Squaring Up To a Gloomy Saturday

It was a grey and dreary day when the four of us set off toward the hinterland that is the Isle of Purbeck. Big Nigel sacrificed himself and did the hour and forty five minute drive, myself , big Trev and GB, aka The Sage Of Odiham made up the numbers. The target was the…

Red Lions And Fighting Cocks

Continuing the stroll around St Albans with the band of merry men I met up with in The Robin Hood, we had visited The Mermaid, then the Boot. Next was the turn of The Lower Red Lion. Another pleasant old pub , rather homely inside. The conversation resumed, aided in my case with a decent…

St Albans Saunter

Hanging Around In The Countryside

You know its a proper country pub when you are greeted by some of the locals, hanging around outside the pub door. The Anchor In Lower Froyle, set in the Hampshire countryside certainly is one. Inside it is everything you would expect, ancient wooden beams and rafters ,dangerously low ceiling’s, horse brasses and endless bric…

Sheep In Wolves Clothing

After leaving the Northern Monk  Refectory , its not far to The Crown and Anchor on Hilton Street, on approach it looks every inch a traditional corner pub. Once inside I found to my disappointment its been somewhat opened out and modernised. There was little in the way of traditional pub atmosphere that I could detect. It…

A Mix Of Styles

Of course nowadays we’ve never had it so good in regard to the availability and range of available beers and beer styles. Confusing to some who are just happy with the Best Bitter they have supped for the last 20,30, 40 or more years or the occasional pubgoer who drink Doom Bar because they have…

Meandering In Manchester

On my first morning in Manchester I was up and out of my hotel at first light with the intention of having a good look around a City I had never visited before. There are some beautiful old buildings to see but the mix is very much old and new. I found Tram system fascinating,…

Marvelous Marble Arch

On my recent trip to Manchester, there was one pub I was determined to visit, The Marble Arch. The 130 year old iconic pub became home to Marble Brewery in 1997 and remains the brewery tap to this day, the brewery itself has now relocated to a nearby railway arch. The first thing I noticed…