Coalville Completists Club

I can’t imagine there are too many members of the CCC amongst the pub blogging fraternity.  Although Alan Winfield probably did it in half a day to be honest and then finished off Whitwick and Ibstock in the afternoon. Mark might have been to most Coalville  pubs on his travels and Brad has probably been…

Proper Station Pubs: Berkswell

You left me dodging the bar blockers in Whitwick trying to return a dodgy half of Pedigree in an LE67 classic boozer. Shifting a few junctions down the M42 took me to an old stomping ground of mine, Balsall Common. It is a fairly leafy suburb of Solihull although with its CV postcode Coventry will…

Cask Ale Lottery In Whitwick

Whilst I don’t meticulously tick off regions like Martin and Duncan as they attempt to achieve the impossible and complete a GBG glut of pubs in a calendar year, I do keep records Of course, it is nigh on impossible nowadays as you get some boozers, such as this one documented by Duncan, that really only…

On The Ropes In Bodell’s

Where better to celebrate my 400th pub on this blog than in a brand new boozer as one of its first punters… I was fourth in but with a surge that would have put Stafford Paul to shame from a local called Trish then there was no way I was getting there first! (I’ve won…

Polish Cricket On A514

I know how much you like seeing pictures of maps of the A514 so, particularly for Russ’ benefit, here you go… It forks to the right here and heads on towards Chellaston, Allenton before hitting downtown Derby.  This road is responsible for a fair few posts on the blog and runs from at least Swadlincote…

Castle Facing Ruin Unlike Good Boozer in Thulston

Elvaston Castle is one of those perplexing problems for Derbyshire County Council as it’s Grade II listed, set in a terrific 200 acre country park but on its knees. It’s not open to the public, is on the Buildings at Risk register and the local authority reckon a cool £6.1m is needed to repair it…

The Chimneys Are Smoking In Willington

South Derbyshire isn’t renowned for its views like its near neighbours in the Peak District.  The term earthy was invented for towns and suburbs such as Swadlincote and Woodville with Stapenhill and Burton unlikely to feature any time soon on the ‘most picturesque town in England’ list. One of the most ‘iconic’ views in the…