I’m working far too hard, curating this blog. You can find Chopwell yourselves on the map, somewhere between Consett and Chester-le-Street. An intriguing area of coal mines, Cava and clubs. Where the bus drops you off in Blackhall Mill, note the leg to the sign stolen by a vandal from Vindolanda. Sadly the Social Club… Continue reading SEARCHING OUT COMMUNISTS IN CHOPWELL
Tag: micropubs
HAPPY HOUR IN EASTWOOD
Not only is the Marlpool not in the current GBG (I did it years ago), I can’t even see the place on my map ! To the east of the station lies the wonders of Eastwood, as recently investigated by Life After Football. 16 micros in a 3 mile radius, he reported, which I make… Continue reading HAPPY HOUR IN EASTWOOD
THE BUTCHER’S HOOK – NO MORE A THORNBURY IN MY SIDE
Mrs RM is winding down her IT gigs a bit so she can spend more time winding me up (joking, joking). On our first joint trip away in months we headed to Gloucestershire, coincidentally home to my final 4 Guide ticks in that intriguing county. Back in the Olden Days when people travelled to go… Continue reading THE BUTCHER’S HOOK – NO MORE A THORNBURY IN MY SIDE
“You went all the way to Whitby and all you brought me back was an empty chip box !”
Oh, and some pictures of micropubs. One of them is in the railway station; it took me AGES to find it. Whitby was heaving on Sunday. “The busiest place I’ve seen since St Ives at Easter or York’s Shambles” I wrote in 2016, and it still holds. Perhaps Andover will acquire such heights of popularity now BRAPA… Continue reading “You went all the way to Whitby and all you brought me back was an empty chip box !”
“ANGIE, OH ANGIE, WON’T YOU OPEN UP YOUR MICRO FOR ME”
BRAPA is a hero of mine, up there with Tony Wilson and Kate Nicholls of UK Hospitality and Mrs RM. But I do burn with envy when he gets whole days of successful marking up of the Guide; 6 (six) new GBG pubs within walking distance of each other in London. My own ticking days… Continue reading “ANGIE, OH ANGIE, WON’T YOU OPEN UP YOUR MICRO FOR ME”
BEE RESCUING IN GRAFHAM
This is the George, Spaldwick; It’s a lovely pub. And three jolly gentlefolk seemed to confirm its loveliness as they bounded past us on our return from Leighton Bromswold. “If you’re heading for the pub, it’s closed” said Panama hat man, grumpily. And so it was, at 3.15pm on the hottest day of the year. … Continue reading BEE RESCUING IN GRAFHAM
SEAHAM – FROM THE COALFACE TO THE COALHOUSE
There’s two main options if you’re staying over in Seaham tonight. Seaham Hall is no doubt the choice of my discerning readers like Pauline and Stafford Paul. Nice views; Or you could save £525 and park up for free at Nose’s Point, and have views like these from your window; A 20 minute walk into… Continue reading SEAHAM – FROM THE COALFACE TO THE COALHOUSE
DOING THE 92 – PIGBAG, PARMOS AND PHIL STAMP
Not a great programme from the collection, but a significant one. Before there was GBG ticking there was football ticking. I finished my pursuit of the 92 League Grounds on a crisp March Sunday afternoon at the Riverside. A first visit to Middlesbrough, which we immediately deduced was the Watford of the North, but… Continue reading DOING THE 92 – PIGBAG, PARMOS AND PHIL STAMP
WESTON BLACK CATS AND CULLOMPTON BLOWOUTS
18th January 2020 I’ve been uncharacteristically generous to my Sis on this trip, you might think, given the tiny lanes she directed me down in Cornwall (“Only following orders !”). But her pubby observations are highly valued, she doesn’t chat about the Love Island twins from Waterbeach, and when we had a tyre blow out… Continue reading WESTON BLACK CATS AND CULLOMPTON BLOWOUTS
LONG BUCKBY, M’DUCK
I loved the Badger’s Arms in Long Buckby, and I know BRAPA will too. How can you resist a place run by a Mr Badger (or indeed, Mr. A. Badger). They’ve even opened a railway station half a mile down the road for Si’s visit in in 2027. I covered Buckby three years ago, and… Continue reading LONG BUCKBY, M’DUCK
