SANDBAR
SENT TO COVENTRY, HAPPILY
April 2023. Thank you GBG23, for giving me a first visit to Coventry since Christmas 2018, bar a (failed) pre-emptive at the Ricoh. Has Cov changed much ? Well, blimey. Where has all this building work north of town come from ? Can it all be student accommodation, like in Sheffield ? Dunno. But it… Continue reading SENT TO COVENTRY, HAPPILY
CLITHEROE REDEMPTION
I must stop banging on about how far behind I am on this blog. But for context, I think they were still ducking witches when I made this trip to Clitheroe. For evidence of the antiquity of this post, just see the spelling of “bollack” on the town’s official graffiti wall. Clitheroe and the Forest… Continue reading CLITHEROE REDEMPTION
SUFFERING IN SALFORD QUAYS
I’m getting quite addicted to my little hotel in Weaste, the rough bit of Elegant Eccles. Four stays in 3 months, AND they give me a 5% loyalty discount, so I only paid £27 the other Sunday. H & C in all rooms. As you can see, I took the lesser-known tourist trail from… Continue reading SUFFERING IN SALFORD QUAYS
29.5mm
The next pub was also visited, and lauded, by young BRAPA this week. And rightly so. North Wingfield’s Shinnon was a mere 15 minutes walk from his next tick in Clay Cross, but clearly that was way beyond the range of our hero who resorted to the bus. The colliery villages below Chesterfield are some… Continue reading 29.5mm
WHIPPIN’ PICCADILLY (HANLEY)
I see I’ve almost used this title before, but so what ? There’s not much that rhymes with Hanley. Or Stoke. Before the pedants start, Hanley isn’t Stoke, but it is the “entertainment” centre for the Potteries, apparently. For a start you’ve got the Reardon Club (aka Victoria) with its Wheeltappers vibe and Bass. And… Continue reading WHIPPIN’ PICCADILLY (HANLEY)
JOAN & DAVE’S MANC CRAFT DISTRACTION
A reminder of our itinerary for conquering the historic pubs of central Manchester. There’d already been a swap between the LT and the H&H. Somehow, Joan, Dave, Luke and I never made it to the Lower Turk for the trad bitters. Instead, we made a slight detour so Dave could see the joys of… Continue reading JOAN & DAVE’S MANC CRAFT DISTRACTION
BLACKJACK ATTACK – ALTY COMES TO ANCOATS
About time I filled in the May gaps; Dick and Dave are shocked at my chronological laxity. While he’s suffering Cambridgeshire, I thought I’d cheer Simon up by showing him what he’s got to look forward to in GBG19 (just a hunch, I don’t bribe CAMRA branches for pre-emptive details). It might also remind… Continue reading BLACKJACK ATTACK – ALTY COMES TO ANCOATS