November 2025. Sale. Greater Manchester. A 3pm Saturday kick-off against Dirty L**ds, and just time before the match to meet Matt and tick off one GBG newbie in Greater Manchester with a half hour metro trip down into Trafford. There’s a good cricket team in Trafford, I understand. I’d made a fruitless journey to Sale… Continue reading PRAY TELL, IS THE CASK DRINKING WELL IN SALE ?
Tag: Greater Manchester
LADYBARN SOCIAL CLUB
October 2025. Ladybarn. Manchester. That’s my view from a £17 a match season ticket at Manchester City a week ago, for one of the most exciting games I’ve seen at the Etihad. Staying over near Stockport meant I had time to join the 15% of the crowd who stay to the final whistle to applaud… Continue reading LADYBARN SOCIAL CLUB
“BRING YOUR OWN VINYL”. THE STATION HOP, LEVENSHULME
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
GATHURST STATION BAR – A SPECULATIVE PRE-EMPTIVE TICK
June 2025. Gathurst. Greater Manchester. 20 minutes walk back to Gathurst Station from my final Mancunian GBG tick of the year, with half an hour to kill before off-peak fares kicked in again at 18:30. Is it worth hanging about in Gathurst to save £3.75 ? Well, obviously, £3.75 is a pint around Wigan (London… Continue reading GATHURST STATION BAR – A SPECULATIVE PRE-EMPTIVE TICK
A GOOD DAY IN ALTRINCHAM (IS LEAVING BEFORE THE UNITED FANS GET ON THE TRAM)
May 2025. Altrincham. Another GBG tick ! I might complete the Greater Manchester section of the Guide yet (one left in Shevington, tourist tips welcome). At least Altrincham is easy on the tram, though I’m filled with increasing unease by the presence of United fans queuing at the stops on the trip south. On my… Continue reading A GOOD DAY IN ALTRINCHAM (IS LEAVING BEFORE THE UNITED FANS GET ON THE TRAM)
PREMATURELY CHECKING IN BEERS ON UNTAPPD AT THE MAGNET
June 2024. Stockport. Or is it Heaton Norris ? Where were we ? Oh yes. Curry and Greater Manchester beer night with Blackpool Jane, after a Bailey’s chaser. Now, here’s why Jane is so great. That’s the prescribed walking route from the Crown to the Magnet, but it’s SO dull. Why not walk under the… Continue reading PREMATURELY CHECKING IN BEERS ON UNTAPPD AT THE MAGNET
UNDER THE ARCHES
June 2024. Stockport. “A gallon of Unicorn, and a greasy lamb dhansak, a night out in Stockport… “ Actually, that would have given John Denver a bigger hit than his paean to Sheffield nightlife. But I couldn’t recommend an Indian restaurant in Cheshire’s finest pub town, and neither could Curry-Heute, who’d seemingly never been to… Continue reading UNDER THE ARCHES
HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY GBG COUNTY. No. 29 – GREATER MANCHESTER
The toughest GBG “county” so far. I was tempted to go with 10 and get you to name another two. As it is, my choices seem to cruelly ignore Saddleworth, Bolton, Leigh and Rochdale. As all great things must, we start in Stockport. Right next to that view of the Underbanks, which helps give it… Continue reading HALF A DOZEN PUBS IN EVERY GBG COUNTY. No. 29 – GREATER MANCHESTER
FABULOUS FARNWORTH – PHOENIX NIGHTS, TICKING AFTERNOONS
January 2024. Farnworth. Let’s complete a “county”, shall we. OK, it’s only Greater Manchester, generally a doddle as it’s my next county from home and I pop in there most months for haircuts and agonies at the Etihad. But my last tick is in Farnworth, part of Bolton, and a tricky little trip to the… Continue reading FABULOUS FARNWORTH – PHOENIX NIGHTS, TICKING AFTERNOONS
THE QUIET NIGHT IN AT B33R@33
You left me at the Bay Horse, on the edge of Rivington Reservoir. A lesser man would have taken the easy option and caught the No. 125 into Horwich, or even headed back to Adlington station and made the short hop to Blackrod (such evocative names). But not Retired Martin, oh no. Ignoring the drizzle,… Continue reading THE QUIET NIGHT IN AT B33R@33
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