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: London pubs
PUB DOGS OF HAMPSTEAD HEATH
November 2025. Hampstead. London. I’m timing my trips down to see Dad to coincide with the nostalgia music afternoons at his care home (Dave from Chatteris, it’s always a Dave, sings Beatles and Neil Diamond) and my rather less nostalgic gigs in London. Last Tuesday saw my Gig of the Year, if not Decade, as… Continue reading PUB DOGS OF HAMPSTEAD HEATH
THE OLD SHADES, SW1
October 2025. Whitehall. London. While I sat in the Admiralty I scribbled down a few notes, mainly about queuing tourists and naff modern pop, but also “another week another two (2) London pubs two minutes apart“. Should have been 30 seconds to the Old Shades, but something in the space/time dimension where WC2 becomes SW1… Continue reading THE OLD SHADES, SW1
A SURPRISE GBG WINNER IN COVENT GARDEN
October 2025. Covent Garden. London. My first London ticking of the new GBG season, always a joy, and as I leave the corner pubs of Bloomsbury it’s time to “Do the culture“. Five minutes from the Lady Ottoline to Sir John Soane’s house, immortalised by Maria McKee on my melancholy melodies post*. Surely it’ll be… Continue reading A SURPRISE GBG WINNER IN COVENT GARDEN
WHERE OR WHAT IS CROUCH END ? AND WHERE’S THE NEAREST LOO ?
December 2023. Crouch Hill. London. And that’s the problem with London pub “curated self-explorations“. So many steps, so much beer, so few (no) public toilets on trains. I actually thought the Overground (the orange one) might have loos. How daft can you be. So 10 minutes later I found myself at Crouch Hill station, searching… Continue reading WHERE OR WHAT IS CROUCH END ? AND WHERE’S THE NEAREST LOO ?
THE LONG HAUL TO BEXLEYHEATH
December 2023. Bexleyheath. Note ultra-rare photo of Mrs RM sitting patiently waiting for her pint, NOT scrolling on her phone. Frame that one. My father-in-law was moved from Tunbridge Wells Hospital to Sevenoaks, a cruel and unusual punishment for an 85 year old man I thought, but it made our visit to his rehab ward… Continue reading THE LONG HAUL TO BEXLEYHEATH
FOLLOWING THE HAMMERS
I declared my ticking for the day on six (6) after the Lamb. Could have been better, but a man needs to allow space for an ESB in the Parcel Yard, and London will always be there (I hope). And I wanted to see what was in Hackney Wick, home to my End of the… Continue reading FOLLOWING THE HAMMERS
THE BEST PUB IN ACTON
Back to the London GBG To Do map, and our furthest west pub this year; just for a change it’s NOT in Hanwell. Mrs RM is very proud of the fact she lived in Acton during her student days. And in West Ham, before she really slummed it in Hitchin, where she met me, etc.… Continue reading THE BEST PUB IN ACTON
LONDON HAS FALLEN
If I say so myself, that’s a lovely spot of pinking on the London GBG page. Normally a doddle, but my move oop north meant less scope for raids down south, and it took me till the week before the new Guide “landed” (ugh) on everyone else’s door mat to finish the capital. In Hanwell.… Continue reading LONDON HAS FALLEN
INTO ISLINGTON
On the home straight now, as I declare on five GBG ticks and try to think of things to do while waiting for my gig to open doors at 19:00 that doesn’t involve researching pubs. Here’s my “heat map”; bit of a midfield battle, isn’t it ? The walk through Finsbury takes us past some… Continue reading INTO ISLINGTON
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