October 2025. Barnby Moor. North Notts. “Barnby Moor ? Wherezat ?”. Well, if you’d read Roger Protz’s marvellous book on the Great North Road (£7 + postage) you’d know all about (Ye) Olde Bell in the posh bit of Bassetlaw (the bit that’s not Worksop, Retford or central Donny). One of the grandest staging points… Continue reading A RARE STOP ON THE GREAT NORTH ROAD. YE OLDE BELL IN BARNBY MOOR
Tag: Landlord
“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
LANDLORD DRINKING WELL IN AINDERBY STEEPLE
July 2025. Ainderby Steeple. Near Northallerton. As Simon discovered recently, ticking in Northallerton rarely comes in quickly drunk singles. A very basic town pub is followed a mile west by an immaculate old village dining pub in Ainderby Steeple, about which I knew nothing. And still know close to nothing, so little is there to… Continue reading LANDLORD DRINKING WELL IN AINDERBY STEEPLE
THE INEVITABLE TIM TAYLOR LANDLORD, EVEN IN LOUGHBOROUGH
March 2025. Loughborough. One cask pump is plenty, often more than enough, but sometimes five (5) pubs isn’t enough, and a sixth was demanded. Always best pick one you’ve never heard of, lest folk on Discourse accuse you of only going to the “best” pubs to keep your NBSS averages up. The Blacksmiths doesn’t look… Continue reading THE INEVITABLE TIM TAYLOR LANDLORD, EVEN IN LOUGHBOROUGH
HOWDY, HOWDEN
March 2025. Howden. One night back in Sheffield, then straight back out to Goole with Mrs RM in tow, kicking and screaming. “I’ve never been to Howden” she says, like Charlene in that 1982 Motown Number 1. “Have I ?“. Well, we’d certainly passed through enough times, headed for East Yorkshire honeypots like Driffield and… Continue reading HOWDY, HOWDEN
THE WORLD DOMINATION OF TIMOTHY TAYLOR LANDLORD REACHES THE BLIND MONKEY
March 2025. Sheffield. “ONLY an hour (in the Kelham), why for **** sake!!!If the answer’s Christine then I understand.“ Well, sort of. “Unless you have better idea” is Mrs RM code for “TAKE ME OUT NOW !“. I only stopped to take a pic of the daffodils, and the mural outside Tesco, but still made… Continue reading THE WORLD DOMINATION OF TIMOTHY TAYLOR LANDLORD REACHES THE BLIND MONKEY
CLEANING THE LINES, CLEARING THE GARAGE
March 2025. Waterbeach. We’re still spending 2 or 3 days a week down in Waterbeach, dealing with solicitors and estate agents, but mainly seeing Dad in his care home 2 minutes walk from “Sunnyside”. Dad seems very content, particularly now his old friend Lassie has joined him under his window. We spent a couple of… Continue reading CLEANING THE LINES, CLEARING THE GARAGE
ORGANIC EGGS AT THE RED LION IN REDBOURNE
February 2025. Redbourne. Lincolnshire. One of the problems with rural Lincolnshire pubs, and BRAPA is your oracle here, is that they serve such a small population they inevitably struggle to support Monday to Sunday opening, and you can’t make cask shine when you’re only selling it Friday evening to Sunday lunch. With only 400 souls,… Continue reading ORGANIC EGGS AT THE RED LION IN REDBOURNE
LET’S GO TO POPPLETON
February 2025. Poppleton. York. No new GBG entries in Ye Olde Cittie of York for what seems like aeons, so thank goodness for Poppleton, said no-one ever. “I’ve been to Paradise, but I’ve never been to Poppleton” sang Charlene on her 1982 Motown chart-topper. First stop west of York on the Harrogate line; 5 minutes… Continue reading LET’S GO TO POPPLETON
THE BIG FAMILY GET-TOGETHER BEFORE THE FUNERAL
February 2025. Waterbeach. Three things are certain in life. Death, Paul Mudge resisting craft beer, and the indestructability of Retired Martin’s Aygo. Three years after gifting it to my brother-in-law after passing 210,000 miles (in 6 years) he just sold it for scrap, “We Buy Any Car” laughing in his face, it just turned up… Continue reading THE BIG FAMILY GET-TOGETHER BEFORE THE FUNERAL
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