May 2026. Stockport. Having a son living in Stockport presents a challenge; will I impose on him to put me up in his spare room after a night out in Manchester ? In honesty, I’m grateful our two lads still seem to want to meet their ancient parents so often and I wouldn’t want to… Continue reading YE OLDE VIC
Tag: Pubs
It was the Stouty McStoutFace What Did It. The Mad Dog, Royal Tunbridge Wells
April 2026. Royal Tunbridge Wells. “Well, I’m back in Tunbridge Wells again” says Mrs RM as we re-enter the Pantiles, almost getting nostalgic for her childhood home again, much as I might almost get nostalgic for the Sun and Chung Hwa. Almost. Actually, the Pantiles are worryingly quiet on a sunny Tuesday; things will be… Continue reading It was the Stouty McStoutFace What Did It. The Mad Dog, Royal Tunbridge Wells
EYE OF THE TIGER
April 2026. Easington. North Yorkshire. Mrs RM declined my offer of a night in a a campervan in a Cleveland car park, her loss. Two hours later I’m at the coast, “I can see the seaside !“, and planning blog titles for the Tiger in tiny Easington (pop. 400). I’m expecting it to be full… Continue reading EYE OF THE TIGER
BOYS, BOYS, BOYS IN THE ATTIC (TAP)
I know it’s an Aerosmith tune, but I played the R.E.M. version a lot, so… April 2026. Stirchley. Birmingham. Arriving “home” from Waterbeach last Thursday afternoon I let Mrs RM the front door, grabbed a charger, and half an hour later was on the Cross Country to Birmingham. And half an hour later, Bournville. I… Continue reading BOYS, BOYS, BOYS IN THE ATTIC (TAP)
CHECKING OUT KELHAM IN ADVANCE OF THE AMERICAN INVASION
March 2026. Sheffield. Back from Driffield in triumph, East Yorkshire GBG complete, I find Mrs RM in full-on “Operation Yank Invasion” mode, with a list of jobs to make the house ready for Chicago guests (not Dick and Barb) last weekend. Saturday night had been earmarked for a Curated Exploration of Kelham Island Public Houses,… Continue reading CHECKING OUT KELHAM IN ADVANCE OF THE AMERICAN INVASION
THURSDAY IS THE NEW FRIDAY
February 2026. London. From Charlton the train takes you back over the Thames, then stops abruptly at Cannon Street. It’s a quarter to six in the City of London; let’s have a look. Not many suits or bowler hats or folded copies of the Financial Times, but young workers pack the pubs. Plenty of pubs,… Continue reading THURSDAY IS THE NEW FRIDAY
RETIRED MARTIN MEETS ROCKIN’ RICH
February 2026. Sheffield. One of the best things about retirement, and goodness knows it’s been epic, has been getting to meet nice people over a pint in comfy pubs. And so it was that I finally met one of the many nice guys from Yorkshire, Rockin Rich(ard) Clark from Harrogate. He’d been trying to arrange… Continue reading RETIRED MARTIN MEETS ROCKIN’ RICH
TIRED OF LICHFIELD, TIRED OF LIFE ?
February 2026. Lichfield. Quite a rarity for me to get three new GBG pubs in quick succession these days, on a bus line as well. The number 36 rumbles between Walsall and Lichfield every half hour purely for the benefit of Beer Guide tickers, and Lichfield Council have also provided some parking spaces for campervans… Continue reading TIRED OF LICHFIELD, TIRED OF LIFE ?
LETCHWORTH’S FIRST PUB
February 2026. Letchworth Garden City. Not a great day to explore Letchworth on foot, and apart from pubs and “Marty Supreme” at the cinema there’s not a lot to do apart from loiter in pubs, but you can’t visit and not see the old underwear factory. It’s now offices where people sit at desks and… Continue reading LETCHWORTH’S FIRST PUB
LETCHWORTH GOES “CRAFTY”
February 2026. Letchworth Garden City. If you can’t be bothered to read the next week’s deluge of posts, here’s the spoiler: Letchworth was really good, with a great variety of drinking establishments (I’ll let CAMRA debate whether they’re “pubs”). Start onLeys Avenue, the main shopping street; there’s a rambling furniture shop called Martin’s (clearance sale… Continue reading LETCHWORTH GOES “CRAFTY”
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