retiredmartin
retiredmartin
Martin
Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.
Latest Posts
December 2025. Keymer and Hassocks. An exciting Tuesday in the South Downs, but not exciting enough to attract Mrs RM away from the comfort of her caravan in Rye Harbour where she had a) working WiFi, b) crisps, c) that can of 10%...
December 2025. Burgess Hill. West Sussex Ah, Bucolic Burgess Hill. I’d been before, just the once, when Quench got in the GBG over a decade ago. Even Harvey’s can’t keep Quench in the Guide, replaced by a craft bar and a Spoons. Which...
December 2025. Wivelsfield. West Sussex. But first, “Where, Wivelsfield ?” Firmly Mid Sussex, though as Mid Sussex doesn’t exist in the GBG, it’s a dip into the West Sussex chapter. Here’s one I completed earlier; Simon is making some...
December 2025. Rye Harbour. Back in Rye from Waterbeach last Sunday, stunned at the news that Peter had died, I spent the next day writing about Mudgie and reading tributes to the man. Mrs RM had enjoyed his company on his last Proper...
December 2025. Waterbeach. I forgot this photo last time, Dale’s Brewery converted to Hot Numbers coffee shop, one of Cambridge’s premier meeting points for folk who don’t pub. While in Waterbeach we invited Curry Charles and Julia (not...
December 2025. Cambridge. I barely spent an hour at the Mill Road Winter Fair, enough for a couple of pubs, a couple of carols (is “Get Lucky” a carol ?), an ounce of regret I’d already had lunch (Tesco Meal Deal) and was meeting Curry...
December 2025. Cambridge. For the first time in a decade, I found myself in Cambridge on the same day as the Mill Road Winter Fair, one of the Big events in a social calendar dominated by Shakespeare and cover bands and beer festivals ....
December 2025. Waterbeach. Back at Sunnyside to see Dad in his care home, greeted by the smile that melts your heart, and feeling rather jealous of his meat balls lunch while we survive on meal deals from Tesco. It’s useful to keep in...
December 2025. Old Harlow. A day in Southborough with the in-laws; a cancelled medical appointment causes irritation but a Meal for 3 from Meows compensates a little. Now this will come as a surprise to Mrs RM but I reckon the landlady...
December 2025. Tankerton. Whitstable. Finally we come to the end of our Whitstable overnighter, ignoring the call of the seafood bistros in favour of the Tesco Express yards from our campervan in Tankerton. See ! I can do Christmas...
December 2025. Folkestone. Leaving the Old Neptune, and the glorious sunset Mrs RM had just missed, we headed over seashells and pebbles towards Whitstable’s oyster beds. I’ll eat (and drink) anything, but I doubt oysters could match...
December 2025. Whitstable. I’d only been gone those 67 minutes in Sittingbourne, leaving Mrs RM in Whitstable Spoons to do what Spoons are there for; recharge your phone, use the free Wi-Fi, pop to the loo, and drink unlimited coffee...
December 2025. Whitstable. “Sittingbourne !!! Why on EARTH would I want to go there ?” said Mrs RM, crossing the road to Whitstable Spoons. And so I left her to charge her phone in the Peter Cushing while I nipped to the Park Tavern on...
December 2025. Sittingbourne. Back to my campervan overnighter in Whitstable last week, as I leave Mrs RM in the glamour of the Spoons and nip off to Sittingbourne to tick the sort of new GBG entry our Mudgie would appreciate. He did...
I just heard the news that Peter Edwardson aka Old Mudgie aka Pub Curmudgeon has died. Rather than be reflective or attempt an eloquent memorial I’ll just say, for now, that I’m going to miss Peter very much. From reading and commenting...