Greetings for the new year ... as you may know we had a spot of bother with water over the holidays and the bad news for fellow Red suppers is that the wonderful Regal Moon is shut because of flood damage, opening about Easter.
The Baum, Flying Horse and Cem are still functioning.
As my phone is playing away (!) could sparky Mark pm me

Ta

Good man. Apart from the ones you’ve already mentioned, do you know if there are anymore pubs, savoury or otherwise, open around the tram stop or en route from the railway station?

If I remember correctly from the World Cup game the pub near the ground with the bowling green out back that was always quite popular with Salford fans has now closed down.

On Oldham Road you have the Eagle : a real ale Sammy Smiths pub with the usual low prices and then the Cask and Feather which has morphed from a superb brewhouse to a fun pub with some real ale. Both are walkable from the railway station (also a tram stop). The easiest way to the Cask is follow the tram tracks, the quickest way to the Eagle is right at the station, left at the junction, first right into a large car park with Matalan/Argos etc. Straight across the car park and you cannot miss it.
Both are characteristic of Eccles on a bad night.
From the centre to Spotland, once the Flying Horse and Baum have been left behind, there's little of worth until you meet the Cemetery (or miss it by walking the shorter way). For those of a slower gait, the walk is not short.
From last time in the area (some time ago) the Lees pub on Sandy Lane is still open but I could be wrong. As is the Social Club past the stadium (Spotland Social Club).
There is/was the Brownhill near Falinge park but I take no notice of it so it could be a set of flats by now ... sorry.
As any of you walk, please respect this 4th world town ... you'll know what I mean by Drake Street. This was in fairly recent times a good set of shops with restaurants and good pubs.

Weather forecast mixed:rain and snow with some sunny spells

Please excuse my ignorance, what times kick off and isn't at Spotland?


Additional ignorance! When do United play FA cup game does it clash?

It is at Spotland and KO 15:00, Sunday. I thought the United v BladesUtd was Sat evening.

Thanks Mid Man: the Norden has improved but is beyond the ground and so needs to be planned.

To be honest, a visit to the Baum and the Flying Horse will fuel me for the long walk to the Cem.
A VERY RECENT visit to the Flying Horse displayed it's gained a lot of custom as the Regal Moon is shut. So food may not be "instant". However most/many of the chef(s) are Rugby League players/ex players.
The Yates is a food establishment during the day (is near the F Horse.)

Hmm.

Did a recce last night of the town centre [size(many of the sins of the flesh come from supporting Salford for so long)[/size and realised that some of you (the noble Mr Roberts for example) enjoy trying different ales and may want to visit the Baum and the Flying Horse. However with the river works, the route is not obvious:
from FH, out door and towards the tower of the town hall: across the road just to the right of the Barclays bank and along that road past the back of a Yorkshire Bank (cash machine obvious). Right down a passage passing the Roebuck until you meet a pedestrian way ( the Halifax faces you). Left up the hill until you get to the British Heart Foundation charity shop (good for books). Immediate left before this shop, another passage onto a car park with a church facing you. Diagonal left and the Baum is connected to the Co-Op museum.
I think the reverse can be worked out
The Baum is not cheap.
BOTH ARE OFFERING 10% OFF REAL ALE TO CAMRA CARD HOLDING CUSTOMERS as normal for a Sunday.

No.

I can't remember

Sometimes or most of the time it's the only way to get through it, that way it takes away the pain and you don't have to wear rose tinted spectacles when defending them after another inept performance.

it helps:-

ARTHUR DENT:
Why three pints?

FORD PREFECT:
Muscle relaxants. You’ll need it.

CERTAINLY last season seems as if it had been reated by Vogons

Essentially, Rochdale has very very very liitle to be proud of: many of them are inherited from previous generations. Even allowing for the wonderful responce from the Muslim community (and the Flying Horse) during the flood, you cannot suggest it is a place of racial harmony. It has a quiet cultural sceneene but it is quiet. Economically, retail-wise, energy-wise, dead.As an outsider (albeit domicilied here for 25 years), I see the faults very clearly.

But in the Regal Moon, the Baum, and the Flying Horse (and the Cem), it punches above its weight.