retiredmartin
Martin
Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.
July 2026
August 2026
September 2026
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All posts (720)
January 2026. Manchester. A “dry” night in Manchester isn’t complete without a second pint on the way to the match, Port Street Beer House getting its annual visit on the basis you can see it from the Head of Steam. I really should like PSBH more; it’s quirky, friendly, encourages a mixed crowd, and the Cruffatin...
January 2025. Manchester. Wednesday brings a train from Rye to Ashford, and then to St Pancras (no pub stop), on to Sheffield (where the boiler has frozen), and off to Manchester for City v Brighton, whose fans have had a similar journey. I’m also here for an overdue cut from Matt in Chinatown’s Helvete, during...
An excellent read, as always, from Boak and Bailey about the state of the pub this week. I recommend reading this BlueSky thread; A short thread on The Death of Pubs inspired by that post from @steveuntilnextyear.bsky.social 1. One of our early blog posts, back in 2009, was about *why* people stopped going to the...
January 2026. Tenterden. I remembered it’s 2026 this time, after labelling the last one December ’25. Good job we don’t write cheques anymore. Mrs RM is busy “refining” her blog, but I did get her out from Rye (we’re attending to in-laws again) to explore posh Tenterden, half an hour north and 50 years into the...
January 2026. Rye. Obligatory video, from the best Christmas album. I‘ve used this one, and the title before, (twice !) which is sort of self-plagiarism, no ? No decorations for us again this year, in Sheffield or Waterbeach or Rye. Mumsnet would be outraged. But, in keeping with the need of the country to honour...
I’m very pleased with that pic above, touch of Dylan album cover I reckon. If Bob had recorded his sophomore album in Hastings 60 years later. January 2025. Hastings. Jenny Lind is the red “P” right of Croft Rd in middle The three pubs on gorgeous All Saints Street in the bag (though not in the GBG), we reached the...
January 2026. Hastings. A third pub on All Saints Street in an hour, and a second Heritage entry in quick succession at the Stag. We left the Cinque Ports just as dusk was about to weave its magic. I reckon a real architectural enthusiast could spend a good hour in this quarter mile stretch. Virtually every building...
January 2026. Hastings. Cinque Ports the blue P just above The Crown Look at those blue “P” markers above. Four (4) of them in Hastings Old Town alone (and a fifth, the Havelock, in New Town). Two of those a hundred yards apart in All Saints Street, a triumph of unexpected detail that would only be improved by...
January 2026. Hastings. The end of Dryanuary for me as we hit Day 3 of 2026, but Mrs RM has ambitions to “go low” and seek out all these exciting non-alcoholic alternatives we keep reading about. Let’s focus on one street, All Saints in Hastings, historic and affluent and a good bet for folk abstaining you might...
January 2026. Hastings. Hastings ? Again ?! Although the wonders of the Kent and Sussex coast are on our doorstep in Rye, they’re not much use if you don’t get out the caravan till noon. It’s still dark by four down here, and Hastings is only 20 minutes by train. And In had unfinished business with the town after...
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