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 ?
Tag: Pubs
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”
MORE SHEFFIELD MICROS BY TRAM. THE PIG & WHISTLE, GLEADLESS
February 2026. Gleadless Townend. Sheffield. I suppose it’s best to accept the inevitable…in 2026 we’re just not going to get any new Victoria/Edwardian multi-room heritage pubs. But there’s an infinite number of one room shop conversion micros to be developed in otherwise underpubbed suburbs. No more so than in South Yorkshire, where recent years have… Continue reading MORE SHEFFIELD MICROS BY TRAM. THE PIG & WHISTLE, GLEADLESS
A HOLT IN WEST DIDSBURY
February 2026. West Didsbury. I left Matt back at Piccadilly, no doubt to attend to housework, and added a rare Greater Manchester GBG newbie before City v Fulham. This year’s Manc ticking has been a bit of a slog, with brewery taps in Wigan and Timperley only opening weekends, craft bars not opening at all,… Continue reading A HOLT IN WEST DIDSBURY
RAISING A PINT (OR TWO) TO MUDGIE IN WIDNES
January 2026. Widnes. A confession. I intended to make that post on Mudgie’s funeral a long read including the post-wake pubs, but Mrs RM had finished her pint/wine/Amaretto Disaronno in St Annes Spoons and I had to press “PUBLISH” in case the WiFi ran out in our Travelodge (£29.99). It would have been rude not… Continue reading RAISING A PINT (OR TWO) TO MUDGIE IN WIDNES
IS THERE MORE TO THREE OAKS THAN A PUB ?
January 2026. Three Oaks. East Sussex. Mrs RM has been manically “improving” her blog, waiting for the next parental crisis. She’s a perfectionist; I guess that why she chose me to marry. Monday saw me in need of fresh air and a pub after a day of relentless drizzle in Rye Harbour, so I jogged… Continue reading IS THERE MORE TO THREE OAKS THAN A PUB ?
CHECKING WILL’S SHEFFIELD BEER SCORES
December 2025. Sheffield. Perhaps only Will the Sheffield Hatter is as passionate about beer quality in the pub as I am, starting many a scrap reasoned debate on CAMRA Discourse of late. Like Will, I reckon that quality can vary by the day, or session, even in the best of pubs, and discussion about “good”… Continue reading CHECKING WILL’S SHEFFIELD BEER SCORES
THE 18:48 FROM RYE IS CANCELLED
November 2025. Rye. “At least the trains from Rye are reliable” I tell Mrs RM, as I head for the bus into town to start my latest 3:15 hour rail trip north (Sheffield not Waterbeach this time). “18:48 cancelled” flashes the sign, followed by an excuse that roughly translates to “can’t be bothered. So, a… Continue reading THE 18:48 FROM RYE IS CANCELLED
GATECRASHING A 60th BIRTHDAY IN TONBRIDGE
November 2025. Tonbridge. A day attending to the in-laws of Royal Tunbridge Wells, where it transpires all Michael wants is a front row seat at the Assembly Hall, listening to a sombre piece about Anne Frank performed by his own choral society. It’s less fun than Rosie, I’ll say that. While the in-laws stay at… Continue reading GATECRASHING A 60th BIRTHDAY IN TONBRIDGE