Tonight we had tickets to a punk show at the theatre. Karen suggested Lytham for pre-theatre bevs, given we had...
Pubs & Pub Culture
I've been struggling with my mental health of late. I'm going back to basics and trying to occupy my mind...
I appear to have been in Hibernation Mode for the best part of a month but it's now time to...
I love a beer festival. Many of my faves are now sadly defunct (Walsall and Birmingham spring to mind) -...
This trip was pencilled in months ago, when the cup draw was made. I knew Harrogate to be a good...
When my pals from Friends of Highgate Brewery got in touch, inviting me to join them for drinks round Preston...
I’m often asked for pub recommendations by visitors to Blackpool (and Fleetwood) so I thought it was high time I...
It has now been established (I think) that Martin is ticking the pubs in Matt’s book (Manchester’s Best Beer Pubs...
I was inspired to visit Stirchley on my recent visit to Newcastle. As I was down in the West Midlands...
Ah Burton. The home of beer. It had been a while since I'd visited - everywhere seems so far away...
Midweek Manchester Missions are a new thing I’ve started doing with fellow bloggers Martin and Christine. I had thought Martin...
Ah Easter weekend. Where else would I be going but a beer festival? And not just ANY beer festival but...
Why Rochdale? Well, on my virtual travels during lockdown (remember when we weren’t allowed to go to pubs or football?),...
Wigan is my favourite town in the world and I need little excuse to visit. Wigan Beer Festival is now...
A beer festival? In Wigan? With rave reviews and recommendations? Well I wasn't going to miss that! The late kick...
Preston?! What the fuck am I doing going to PRESTON?! Well, if I’m honest, I’ve wanted to go for a...
On football-free Saturdays, I tend to find myself finding some football to go to; it's simply what I do on...
It's been four years since I left Birmingham and a few friendships haven't survived the move - which I'm fine...
I’d been holding off my trip to Cleveleys for months, pending the opening of an exciting new pub. I’d heard...
I'm loving having the freedom to travel to places I actually want to go to these days. Looking for a...
Tonight was the launch of Matt Curtis’s new book, Manchester’s Best Beer Pubs & Bars, which sounded like a fine...
Dear reader, I’ve found a new beer friend, Kerry. Today was to be our first day out together and we...
I woke up in Cleethorpes slightly the worse for wear (see this blog for why). Also, my shoulder was killing...
I’m not doing many away games this season but I wasn’t going to miss out on the trip to my...
Saturday nights are all right for pubbing. Now the new football season is upon us - and I can face...
In a previous blog, I toyed with the idea of going to watch the rugby for a giggle. I was...
Today saw the annual visit of the Lancashire Hotpots to Blackpool. I have made a point of keeping my close...
Through following the adventures of fellow beer bloggers Martin and Simon, I have learned that the quest for completion of...
There’s a new drinkery on the block in Blackpool. I’d been eagerly awaiting the reopening of Abingdon Street Market following...
I’d been promising myself a trip to Chorley for years, having heard anecdotally how good it was for pubs. Rightly...
If you missed #1 you can find it here. This mission was once again strategically planned to forget about the...
I am often asked for local pub recommendations so I'm starting this new series of blogs to showcase the best...
No football this weekend yippee! I wasn’t wrong in my assumption that this would be my best weekend for ages....
I ought to know by now that a Good Beer Guide ticker’s work is never done. It’s like that cathedral...
Day One: Thursday Earlier this week I received a message from Sandy, the organiser of Wigan Beer Festival, enquiring if...
Josh Bowler is back at Blackpool! Dear reader, I’d take a bullet for Joshy, I love him that much. Consequently...
Saturdays without football are precious. Today was the third and final one during the World Cup break and I was...
I don't need much of an excuse to go back to Wigan. Despite only having been two weeks earlier for...
After my epic night out in Walsall, I wasn't up in time for breakfast. And besides, I was still pretty...
I lived in the West Midlands for 20 years so I like to use local fixtures to catch up with...
I spent Friday in Sheffield surrounded by feeders and being thrown completely off my healthy eating plan with sandwiches, sausage...
A few months back I received an email from Tony from Halifax & Calderdale CAMRA inviting me to speak at...
Tonight I intended to complete the Good Beer Guide (GBG) pubs of Manchester. This was to involve a favourite little...
Right. You demanded pubs: you got 'em! Ahead of the Barrow match (well ahead, actually - on Sunday) I went...
Dear reader, it’s time for me to take you round Manchester again, as I continue my mission to complete all...
After a fab day out discovering the hidden gems of Dudley and Tipton, it was time to hit the town...
After a good night’s sleep after last night’s crawl round Salford and Manchester I woke up refreshed. I showered and...
Now the clocks have 'sprung forward' and the evenings are lighter, midweek missions feel much safer. Thus on Friday night...
It is a rare treat to have a weekend free in the football calendar. Following Blackpool is, of course, (sometimes)...
(If you missed Part One, here it is). Shickers Micropub I had arranged to meet Evo in another ‘safe place’...
