A Flying Start To February....

As the long month of January fades into the distance, and February takes the reins, I take a trip over to Lancashire in which I enjoy some fine beer and an unexpected football result, whilst closer to home I get to a couple of excellent gigs. Read on for more details....

Another Saturday away day, this time a short trip over the Pennines into Lancashire. I got the train from Halifax (my original plan to go for breakfast at The Station Cafe and get the train over to Rochdale from Brighouse scuppered by the lack of any direct services on the day). It's not that I mind going from Halifax; the service is quicker, but a hearty breakfast in the town where I live is always a treat and whilst it seems that due to engineering works direct services between Leeds and Manchester via Brighouse have only been put on temporary hold, any reduction in the quality of train services for the second biggest town in Calderdale is frustrating.

Anyway, enough of me moaning. I got to Rochdale where I was meeting my brother without any issues. As we were using the tram for our journey to watch the football in Oldham, as soon as I'd got off the train I headed to the nearby tram stop and bought a day ticket. As the ticket plopped into the delivery hatch, a town centre-bound tram approached the stop, so rather than walking down the hill, I hopped on board. The journey down to the town centre sadly does not show Rochdale in the most favourable of views; we passed closed pubs, boarded up shops, fenced-off places, and bleak and windswept open spaces, before the odd takeaway, tattoo studio, and pound shop began to take over. As we approached the bottom of the hill happily things seemed to perk up and have more positivity about them. I got off the tram at the terminus and walked towards the river Roch, a short stretch of which was released to the open air a few years ago after being incarcerated for ages in a culvert. Around here there are some grand old buildings, including the magnificent gothic Town Hall, currently tucked away behind a sheath of scaffolding and fencing as it continues to undergo restoration work.

Opposite the Town Hall is the Flying Horse Hotel (opening image), which was originally built in 1691 and updated in 1926, and is an impressive building itself, with many traditional features and open fireplaces. It was around 11.30, and the pub was already doing a steady trade. I asked the girl behind the bar what time they'd opened and she said 10, which is early, but still two hours later than the nearby Spoons, the Regal Moon, housed in a former Art Deco cinema, and another impressive building. I ordered a pint of Marble Pint, one of the 10 beers available on hand pump, from the likes of Vocation, Saltaire, Lees, and Phoenix, all which were reasonably priced. I found a table facing the door so I would spot my brother when he landed. An old guy on an opposite table started chatting to me, and then as I received a WhatsApp message, I spent the next few minutes on the phone until my brother appeared after travelling over by bus. The Pint was pleasant enough (NBSS 3), but was shaded by the Arizona from Phoenix, brewed just up the road in Heywood. It was cool and refreshing and I rated it NBSS 3.5. As we left, the place was getting busier, with several tables occupied by diners. The Flying Horse, which is run by the Lancashire Hospitality Cooperation who also have the nearby Bombay Brew and Baum pubs, is a must-visit when you are in town; despite the impressive building, it is friendly and down-to-earth, and the beer is good quality and good value for money. 

We just had time to visit one more place before catching the tram to Oldham, so we turned left when we walked out of the Flyer, as the locals call it, and up the cobbled street at the side, and then dropped down to the D'Ale House. I'd thoroughly enjoyed this unassuming but welcoming micropub when I had last visited Rochdale on a cold afternoon in November 2021. There were just two people inside when we walked in, the guy behind the bar who I remembered chatting to last time, and a large guy with a beard sat on a stool at the bar, who I am sure had also been in on that occasion. From one of the 5 hand pumps, I ordered a pint of Odin from Brightside, the Radcliffe-based brewery whose beers I haven't seen much recently, but having said that, I don't get over this way that often nowadays. We grabbed a seat away from the bar and found the beer was spot on, in very good condition and well-balanced (NBSS 4), and my brother was likewise impressed with his dark beer (although I can't remember what it was!). We couldn't linger long, as we needed to be making tracks, but this is another place you shouldn't miss if you are in Rochdale.

We walked to the tram stop, and as we climbed up the hill out of Rochdale, it struck me again that despite the unpromising gateway to Rochdale from the train station, we'd had three good pints in two excellent places. The tram soon left Rochdale behind and we stopped at various smaller places like Milnrow, Newhey, and Shaw & Crompton and passed through some pleasant countryside before we approached the outskirts of Oldham. We duly arrived at Oldham Central and made our way the short distance to the Fox & Pine. One of our friends approached to say his daughter wasn't allowed in, so his wife had taken her for a coffee instead, and then a minute later, another friend approached to say their party had the same problem, so they'd repaired to the nearby Ashton Arms (which I'd enjoyed on my last visit) where kids were allowed, but as we'd arranged to meet the rest of the guys who were making the journey here by car, we stuck to Plan A.

