Opinion
Topical articles and pieces from a personal point of view.
Fire, fury and campaigning
What staggers me about the furore over the punitive business rates imposed on pubs is the sheer stupidity and ignorance of top politicians and civil s...
Return to form
When I think back to how I first became enthusiastic about cask beer, I fondly remember two distinct experiences. When I was aged about 21, just over...
Beers from the past for now and the future
It’s heartening to find that Britain’s rich tapestry of historic beer styles is recognised, cherished and promoted. While the rest of the world consum...
Pubs: “pieces of community infrastructure”
Shortly before Christmas, I read a letter to the editor of the Irish Times written by Dr Kathy McLoughlin. Dr McLoughlin is a psychologist who has spe...
Bare minimum
Taking a seat inside a popular central Manchester bar, I scroll my finger down the menu, deciding what to order for lunch. Opting for a double cheeseb...
Consider the power of your words...
Let’s cut out the irresponsible comms this Christmas Warning: this article features an account of a suicide attempt and childhood trauma. It was a Fri...
Gone too soon
It’s amazing how sometimes we don’t notice the things that are right under our noses. My sister’s recent death, shortly before her 50th birthday, has...
Spread Eagle – visit once...
Loose Chippings is a straggling village on the edge of the salt marshes and was one of the earliest Anglo-Saxon settlements in England. It was abandon...
Pubs’ business rates blow
A post-Budget business rates bombshell could see scores of pubs closing as they face massive hikes in the amount they pay. The increases fly in the fa...
Long road back for Bass
Draught Bass may be in a pub near you. If I had written that 20 years ago, I would have been carried off to the funny farm, as Bass was the leading pr...
view archive
view events