The Crown came into view just as a light drizzle descended on Lime Street Station, overlooked but not overshadowed by the ongoing building works behind it. What a wonderful pub to step into on a drab Sunday morning. Inside, Stafford’s Paul Mudge seemed mildly surprised to see me nearly on time. He hadn’t even finished… Continue reading PAUL WEARS THE CROWN
Tag: Crown
AXBRIDGE – SAY CHEESE
I’ve only time for a quick post while I explore Luton’s competing attractions while waiting for a flight from Katowice that’s 3 hours late (thanks Ryanair). Here’s the Hatters Highlight. In contrast to Dunstable Guided Busway, Axbridge is an authentic bit of honeypot Somerset, home to King John’s Hunting Lodge and the chintzy Lamb. A… Continue reading AXBRIDGE – SAY CHEESE
A STEP BACK IN TIME ALONG THE A66
“Never write posts after a penalty shoot-out” says the Pub Bloggers Manual. Oh well. I have a lot of photos and scrappy notes from the Great Penrith, Ayr & Glasgow Campervan Trip of 2018, some of them usable. Before I start on twenty-three pubs, here’s the quiz. “What will be the average NBSS score across… Continue reading A STEP BACK IN TIME ALONG THE A66
MATLOCK SPOONS PERSISTS WITH THE OLD-SCHOOL COFFEE MACHINE
I knew we should have gone in Matlock‘s Spoons when we walked past last year on a glorious Summer day. Perhaps we did go in. Google maps might know. But Matlock is always worth a return trip, even if the M&S Food Hall makes you unreasonably irate by not recognising anything as part of… Continue reading MATLOCK SPOONS PERSISTS WITH THE OLD-SCHOOL COFFEE MACHINE
ABBOTS BROMLEY – BACK ON THE BASS
My pub heroes of 2016 were Stockport CAMRA, for making a pub with one real ale their Pub of the Year. This year may well be the turn of Rochdale, Oldham and Bury CAMRA, for getting Draught Bass into two of their GBG pubs. Drink it up, Rochdale. The downside of the Beer Guide route… Continue reading ABBOTS BROMLEY – BACK ON THE BASS
NECTAR IN NUNEATON
Every 11th Thursday is curry night, when two middle-aged codgers from the east of England meet up in obscure parts of the Midlands to enjoy pubs and Indian restaurants. It’s a simple formula, only faltering slightly when I book rooms at a complete dump on the A5. Sorry Charles. The pub at the motel was… Continue reading NECTAR IN NUNEATON
PROPER PUBS IN MONTGOMERYSHIRE
Pub Curmudgeon rightly picked me up for placing the Railway Tavern in Powys. I’ll be sticking to historic counties from now on. For a week or so till I get to West Wales. I popped to Montgomeryshire‘s old county town (pop.1,200) to see if anything had changed since Mrs RM got a room at the… Continue reading PROPER PUBS IN MONTGOMERYSHIRE
LET IT GO – A HIT TO THE HEART IN HASTINGS
There’s a real joy about hearing a great new song live for the first time, especially by a band you’ve never heard of in a pub. Let It Go by the Wildflowers is 2016’s first classic, a real tearjerker that had more one old bloke welling up a bit. “Well, that’s the hit of the… Continue reading LET IT GO – A HIT TO THE HEART IN HASTINGS
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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