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

“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

GORDON HILL ! A WALK TO THE JOLLY BUTCHERS IN ENFIELD

September 2025. Enfield. Home from Carshalton, and straight back into London the next day. “Proper” tickers would have squeezed in halves in all three remaining London pubs that Friday night, but post-completion I only deal in pints, and want to take the time to appreciate the culture in places like Carshalton, and Atherstone, and Enfield.… Continue reading GORDON HILL ! A WALK TO THE JOLLY BUTCHERS IN ENFIELD

So, THIS is what Landlord should taste like. The Bricklayers Arms, Putney

May 2025. Putney. Two and a half hours after leaving “home” I’d got my rare Putney tick, with my remaining London newbies so spread over the capital I had no chance of a second. So how about some bonus Putney pubbing ? The Half Moon is a famous music venue, the Duke’s Head is your… Continue reading So, THIS is what Landlord should taste like. The Bricklayers Arms, Putney

PRIDE DRINKING WELL, HALL & OATES SUNG BADLY, IN PUTNEY

May 2025. Putney. London The best remedy for monotony is a trip somewhere you don’t know, or know well, and by Monday afternoon even Putney seemed enticing. It was the journey from hell. The train stopped short of Finsbury, the District line gave up before Earls Court, and finally at Putney Bridge the barriers were… Continue reading PRIDE DRINKING WELL, HALL & OATES SUNG BADLY, IN PUTNEY

AOIFE NESSA FRANCES AT THE SHACKLEWELL ARMS

May 2025. Dalston. London. Dalston/Kingsland isn’t a hotbed of GBG entries; nothing at all in a half hour walk between the Pembury and the Mildmay. Plenty of Irish pubs round here, and some tantalising signs of pubs past. CAMRA’s What Pub website is its crowning glory, allowing you to find a dozen keg pubs within… Continue reading AOIFE NESSA FRANCES AT THE SHACKLEWELL ARMS