February 2024. Newcastle-under-Lyme. A pattern is emerging for my town visits; see the street art, tick the GBG newbie, revisit a “great” pub, take a chance on a pub that you’ve never even noticed before. And so, with 12 minutes to kill before my next No. 4 back to Hanley (not because I walked too… Continue reading MARKET SQUARE HEROES
Tag: Golden Lion
“Oh grief this Doom Bar is brilliant”
June 2023. Rochester. And it was all going so well. A nice riverside walk from Strood, a late morning glass of murk in a pub that might get in the GBG when the CAMRAs drop the “Real” from the name, a triumphant pint of BBB in a backstreet survivor, and some culture in the cathedral.… Continue reading “Oh grief this Doom Bar is brilliant”
THE MILLWALL 2004 FA CUP SHIRT IN AN UPMARKET NORTH KENT VILLAGE PUB
June 2023. Luddesdown, Kent. There’s nothing more joyous in life than BRAPA irritation, so I can only imagine his frustration at having made the perilous journey to rural North Kent to tick the Cock in late August last year, only to find it joined a month later by the Golden Lion. Two trips to Luddesdown… Continue reading THE MILLWALL 2004 FA CUP SHIRT IN AN UPMARKET NORTH KENT VILLAGE PUB
CAMDEN CRAWLING
Sunday the 15th August (yes, I’m that far behind) and still no sign of summer. But London is always hot due to the smog, so on a visit to my parents I made arrangements to visit London’s hottest ticket. Thrillingly, my first visit to the capital since that fateful day in November when the pubs… Continue reading CAMDEN CRAWLING
IF THE BEER’S GOOD, TELL THEM
I need to take a break from these Devon posts, and bring you the culmination of my mini-break in The North, possibly my last before it’s locked down forever. Tonight, at the 3rd time of asking, I finally managed a beer in Helperby. Every year the GBG gives us ONE pub that torments us with… Continue reading IF THE BEER’S GOOD, TELL THEM
COGAN’S RUN
Yes, it’s hazy photo time. Half an hour from Llantwit to Cogan, Gateway to Penarth. Half an hour in which to enjoy a lively atmosphere as Bridgenders head in to Cardiff for their nights at Pryzm and Liquid. Except that they all got out at Penarth. No idea why you’d go there, except ticking the… Continue reading COGAN’S RUN
FONT APPRECIATION AT THE LANCASTER GOLDEN LION
Preston makes a great base for pub tickers, with fast trains* to pub hubs like Westhoughton, Lancaster and Blackpool, and providing an opportunity to meet the Pub King of West Lancashire himself; More from Matthew shortly. I started Friday afternoon in Lancaster, always a curate’s egg with its attractive architecture but strangely unalluring pubs (and… Continue reading FONT APPRECIATION AT THE LANCASTER GOLDEN LION
THOSE OL’ BARNARD CASTLE OPENING TIME BLUES
About time I had a moan about opening hours again; I can’t have you thinking all that top beer in Scotland has cheered me up.Duncan had warned me about “inconsistent opening hours” one of my cluster of remaining Durham GBG targets. I won’t name it but it’s got a big waterfall. Dave will guess it. I… Continue reading THOSE OL’ BARNARD CASTLE OPENING TIME BLUES
REAL DALESMEN, REAL PUBS
When you think you’ve seen it all, along comes Simon Everitt with a January Sunday night in a Croydon Travelodge. But as a base to do visit rural pubs in Buckinghamshire. Really, my admiration knows no bounds. I can’t even pretend that a crafty night in Swaledale can compete with Penge and Chorleywood, but if… Continue reading REAL DALESMEN, REAL PUBS
PHILOSOPHY FOR THE SAISONS IN NEWMARKET
In 20 years time people will no doubt look back on the horror of the last week, aghast that the so-called “Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts” was headlined by a procession of OAP cover bands. And Coldplay (sorry, should have warned you at the top that was coming). A very similar musical fayre is available… Continue reading PHILOSOPHY FOR THE SAISONS IN NEWMARKET
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