44 ticks in the month of April takes me up to 61.7% GBG completion (2777 out of 4500 pubs) as I strive to put as much distance between my closing 2023 target of 2680 and the last defender as possible.
Last year I managed a liver-shattering 75 April ticks, so in that respect it has been a failure, but at least I go into a booze-soaked first half of May feeling Brightside eyed and Bushy's of Isle of Man tailed.
46 pubs in May means I'll break even so that has to be the aim.
It wasn't a classic month if we are considering beer and pub quality, and the people that inhabit them to be honest, plenty of mediocre beige and a couple of downright stinkers.
So let's break it down by each of the six counties I made progress in, show you the map, pick a winner and loser, and make a few comments on how I feel it is progressing.
Glamorgan - 22 ticks, which takes me to 48.9% completion
BRAPA's tenth birthday celebrations took me to Cardiff, and why not? Hull City won, plenty of train routes make it a very accessible county, my only regret was that I wasn't there for longer to break that 50% barrier although Monknash and Marcross are currently closed so I would argue I am!
I'm actually back in Cardiff to watch punk rock legend Billy Joel Strongarm (I think he was in Green Day, or was it Cameron's) in August, though with lameoids like Mummy and Sister BRAPA in tow, not sure I'll have enough of a window of opportunity to get much if any ticking done.
No, I'm adding it to the 'counties of interest' list for 2024/25 list and going to go for the full greening. Pontypridd? Translates as 'piece o' piss mate!'
BRAPA Pub of the Month - Red Lion, Penderyn
BRAPA 'How Did it Get in the GBG?' Wooden Spoon - Owain Glyndwr, Cardiff
Greater Manchester - 6 ticks, taking me up to 90.5% completion
Coloured in Didsbury by mistake, don't judge. It's in the crease anyway, where it belongs. All going well in my half-arsed attempts to complete this relatively easy county for a second time in my life. Staying in Prestwich for a gig soon cos it is half as cheap as bloody central Manc or Salford wherever that is, so I'm hoping to bang out six more of my 15 remaining. Up the GMR bastards!
BRAPA Boozer of the Month - Stanley Arms, Patricroft
BRAPA 'How Did it Get in the GBG?' Wooden Spoon - White Horse Hotel, Swinton
Derbyshire - 5 ticks, taking me up to 77.6% completion
Pleased with my Derbys progress but now the football team have won a deserved promotion (not just saying that cos Derby fans keep helping me out with lifts), I'm half thinking 'uh oh, should I be leaving some pending in case we play them away before the 2025 Guide comes out?' But I'm probably overthinking it. We'll be in the Prem anyway (that was hard to say with a straight face).
No, like GMR, it is quite appealing, it has #ThirstyThursday potential, Daddy B summer Saturday potential, and I'm fully expecting to be 100% green by the height of summer. It might even encourage me to get back into less appealing Notts, which I've NEVER fully greened. In fact, I'm better at Lincs, Leics and Northants than Notts. That's shocking innit?
BRAPA Pub of the Month - Goyt Inn, Whaley Bridge
BRAPA 'How Did it Get in the GBG?' Wooden Spoon - Buxton Cellar Bar, Buxton
Greater London - 5 ticks (taking me up to 76.5% completion)
As I look to get stuck into Oxfordshire in 24/25, and have a much needed Bucks mop-up, I'm going to combine it with anything West-ish London, inc NW and SW. 76.5% might sound decent, but it is such a high pub density place, I'm still a 69 away from glory , which sounds a bit wrong! Typical London. My day out with Daddy BRAPA as we swerved a disappointing 0-0 at Watford was, how do we put this politely, of 'mixed' quality.
BRAPA Pub of the Month - Rifleman, Twickenham
BRAPA 'How Did it Get in the GBG?' Wooden Spoon - Abercorn Arms, Teddington
Essex - 5 ticks (taking me up to 84.5% completion) / Herts - 1 tick (taking me to 78.8% completion)
I think one of my proudest ever BRAPA moments was getting a fully green Essex up in Bures Hamlet's hilarious Eight Bells a couple of summer's back after an epic holiday. And although I didn't have any great need to return this soon, I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth so when my old mates Simon and Daddy Dewhurst offered to drive me from Witham to Bishop's Stortford, I was delighted. I do like Essex, used to live there, pubs n beer are proper solid, and I feel it is quite low maintenance churn-wise compared with most.
BRAPA Pub of the Month - Woolpack, Witham
BRAPA 'How Did it Get in the GBG until you discover the beer wall late on but even then it still isn't amazing?' Wooden Spoon Award - White Hart Hotel, Witham
And finally, early Birthday card of the month, most apt card ever courtesy of Freeborne JW2
Thanks for reading, see you for my first May pub tick sooner rather than later.
Si