BRAPA - May Review / June Preview (2019)

29 new Good Beer Guide pubs visited in the month of May is quite a modest total by recent standards, but for one reason or another, I never do that well out of May despite 31 days and double Bank Holidays. 26 pubs is actually the average so in that respect, I'm quite pleased.  I really wanted to push myself to get 31 ('a pub a day keeps the doctor away' said no-one ever) but ultimately, I ran out of steam somewhere between L**ds and Chapel-en-le-Frith, but then I am in my forties now! Here's the proof.

Most importantly though, I'm enjoying pub-ticking again after an April which found me at times going through the motions.   It started with a bang on 4th, a great Derbyshire day with Martin Taylor and Mark Daniels, where the Holly Bush at Makeney reminded us all why it must be one of the top 100 pubs in the country .......

Pint of Pedi from the cask in the snug, what could be better?

As usual, Derbyshire (my focus county of the moment) really impressed.  Pubs at Openwoodgate, Horsley Woodhouse and Smalley would surely get more recognition if they were in say, Surrey, rather than on Makeney's doorstep.

On 10th, I did what I really should be doing more regularly and got some 'after work Friday' ticking done in Derbys, the Neptune in Chesterfield was very good, but the Shinnon in North Wingfield is another pub of the month contender with the most delicious basic pub ethos and friendliness that you could ever hope for .......

Shinnon - proper down to earth

It was more of the same next day on the 11th, as I nearly killed myself after practically climbing Everest to get from Castleton to Edale in in 't High Peak or whatever we call it.

Everitt climbs Everest, minus the snow

Again, pubs were of good quality in places like Castleton and Buxworth.  I then slid into Greater Manchester somewhere between New Mills and Mellor and found it hard to get back to Derbys after that in the month.

Midweek, there was fun in L**ds as I met up with DepecheModemJohn in the Palace and Duck n Drake and he gave me a much needed scabby leg update ......

Cured by Tetleys

But also on that night, I visited the dullest pub of the month and perhaps this calendar year at Oscar's Bar, Morley.  It was my final West Yorkshire tick so I should've been celebrating, but ultimately just glad to stop myself falling into a coma of Micro misery.  This was my blog that got the most views in May, proof people love it most when I'm miserable!

Mentally unravelling in Oscar's Bar

But I wasn't miserable for long, as Mansfield was around the corner and what a crazy place that is! The pubs were a mixed bag but was a great day out with friends, pubs like Speed the Plough at Sutton in Ashfield and the Railway Inn were both understated classics in their own rights.  I also got a bonus revisit of the wonderful Mallard in Worksop, another pub I'd put in the very top bracket .....

Cosy Urinals in the lovely Mallard, Worksop

An unexpected pub of the month contender was Tap & Brew at Hoyland Common, a micropub to restore your faith after the Oscar's debacle, with bread & dripping and more snacks, a great landlady and friendly locals.

Having a chew at the Tap & Brew

And the month ended with Bank Holiday joy in the North East where Dolly Peel, South Shields made another late claim for pub of the month with a historic unspoilt atmosphere and more folk who actually give a damn.

Dolly Peel - a pub that cares

In other news, I got three pre-emptives in.  All in the loosest sense of the word, I don't expect them to get in the next GBG, but my trip with Martin Taylor to Crescent Community Venue, York was a low key contender for most amusing pub experience of the month.

CCV, York - perhaps not as pre-emptive as I'd hoped but still very amusing

I also put forward my campaign to get Fearless Arms, Temple Newsam in the next GBG just to annoy everyone, but I'm pretty sure no-one is listening.  It doesn't sell cask ale and is little more than a pub frontage, but is that really a stumbling block these days?

And Martin the Owl has been retired after just three months as BRAPA mascot after some his oft controversial views on the folk of Derby were deemed unsuitable for a 2019 audience.  He'll be replaced by Timmy the Owl, who takes up less room and also doubles up as a handy timepiece!

Introducing Timmy

June Preview

I am VERY excited about June, and it has already started with a bang on 1st with a great day out with good ole' Chauffeur Dad in Derbyshire which I'll tell you about shortly ............

Dad and fishpond at Little Longstone.  What's the worst that could happen?

Last year, I got a liver-busting 49 pubs done in June, and I'd love to push that again but I think 40 might be a more realistic goal

Derbyshire remains the key focus, I've only got 25 pubs to do in the county and I'm determined to get them all done before the 2020 GBG is published, so I can put that county to bed (for now) and start focusing on Cumbria in the 19/20 season, with perhaps a bit of Durham and Essex too.

Numbers-wise, my aim is to not drop below that magic 1500 figures when I do my 'cross-ticking' when the 2020 GBG is published.  I'd expect to 'lose' at least 200 pubs this time round, so I think I need to be over 1700 to be on the safe side.  At the time of writing, I'm on 1637 so with about 3 month left to go, I should easily achieve that goal.  Yet, I could lose a lot more pubs than I expect.

Also in June, I'm back in Cornwall for a third year in a row.   I only have 8 new pubs to do in the west of the county so I'm spreading the net to Mid and North Cornwall this year so I can look at places like Bodmin and Wadebridge .  And if things go really really well, I might even get a cheeky day on either Isles of Scilly or the Devon border, depending how I feel at the time.

Cornish locals at the New Inn, Manaccan, last year.

With a bonus Greater Manc/Lancs day in the offing too, I reckon it could be a classic BRAPA month!

Happy pubbing, Si