Real Ale, Real Music

News had broken a few weeks ago that one of Manchester's most iconic beer brands was returning in cask form. And when it was confirmed that it was now on the bars of several pubs in and around the city, I headed over the Pennines to try to find a pint and decide for myself if it lived up to expectations.... So after much build-up and anticipation the new iteration of Boddingtons in cask form is back in its home city, the result of a licencing agreement between Anheuser Busch, who now own the brand, and Middleton-based family brewers JW Lees. I wrote about the background to this, the history of and significance of the brewery, and my personal memories of the beer when the deal was announced in a recent blog,  The Bees Are Back In Town , and so I won't go over old ground, but to a large number of beer drinkers, myself included, this was a big deal, as it was the first time a cask version of Boddingtons had been available since 2012 when it had last been brewed under licence by an...

I visited Newcastle for the first time in several months recently to see the family who live in these parts, with, as usual, several places to call in my mind, and as is always the case in this wonderful city there was little to disappoint.... I had been in Northumberland for a few days earlier and so I approached Newcastle via the A1 from the north for a change, meaning the route into the city was largely unfamiliar. Gradually though, I started to spot the odd familiar landmark, and I soon recognised where I was. It didn't stop me taking the wrong turn though, but I impressed myself with my quick reaction to get back on the right track, and with very little delay I was pulling into the car park of my usual Travelodge. The usual routine: check in, go to room, drop bag off, a quick turnaround, and back out again, and within minutes I was enjoying a pint of Writer's Block in a seat by the window in the Broad Chare . I love the atmosphere here, yes it is a bit upmarket, the upstai...

A first visit for several years to one of the country's finest cities gave me the chance to visit some old favourites from back then, plus the opportunity to try out a couple of previously unknown places. Here's what I found in this, my first blog featuring the city.... I was in Cambridge the other week for the first time in several years. It had been a fairly late decision to go, but the opening day fixtures for the 2025-26 football season had thrown up a visit to Braintree Town for Halifax Town had given us the opportunity for an overnight stop there. With the journey by train involving going into London, changing stations, and then taking an infrequent slow train to the Essex town, I had volunteered to drive as that seemed the more practical option. With the route taking us past Cambridge, we decided to stay there on the way back after the football. And why were we going to this city known for its university colleges and tech companies? Well, it happens to be one of the best...

I returned to a favourite part of the country recently for the first time for several years. In and amongst my wanders I visited one or two pubs I had been to before, plus a few for the first time. And here is what I found.... I love Northumberland. I had not been though since before lockdown, whilst back in the 1990's it was a regular place to go for family holidays. So the other week I returned, stopping at the Victoria Hotel in Bamburgh where I had stayed previously and which makes a good base for a day or two of wandering around this still largely unspoilt county. And I was hoping to visit a few old favourites and try a few new places in terms of pubs during my visit.  I made good time on my journey north. I turned off the A1 at Alnwick, and picked up the B1340, but almost immediately questioned my decision when I got stuck behind a caravan for virtually the full distance as we weaved through the pleasant undulating countryside on narrow lanes which made it impossible to overta...

There has been a real buzz around the North West and beyond over the past few days as news has broken that a former iconic Manchester cask beer will soon be making a welcome return to some of the area's pubs and bars.... In recent years, especially in the wake of the 2017 Arena tragedy in 2017, there has been a revival of the use of Manchester's traditional worker bee logo on products, signage, and advertising,  culminating in the roll-out of the Bee Network as the city and surrounding area's increasingly integrated bus service. In the days that followed that horrendous event which shook the city to its core and still reverberates today, the city rallied round its traditional logo like a collective comfort blanket. It became a unifying symbol for all that was good and positive about this proud city, the spirit of which has continued to be embraced by locals and visitors alike, such these past two weekends when the hordes descended on Heaton Park to see those noisy lads from...