Manchester

Tuesday Night - 
Hotel : Premier Inn - Arena/Printworks. 
Pubs : Sinclairs, The Beer Moth, The City Arms. 
Eating : The Roast House (Kebab Shop)!

Wednesday Morning - Breakfast (The Federal Cafe Bar). Walk to Manchester Art Gallery.

Wednesday Afternoon – Walk along the Manchester Ship Canal. Visit to The People's Museum. Vue Cinema at the Printworks to see "The Phoenician Scheme".

Wednesday Night –
Pubs : The Smithfield Market Tavern, The Marble Arch, The Lower Turks Head.
Eating : (Pre-Pubs) Wrights Fish and Chips, (Post-Pubs) The Spice Lounge Indian.

Thursday Morning – Peter and Steve head off to a trendy breakfast place. David and Nigel go to Wetherspoons (Piccadilly Square) for breakfast and a quick work meeting.

Our 40th Anniversary of the Lad's Do's !

Peter definitely recovering from his surgery. He is moving MUCH faster than last year !

Sinclairs still has cheap beer but the draconian 'no mobile phones' rule !

Nigel make good use of Google Maps to fine a pub with a Bar Billiards table (The Smithfield Market Tavern) for Wednesday evening.

David discovers that the "Voodoo" Strong ale really does have magical powers. It prevents the drinker from being able to finish their sentences.

We briefly meet Steve's son Gabriel in the Marble Arch. After a swift conversation, it becomes clear that he is EVEN MORE introverted, shy and lacking in confidence than his Dad!!

David has his best game of Bar Billiards in the last 40 years and beats Steve with a score of over 2000 (his personal best up to that point was about 28 !).

Nigel upsets one of the locals in the City Arms by putting his wet Umbrella on the vinyl seat.

We see POSSIBLY the strangest film we have seen on the trips (The Phoenician Scheme).

The Manchester Fire Brigade seem to test their hosepipe skills by pretending that the Ship Canal is on fire.

Nigel discovers a quarter of an eggshell in his poached egg at breakfast on Wednesday. The waiter spots it and gives Nigel a free Pastry. We make a note that next year, we all need to bring an eggshell with us.

We dont seem to have the usual arguments about politics as the horror of Trump and Musk seem to unite us all!

The Smithfield Tavern has gone really Upmarket since we used to go in the 80's. The Marble Arch is exactly the same!

David (After several pints of Voodoo):"I cant seem to finish my er er er ...."
Nigel,Steve,Peter :"Sentences !"

David :"Where shall we go after the Art Gallery ?"
Nigel : "We could walk round a park"
David: "Can anyone think of a Park in the Centre of Manchester?"
All: "Err.. no!"

David :"Where shall we go next year?"
Nigel : "What about London ?"
David: "I suggested London in the past but no-one seemed keen.."
Nigel: "London is fine by me"
Steve: "and me"
Peter (having been to the loo and just picking up on the conversation..): "WHY on EARTH would we want to go to London? it is noisy, expensive, NO decent beer........."

David (To Steve): "So are you retired now?"
Steve: "No I am sort of running an agency"
David: "Male Escorts?"
Steve: "Similar - Software Engineers"