Chris_OGrady

will get those added to my google maps!

what are the top 5 in Brum out of interest?

I used to get this for lunch when i worked in Leicester. Was about £5 back then (still great value now). Would make me doze off in the afternoon

All the best ones are to the north of the city centre out in the suburbs. Taj Bar and Grill is decent and walkable from the centre and stadium.

Same here. I think it's a complete myth that mickey mouse cricket gets the youngsters hooked. Is there any data to suggest that the Hundred has done that? It's the highest level of sport, and meaning, that people crave not trivial nonsense. I remember watching the launch of t20 in 2003 and quickly losing interest. It was the 2005 ashes that got me hooked. I lost a bit of interest in cricket from about 2013 - 2019, but was brought right back in 2019 with the world cup and Ashes.

The Ashes is our big derby and an India series will never quite be the same. I wasn't annoyed at all this morning and felt happy for India because they deserved it. If that was the Ashes I would have been absolutely fuming. It's been a great series and the tests have all ended well, however there have been dull spells where the pitch has been completely flat.

Big news! Where did you hear this?

forgot to quote you above

I have indeed been to what a shot! I went at the start of last year and thought it was fairly decent, albeit nothing special. However, it has recently been taken over by the people who run the Broadway, so I would expect it to be pretty solid now. It's an impressive venue with loads of screens showing the sport. Chef's Flavour have opened a sister restaurant in Glenfield if you wanted somewhere close to Groby. I haven't done Chef's Flavour yet, but I believe it's proper Indian food rather than Bangladeshi. Good ones of note this year have been Jaanu off the A46 and Doon Spice (lamb leg special recommended). Also did Sheepscar Bar & Grill up in Leeds which was just as good as some of the Punjabi stuff I've had in Brum. Still need to do Durham Ox, Chef's Flavour, Himalaya and Balmoral on Melton Road. Off to Gurkha New Delhi in Sorrel on Sat with some pints at the Swan and Pinsent beforehand- what dreams are made of!

Did Chettinad a few weeks back and found it a bit disappointing. We were the only people in there too.

England have easily been the better side. Would have been a classic Italian shithouse

Had a shedload in the Bankers Cat Leeds at the weekend and then got out to the Three Pigeons in Halifax, a few in Sowerby Bridge, and the Vocation Taproom in Hebden Bridge. I think Yorkshire is my favourite place for pubs and beer in the UK (I haven't even done Sheffield properly yet). Sparklers till I die!

I had a great walk back from Lords on Friday through Regents Park, stopping off at the Euston Tap for a Kernal Pale Ale Citra

Charnwood Brewery Masquerade is the best one I've had but not cheap. Lucky Saint, Brooklyn Hoppy lager, Erdinger, Impossibrew and Guinness 0 all decent.

The Victoria Hotel in Beeston is absolutely sensational. The Crown is also very good. So many good options around there for an outer city suburb. Very handy that it's on the midland mainline.

Yeah all fair. It was more an observation, but can see how it comes across as being a condensing ***** 😂

I'm going to Chettinad on London Road on Thursday. Am i better going for a few pints at the Horse or Marquis before? With it set to be a scorcher, I was edging towards the Horse as it looks like it has a big beer garden!

Just been in Ye Olde Mitre in London, which positions itself as a cask ale pub, and 90% of people were drinking Asahi (is that the new Madri/Guinness?). Okay it was hot today and you get a few tourists, but whenever I’m down in London I get the feeling that cask is really struggling… When I’m in the midlands/north I don’t get that impression at all though. Is it just me, or is this a thing?

Everyone needs to make a margin at the end of the day and when the product is good you're happy to pay it and contribute to their success. When the product is average/poor and you're contributing towards a racket (Pubcos and corporate chains) that's when it becomes annoying.

It depends a lot on the type of place I think. Charnwood Brewery’s micropubs are good value because they cut out the middleman and sell their own beer. I believe Brewery taprooms get a beer duty reduction, as the beer hasn’t technically been “released for consumption” off-site. Freehouses usually have more control over their costs, especially if the building’s paid off, so they can keep prices down. Pubcos on the other hand, are just run as property portfolios and constantly increase rent which impacts beer prices. The Navigation in Barrow (owned by Admiral Taverns) is noticeably pricier than the Swan in Mountsorrel (a freehouse), despite being similar pubs. Corporate chain groups, as well, are just interested in ever increasing returns and margins, which leads to rip off beer too. Then you’ve got passion projects like Pinsent in Mountsorrel—£6 for any IPA, regardless of brand or strength (from my experience). You’d be paying £8+ for the same beer elsewhere.

that's what I'm trying to work out

I've done a bit more research now and have spoken to a few people. Was thinking of doing the below as a rough itinerary. Let me know what you think: Day 1- chill in Colombo Day 2&3 - head to Dambulla - stop off at Elephant Orphanage, do the Sigiriya Rock and visit the temple Day 4/5/6 - Minneriya National Park, head to Kandy and do a river cruise, tea factory/plantation, and Horton Plains hike Day 7 - head to Ella and check out the bridge and whatever else is there Day 8&9 - head to Mirissa for a couple of nights- see some whales Day 10 - Galle Day 11/12/13 - chill at a beach hotel - maybe Bentota Day 14 - home I think I'm going to get a driver for the trip (as long as it's not crazy expensive) as there's lots of travelling involved!

Any good pubs/bars in the Jewellery Quarter Birmingham?

It's almost a shame Barca didn't get through, as that would have been a great final. It was a miracle that Inter were able to get past them. Barcelona hammered them for the majority of the tie.

Apparently Inter didn’t distribute tickets to the ultra groups after issues with them re-selling tickets 3 years ago in Istanbul. They also didn’t allow a choreography or banners and flags. It’s almost like they wanted to play at the Parc des Princes…