ANOTHER trip to Hitchin with the eldest son, before a couple of days walking in the Mendips. James left the town for the delights of Waterbeach and the A10 when he was one, and had no memory of our house, which has just sold for six times what we paid for it in 1993. And… Continue reading TABLE SERVICE TRAUMAS IN SPOONS
Tag: Hertfordshire pubs
HITCHIN CRAFT UNION CONSPIRACY SPECIAL
My first post from Hitchin met with some kickback by other people who couldn’t get away from it quick enough. So I’m back, bringing you more reports from the cutting-edge of craft beer. In some towns (Stockport, probably) there’d be a hipster with a microbrewery under every one of those canvases in the market square.… Continue reading HITCHIN CRAFT UNION CONSPIRACY SPECIAL
HITCHIN, HURTS
More local pubbing. Well, Hitchin is only an area away, next door to where I drop James off for his driving lessons. Covid-19 has just cancelled his driving test, AGAIN; perhaps they’ll give him a licence anyway if it happens a 3rd time and he can drive me to a pub. We lived here for… Continue reading HITCHIN, HURTS
THREE MAGNETS, TWO MOBILITY SCOOTERS, NO DOOM BAR – BACK TO LETCHWORTH WETHERSPOONS
Another trip to Letchworth for the lad’s driving lessons, another chance to relive sweet, sweet memories of the town where Mrs RM and I started married life in 1992. It’s unchanged, Since 1935, never mind 1992. Well, nearly. Actually, some things have changed. The Black Squirrel (as I knew it) had more names than Ian… Continue reading THREE MAGNETS, TWO MOBILITY SCOOTERS, NO DOOM BAR – BACK TO LETCHWORTH WETHERSPOONS
AN UNEXPECTED HOUR IN HATFIELD GALLERIA
Rules of Blogging No. 377 – If you can’t find a good picture of a shopping centre, use a lost cat. The alternatives were these photos; I’m still finishing my forensic analysis of the new Beer Guide (I haven’t started yet), but the arrival of a new Hatfield entry will surely be one of the… Continue reading AN UNEXPECTED HOUR IN HATFIELD GALLERIA
BALDOCK ? ARE YOU SURE ?
The first week of September sees Duncan, Simon and myself comparing the entries in the new Good Beer Guide to the massive spreadsheet/rolls of papyrus containing previous ticks. By and large it’s the same entries year after year, despite retirements, rebranding and the plague (Maidenhead). The entries for North Hertfordshire are pretty much the same… Continue reading BALDOCK ? ARE YOU SURE ?
SCHOOL’S OUT IN WHEATHAMPSTEAD
Hoorah ! for pre-emptive micro pub ticks in rural Hertfordshire ! Hoorah ! for completely inappropriate pictures of Ullage in church graveyards ! And Hoorah ! for places like the Reading Room which serve proper pub food like scotch eggs with posh piccalilli and chocolate cake (Spoiler: We had neither). Pubmeister seems to have a… Continue reading SCHOOL’S OUT IN WHEATHAMPSTEAD
ST ALBANS PART II – MERMAIDS, MURK, MERRINESS
Part II of Bonfire Night In St Albans, with some real pyromania to come. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t enjoy this trip as much as “Lemonade with Simey“, and that’s got nothing to do with the company (though I did miss Mudgie). But Simon sneaks his own food into pubs, you know.… Continue reading ST ALBANS PART II – MERMAIDS, MURK, MERRINESS
BONFIRE NIGHT, ST ALBANS – PART I
Having seen how I can stretch out a post where I spend 27.5 minutes in a pub drinking a half of lemonade, you might fear for the blogging generated by a meeting in the home of CAMRA with these pub legends; Roger Protz – the best dressed man in pubdom. Oh, and THE GBG editor.… Continue reading BONFIRE NIGHT, ST ALBANS – PART I
HEART OF GLASS (OF ALE) – PUB TICKER ACTION MAN IN MARKYATE
There’s been a host of horrors for GBG completists in this year’s Guide. Brewery taps only open 11 days a year, Cricket clubs open for 8pm till midnight on Fridays, and the usual motley collection of micro pubs that open when they feel like it. What would greet me at my penultimate Herts tick in… Continue reading HEART OF GLASS (OF ALE) – PUB TICKER ACTION MAN IN MARKYATE