September 2026. Urmston. Greater Manchester. Mrs RM will confirm that my brain is wired a bit differently from most of the population, and only works when fed new experiences on a daily basis. Last Tuesday, that experience was a tour of unsung Greater Manchester (Trafford, strictly) suburbs. Having hobbled to Flixton, I took a bus… Continue reading CHAT GPT DEFENDS URMSTON
Tag: writing
TOP 100 PUBS – ROSE & CROWN, BRAMPTON, CHESTERFIELD
September 2026. Chesterfield. Having spent at least a tenner getting to the outer edge of Chesterfield for that Beer Guide newbie, and with the next nearest GBG tick a) an hour away or b) not open till Friday I decided to try an old favourite at random. One of the things you notice each September… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – ROSE & CROWN, BRAMPTON, CHESTERFIELD
A LIMPING RM HOBBLES TO THE ASAHI SELF-SERVICE MACHINE
September 2026. Manchester. Oh, Manchester, but it’s Goldthorpe with so much to answer for, as my post-pint dash through another South Yorkshire mining town ends with a pulled muscle (or something, I’m no medic) at the back of my leg. I really shouldn’t have taken the mick out of Mrs RM’s sporting injury. So Friday… Continue reading A LIMPING RM HOBBLES TO THE ASAHI SELF-SERVICE MACHINE
“Do you still sell Courage ?” THE WHITE HART, GODSTONE
September 2026. Godstone. Surrey. Three nights in Royal Tunbridge Wells looking after the in-laws, with only a tiny bit of exploration. A rare visit to mysterious Tandridge district; north of Gatwick, south of the Croydon suburbs, west of Churchill’s home and the National Trust parkland. Oh, and very close to Titsey. 5,949 commuters souls, clustered… Continue reading “Do you still sell Courage ?” THE WHITE HART, GODSTONE
CHAT GPT KEEPS ME OUT OF THE CRIME STATISTICS IN LAKESIDE THURROCK
September 2026. Lakeside Thurrock. One of the few selling points for the Ibis in Thurrock, apart from being handing for Dartford Bridge, was proximity to Lakeside shopping centre and its attendant railway station with half-hourly trips to the East End. Just as well, as it’s about as well-pubbed as Carluke. I hadn’t quite clocked that… Continue reading CHAT GPT KEEPS ME OUT OF THE CRIME STATISTICS IN LAKESIDE THURROCK
TOP 100 PUBS – WEST RIDING REFRESHMENT ROOMS, DEWSBURY STATION
September 2026. Dewsbury. A Top 100 pub, but also a Top 5 “hour spent in the pub”, except it was probably only 37 minutes. Yes, it’s Dewbury, the land that time forgot, tucked away in that triangle formed by the M62 and the M1, outshone by the honeypots of Liversedge, Ossett and a mysterous place… Continue reading TOP 100 PUBS – WEST RIDING REFRESHMENT ROOMS, DEWSBURY STATION
INSIDE SHEFFIELD’S FUSTIEST SPOONS
September 2026. Sheffield. With the new Good Beer Guide about to drop (ugh), and a big trip this weekend I didn’t want to go chasing lone GBG 26 entries these last few days. But as you’ll know my brain doesn’t respond well to being denied daily stimulation, or my legs exercise, so I trotted down… Continue reading INSIDE SHEFFIELD’S FUSTIEST SPOONS
“Meet me at the Piccadilly Tap”
September 2026. Manchester. Early September is always an odd time for this #PubMan, with the new Good Beer Guide about to drop* (ugh), a recovery period after the annual music festival down in Dorset, and the change in the weather putting elderly parents at increased risk. While I spent 4 days walking between stages either… Continue reading “Meet me at the Piccadilly Tap”
END OF THE ROAD 2026. SUNDAY – THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
September 2026. End of the Road. Dorset. Four days on Cranborne Chase, 1% of my whole year, and again the time flies by, a “festival marking the passing of time“, as James sagely noted last year. I’m here to discover new music, eat too much, and make withering comments about heritage acts (Pulp, Oasis, Sophis… Continue reading END OF THE ROAD 2026. SUNDAY – THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
END OF THE ROAD 2026. SATURDAY – FROM ERUPCIA TO SHENANDOAH
September 2026. End of the Road. Dorset. A dry End of the Road ’26 in every sense. Taking a break from all but the strongest of the craft IPAs, instead hitting the fruit smoothies hard each morning. The winner was, obviously, the Kale, Spinach, Peach and Banana smoothie (NSSS 4), which accompanied me to see… Continue reading END OF THE ROAD 2026. SATURDAY – FROM ERUPCIA TO SHENANDOAH
