December 2025. Sheffield. Ely. King’s Cross. London. You’ll be wondering by now what’s happened to my birthday (22nd December, make a note on your new Retired Martin calendar). That’s coming soon, and rest assured it’s not as bad as last year, but first a long day from Sheffield, to Rye, via long stops in Ely… Continue reading TOP PUBS FOR WHEN YOU’RE STUCK AT KING’S CROSS FOR HALF AN HOUR. No. 2 – THE KING CHARLES I
Tag: King’s Cross
“A SYMPHONY IN BROWN”. THE DUKE, BLOOMSBURY, LONDON
October 2025. Bloomsbury. London. Two nights a week down in Waterbeach visiting Dad for free cups of tea and ’60s entertainment; that also gives me a chance to get to grips with London’s new Beer Guide entries. I may not be competitively “doing the GBG” anymore, but there’s a real joy in pubbing the capital… Continue reading “A SYMPHONY IN BROWN”. THE DUKE, BLOOMSBURY, LONDON
FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE SCOTTISH STORES
November 2023. King’s Cross. London. A night out in London; a very old rare Friday night, too, as most of my trips to the capital post-Covid have been mid-afternoon, mid-week. No sign of the carnage outside as I returned to St Mathias Church for the last leg of my confessional singer-songwriter night. Mrs RM was… Continue reading FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE SCOTTISH STORES
MATILDA MANN MANIA
Oh no, scary new music that’s not 50/70 year old blokes still playing their ’90s/’70s hits ! Don’t worry, there’ll be another pub post along in a minute. I finished an epic Wednesday in London, NOT in the Parcel Yard but just behind it at Lafayette, a new basement venue tucked into the flashy new… Continue reading MATILDA MANN MANIA
ANOTHER INADVISABLE ESB AT THE PARCEL YARD
We headed back along Oxford Street into Fitzrovia and back to King’s Cross, cheered by an afternoon of London discovery, ticking and culture. London’s main shopping street seems to consist entirely of “Candy” stores. But there’s beauty, everywhere. Amorino ices on Goodge Street was a joy, too. I reckon James deserved 3 scoops after letting… Continue reading ANOTHER INADVISABLE ESB AT THE PARCEL YARD
THAT UNWISE FINAL PINT OF ESB IN THE PARCEL YARD
We are all BRAPA. Thankfully, we’re not, or waiting on railway platforms would be a messy affair. I managed to make it back from the Jackalope to King’s Cross, which does have loos, only stopping to admire the Green Man (now renamed Greene Man to cash in on Graham Greene craze sweeping the nation). And… Continue reading THAT UNWISE FINAL PINT OF ESB IN THE PARCEL YARD
A LAST HURRAH
Lots of short posts for you, in case I run out of material before December. November 4th 2020. The last day before Lockdown 2, with no idea how long it might last, and whether there’d actually be any pubs to return to. Disastrously, I’d allowed young BRAPA to score more GBG ticks than me in… Continue reading A LAST HURRAH
QUEUEING FOR BEER
You might on occasion think this blog is a bit obsessed with BRAPA, and of course you’d be right. Laughing at Simon’s “antics” has either added or taken 3 years to/from my life, and his lack of litigation awareness means I can nick whole words without fear of being sued. And that obsession clearly runs… Continue reading QUEUEING FOR BEER
SCOTTISH STORES, KING’S CROSS
I don’t make the train journey to Kings Cross anything like I used to have to, so I really appreciate a more leisurely exploration of ever-changing WC1. My pre-journey drink always used to be the Chinese tea in Chop Chop Noodles across the road, as Craft Islington and the Queen’s Head were a few minutes too far.… Continue reading SCOTTISH STORES, KING’S CROSS
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