July 2026. Newcastle. Last week my son told me I had “mainstream music taste“. Let that sink in. “Matthew has to be contrary” says Mrs RM. “I suspect your son enjoys winding you up” says ChatGPT. And you can rely on ChatGPT, folks; it told me so. ChatGPT was helping me to find some mainstream… Continue reading “MAINSTREAM MUSIC” AT THE LUBBER FIEND
Tag: writing
BOB TROLLOP. OR IS IT ?
July 2026. Newcastle. Mrs RM’s sporting injury (pics only available to Patronised readers) precluding a return to the Cask Camino, I set off alone in search of blog material. You can get a return to Newcastle for £33 from Sheffield, and outside the heady stag/hen weekends the Toon has bargain central rooms, as you can… Continue reading BOB TROLLOP. OR IS IT ?
FIVE WHITCHURCH (SALOP) WONDERS – (ii) THE OLD EAGLES
July 2026. Whitchurch. Shropshire. By law all blog posts must show where the subject of your writing is in relation to Wrexham. Well, Whitchurch must be close, as I had Magic Dragon’s beers in three (3) pubs last Thursday. A fourth was Joules from Market Drayton, practically the next town down, and the nap hand… Continue reading FIVE WHITCHURCH (SALOP) WONDERS – (ii) THE OLD EAGLES
TOP TOPING IN THE TIMOTHY TAYLOR TAP
July 2026. Keighley. I could paint you two very different pictures of Keighley. One one hand, one of the UK’s scruffiest towns, litter down every street, laundry hung up across side roads, a virtual absence of vibrant independent trade. The old story of a once affluent mill town without a mill. And a town centre… Continue reading TOP TOPING IN THE TIMOTHY TAYLOR TAP
CASK CAMINO DAY 6 – BINGLEY TO RIDDLESDEN
July 2026. Bingley, Bradford. Yes, Day 6. Some folk would have finished the Leeds to Liverpool Canal walk by now, especially with a tailwind. Like me, Mrs RM knows it’s about the journey, not the destination (even if that is the Azvex Taproom at Stanley Dock), so we booked two (2) nights at the rundown… Continue reading CASK CAMINO DAY 6 – BINGLEY TO RIDDLESDEN
YE OLDE MUSTARD POT, MIDHOPESTONES
July 2026. Midhopestones. Sheffield. The Number 57 from the bottom of our hill (doesn’t really narrow it down) terminates at Unsliven Bridge 49 minutes later. I had no idea what Unsliven Bridge was, apart from a sense it was beyond the darkest recesses of Stocksbridge, a Sheffield suburb I’ve barely touched and for good reason.… Continue reading YE OLDE MUSTARD POT, MIDHOPESTONES
THAT 18 MINUTES IN GRANTHAM SPOONS IN FULL
July 2026. Grantham. From Sheffield to Waterbeach to see Dad and back in the same day isn’t ideal. But I don’t really want to be hanging around in Cambridge when I could be back with Mrs RM, planning the next leg of our epic Cask Camino (which hit a slight big snag this afternoon). Life… Continue reading THAT 18 MINUTES IN GRANTHAM SPOONS IN FULL
BINGLEY, AFTER THE DRUID’S WALK
July 2026. Bingley. Day 5 of the Cask Camino, and we’d postponed Bingley’s canalside highlights in favour of a bracing walk to the Druid’s Altar, with the promise of a pint on the way back to the station. Mrs RM will be looking for some middle-class pub recommendations for her own blog, and you won’t… Continue reading BINGLEY, AFTER THE DRUID’S WALK
CASK CAMINO DAY 3 – THE GEORGE AND DRAGON TO THE SALTAIRE TAP
June 2026. Bradford. You left us outside the George & Dragon in Apperley Bridge, where a couple of pedestrians had just used the horsey crossing rather than the human one in contravention of some ancient by-law or other, which was possibly the most exciting part of the next 3 hours along the Leeds-Liverpool canal. But… Continue reading CASK CAMINO DAY 3 – THE GEORGE AND DRAGON TO THE SALTAIRE TAP
IS THE HARP KEEPING ITS COOL ?
June 2026. London. A day at the in-laws, bearing up in the Tunbridge Wells heat better than me, and then the 17:10 into Charing Cross for a gig. The rail advice was not to travel unless absolutely necessary. I asked ChatGPT for guidance. Well, there you go. It was like a fridge on the Southeastern… Continue reading IS THE HARP KEEPING ITS COOL ?
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