Friday, 3 June 2016

BRAPA - May Review / June Preview (2016)

Hi!  I'm Simon Everitt and you might remember me from pub blogs such as "How to be a Pariah in Penistone", "Chip Fetishism in South Bucks" and "Chorlton-cum-Hardy : just why?"

May Review

After the record-breaking liver-busting festival that was April, there was always going to have to be a come-down.  May was the month where we took to the green tea and bran flakes and declared ourselves "lucky to be alive".  Having said that, there was still time to squeeze in 21 new pubs which is an acceptable figure and still well above the monthly minimum of 15.

The quality of pubbing was very good (though a few places tested my patience), and the Berks/Bucks day on 14th May was a highlight.  Hull City's unexpected day at Wembley inadvertently helped Buckinghamshire to become the surprise county of the month.  Here are my three absolute favourites:

1.  Blackwood Arms, Littleworth Common
2.  Beehive, Harthill
3.  Green Man, Denham


Month end awards ceremony
June Preview

I'm expecting bigger things of June with a crazy first half of almost April Berkshire proportions.

Firstly, it is year three of the "heavy woollen adventure" in Mossley and Greenfield (light cotton?) but with about six work people in tow (and one excitedly using the hashtag #ladsdayout), I've had to remind them of their BRAPA responsibilities and I'm not expecting my blog review to be at it's most detailed and coherent, apologies in advance!

I then head to the West of Scotland for a BRAPA holiday where it looks like my Wetherspoons vouchers will get a good seeing to, but hopefully there'll be some classic old pubs mixed in.

A few days after that, I am back in Berkshire and we are heading to the east of the county again with Datchet and Eton the key locations.

A week off after that for the inevitable summer beer festival frolics (Poppleton), before ending the month in Greater Manchester as we continue the letter "A" and try and decide which (if any) Premier League away games look enticing for the 2016/17 campaign.

There will be Tuesday evening South Yorkshire action too on 14th, 21st and 28th as we look to get Hazlehead done before we start on what remains of Sheffield (spit!) but this crafty beery city will see me well into July aswell.

I'll be disappointed with anything under 30 new pubs, may even push towards 40 but I won't break the April record.

Now, where am I on the NHS waiting list for a new liver?

Si

Daisy the cat reacts with shock to the tough June agenda.


Posted by at

7 comments:

  1. Tom Irvin3 June 2016 at 22:07

    I'll respond to the rest on Sunday having had time to digest and consider, but that will be too late for point one, which is that for Greenfield and Mossley heavy wool you are best off ticketing as follows:
    L**ds - Marsden Yorks cheap day return £7.10
    Marsden Yorks - Mossley Manchr (though in reality Lancashire, Cheshire and West Yorkshire - the town is split between the three) cheap day return £6.40
    Total £13.50

    Note that Duos are available between Marsden Yorks and Mossley not Manchr should you and your excitable friends wish to pair off.

    Change at Hudders not Stalybridge for this combo.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Curmudgeon5 June 2016 at 09:37

    Be warned that some Spoons in Scotland won't accept the Spoons vouchers due to local licensing numpties objecting to discounts on alcohol.

    You will be relieved to learn that the Captain James Lang in Dumbarton isn't in the 2016 GBG.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Si 'BRAPA' Everitt6 June 2016 at 09:23

      I could only find vouchers covering Apr and May and the new stash cover July-Aug. May have to rethink my Glasgow Spoons tour! Shame.

      That Dumbarton Spoons sounds appalling, shame cos I want to go to the football ground one day and can't see any GBG pubs.

      Delete
  3. Tom Irvin5 June 2016 at 21:03

    For the west coast of Scotland, depending of where you are heading (I have seen mention of Ayrshire elsewhere) you may find useful the fact that Strathclyde daytrippers are valid are far south as Ballantrae, which is some way south of Ayr. If you have any specifics you are wondering about ticket wise, feel free to ask. If the aforementioned 'Spoons are nearer central Glasgow, a roundabout may also be worthy of consideration and is fun to ask for.

    Datchet and Eton I'd get a cheap day return from Finsbury Park to Windsor Riverside for £9.90 with your Nitwit card unless there is something else glaringly obvious. Allow lots of time to get back to Kings X.

    I've emailed separately for Atherton, Astley etc.

    If I am a match, when you need it I am happy to donate part of my liver to give some functionality. Alternatively, if I die at the right time you can have the whole thing. I carry a donor card.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Si 'BRAPA' Everitt6 June 2016 at 09:28

      Thanks Tom, you'd def win BRAPA person of the year if your liver came into play.

      Wanting to go from Ayr to Largs. Think I have to change Kilwinning. Any ticket advice there?

      Thanks re Berkshire, I will be on the ball with getting back to Kings X after last time you mark my words!

      Delete
    2. Tom Irvin6 June 2016 at 22:45

      Ayr to Largs cheap day return is £8.00. If it is a weekday, valid by any train after 09:00, valid by any train at all on a weekend. Change at Kilwinning, the curve a direct train would take is a comparative rarity.

      If you are likely to use any other trains, buses, or less likely, the Kilcreggan or Renfrew ferries that day, then you will likely be better off with an £11.60 SPT Daytripper.

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)