The Fox and Pine was quite busy as we walked in, with several fans of both Halifax Town and our hosts for the afternoon, Oldham Athletic, milling around in the small downstairs room of this friendly street-corner pub. From an impressive line up on hand pump, we opted for a pint of Fyne Ales Avalanche, the 4.5% big brother to their best-seller, Jarl. Packed with American hops in the shape of Cascade and Liberty, it was another top-notch beer (NBSS 4), just edging out the Brightside I'd had earlier in Rochdale. We sat in one of the upstairs rooms which was fairly quiet, and where some of the lads joined us once they had got parked up. We had another pint which was equally as good, and no matter what happened at the football, we could have no complaints about the pre-match beer. And interestingly and somewhat appropriately, the unusual name of the pub has football connections; owner Michelle (who also has the Cob & Coal micro pub in the town's Tommyfield Market) is from Leicester whose football team are nicknamed the Foxes, and the original name for Oldham Athletic was Pine Villa. 

The Fox & Pine, pictured in brighter and warmer weather 

We got a lift to Boundary Park which is located a couple of miles away in Chadderton. There was a decent crowd there, with several hundred away fans, and in what would have been from a neutral's point of view a pretty ordinary sort of game, Town were easily the better team. Not only that, but they managed to score the only goal of the game against their fellow strugglers, and so after this unexpected turn of events we were happy bunnies as we headed home on the M62 courtesy of another lift!

Action from Oldham Athletic 0, Halifax Town 1

And now, changing the subject somewhat, it was Independent Venue Week last week. This annual event, which has just had its 10th anniversary, celebrates the contribution made by independent venues up and down the country not just to the music scene but to the wider community in their local areas where many also act as important social hubs. Many of these venues are facing difficulties due to the likes of long term effects of the lockdown when they had to stay closed, the hike in energy costs, or difficult landlords. And so, all over the country, gigs were taking place every night of the week to draw visitors and attention to the venues, without which many of our most famous artists would not have the opportunity to get started. I got a ticket to see the exciting, lively, and invigorating music of The Bug Club in one of two sold-out gigs at the 55-capacity Grayston Unity in Halifax last Tuesday evening. The band, who are from deepest Monmouthshire in South Wales, and who regularly appear on the 6 Music playlist, were great; their short, catchy songs were delivered with great verve and enthusiasm by the three-piece who comprise Sam Willmett on guitar and vocals, the diminutive Tilly Harris on bass and vocals, and Dan Matthews on drums. Great stuff, and the band even donned masks and fancy dress to perform as their own support band!

Chris Difford and friends at the Trades Club, Hebden Bridge

Another venue that was taking part in IVW was the Trades Club in Hebden Bridge, where amongst others Radiohead drummer Philip Selway and heavily-tipped Leeds band English Teacher appeared over the course of the week. I wasn't able to get there last week, but I did make it last night as my mate Mick had a spare ticket to see Chris Difford from his favourite band, Squeeze. We arrived at the Trades Club around 7.30 which gave us a chance to get a pint before the show and for me to pick up my new membership card. We got seated a couple of rows back from the front, and on came the support, who were none other than Nick and Michelle aka Plumhall, whose folk-tinged songs and wonderful guitar playing, interspersed by much good-humoured banter between the married Yorkshire duo, went down well with an appreciative crowd. After the break, and another beer, a fine pint of Cromwell Best Bitter from Nottinghamshire brewers Milestone (NBSS 3.5 since you asked), the main man shuffled on to the stage to much applause. Chris Difford was on guitar, and was joined by Boo Hewerdine on guitar, and Melvin Lynch on pedal steel. We were taken on a journey through some of Squeeze's best-known songs - Up The Junction, Cool for Cats, Tempted, Labelled with Love, Pulling Mussels from a Shell, etc - which were brought together with some hilarious stories of growing up in South London, missed chances, Chris lamenting the loss of his 29 inch waist, and constantly being frustrated in his attempts to get minted, as he put it. With some excellent musicianship, it was a most entertaining and enjoyable evening, and many thanks to Mick for inviting me along!

It's been a flying start to the month....

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