Thursday 26th March 2026 – Cambridge Corn Exchange
The Grade II Listed Cambridge Corn Exchange is the largest event space in the centre of Cambridge offering capacity for up to 1400. The flexible auditorium offers a variety of seating options including theatre style, cabaret and tiered, as well as a completely blank canvas of 456 square metres for exhibitions. The other rooms in the venue offer registration and breakout spaces for large-scale conferences.
We met up early at the rehearsal studios in Liverpool…
Today’s lunchtime venue is the ‘Foxton Locks Inn’ at Foxton near Market Harborough, Leicestershire…
It’s a historic area…
Foxton Locks are ten canal locks consisting of two “staircases” each of five locks, located on the Leicester line of the Grand Union Canal about 3 miles (5 km) west of the Leicestershire town of Market Harborough. They are named after the nearby village of Foxton.
Nice sunny day again…
We had a film…
We’re enjoying this old favourite😄
We stopped off for a short break near Coventry…
Groovy plane?
Sort of… it’s the ‘Frank Whittle Memorial’ on a roundabout in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. The structure is a full-size replica of the GlosterE.28/39 which was the first British jet-powered aircraft to fly.
We approached the charmingly named village of Husbands Bosworth…
The prefix “Husbands” was added around the 16th/17th century to distinguish it from Market Bosworth, referring to the “husbandmen” or local farmers who occupied the land.All Saints Church, a Grade II listed building with medieval origins.
Nearly there…
It’s a beautiful place…
The pub…
The Foxton Locks Inn is a popular location for food and drink. A recent winner of the Leicestershire Tourism Awards ‘best pub’ category it is a well visited site especially in the summer months and at the weekends. It’s large beer garden can accommodate hundreds in the summer with views over the water.
They had 2 draught beers on…
Fuller’s London Pride is an iconic 4.7% ABV premium amber ale brewed in Chiswick, London, recognized for its well-balanced, sessionable character. It features a rich blend of malted barley (including crystal malt) for caramel notes and British hops (Target, Northdown, Challenger, Goldings) for a bitter-sweet finish.Timothy Taylor’s Boltmaker is a renowned 4.0%–4.2% ABV Yorkshire bitter known for its well-balanced, creamy, and nutty flavor profile. Originally named Best Bitter, it was rebranded in 2012, subsequently winning the CAMRA Supreme Champion Beer of Britain in 2014. It is brewed with Golden Promise barley and offers a fruity, hoppy aroma.
Our table was inside but with a brilliant view…
Food was good…
FISH & CHIPS Hand battered fish of the day with chunky chips, peas & tartare sauce £14.95CHEF’S PIE OF THE DAY Homemade pie served with creamy mash potato and peas. £15.95
It was a great pub!
Half cut…
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. It is the principal navigable waterway between London and the Midlands. Starting in London, one arm runs to Leicester and another to Birmingham. The Birmingham canal is 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks. The Birmingham line has a number of short branches to places including Slough, Aylesbury, Wendover, and Northampton. The Leicester line has two short arms of its own, to Market Harborough and Welford.
Time to go…
We’ve just enough time to finish the film and look for the venue…
Eventually we found it…
The writing’s on the wall…
The Cambridge Corn Exchange features a “timeline on the wall” as part of its 150th-anniversary celebrations, which highlights significant landmark moments and performances in the venue’s history.
We’d arranged to meet friends in Cambridge so we headed off after the soundcheck…
The Eagle is one of Cambridge’s oldest inns, dating back to the 14th century, and is one of the county’s most famous pubs. On February 28, 1953, pub regular Francis Crick came to The Eagle to announce to the pub’s guests, some of whom were fellow scientists and researchers, that he, together with James Watson, had discovered the double helix structure of DNA.
We hurriedly took a sample…
A classic English Amber ale, showcasing malty, caramel and subtle dark fruit flavours, complemented by balanced herbal, floral hops and a smooth finish.
The pub had plenty of character…
Back in the dressing room we still had some of the Vocation beer left…
Hop, Skip & Juice | 5.7% Hazy Pale Ale 440ml. A juicy pale ale with masses of tropical notes and stone fruit aromas. Hop forward, with a refreshing and balanced bitterness. A fun and exuberant beer to go with feel good moments.
It worked for me…
Time to go on stage…
New top!
Fantastic crowd…
As we were staying over, we went to watch the Mondays…
I’d met up with my brother-in-law Charlie…
24 minute party people
After the gig we met up with Andrew Lindsay creator of ‘66 clothing’…
Prior to the gig he’d kindly given us a selection of his latest designs…
66 Clothing is a division of Modshoes, which has been operational since 2011. Retro Inspired Clothing for both Men & Women, paying significant homage to iconic pop culture figures such as the Beatles, Paul Weller, and others.
We had a fantastic time in Cambridge!!
Next stop London…
Friday 27th March 2026 – London Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a performing arts and concert venue at the Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England. The building was erected in 1846-1847 by the London & North Western Railway as a roundhouse, a circular building containing a railway turntable, but was used for that purpose for only about a decade.
A brisk walk before breakfast was the plan so we nipped out of the hotel and headed for the countryside…
We found a cycle path…
The Tins cycle path, historically named after corrugated iron (“tin”) sheets lined the path west of the railway bridge; some sections are still present.
Eventually it opened out on to Mill Road in the town of Romsey…
The Cambridge Labour Party was formed in 1912 and initially decided to build its headquarters in Romsey Town due to the area’s left wing reputation. However after the plot of land had been purchased the Party decided to continue the search for an appropriate location and granted the land to the local party to build a club itself.
The road still has a sense of that reputation…
After breakfast it was time to get back on the bus…
The plan was to head to Epping with a view to finding a suitable pub…
We passed through Waltham Abbey…
And after a few wrong turns we eventually arrived at a pub called The Woodbine…
Welcome to The Woodbine. A multi award winning British Pub & Restaurant located at the entrance to Epping Forest just off junction 26 of the M25 near Theydon Bois, High Beach & Waltham Abbey, here you’ll find a warm & friendly welcome, we offer pub meals & Sunday roasts not only in our restaurant but also for takeaway and delivery. We are number 1 for sunday roasts in epping forest!
It was a brilliant independent pub with friendly staff…
We all decided on the Brewers Gold…
Supreme Champion Beer of Britain at the Great British Beer Festival 2005 and 2006, this multi-award-winning beer is pale, refreshing and extravagantly hoppy with gorgeous aromas of tropical fruits. Brewed with 100% extra-pale English barley malt and flavoured with heaps of choicest Brewers Gold hops, sourced with care from small-scale growers in the Hallertau.It tasted as good as it looks
We sat down to order some food..
A three pie meal…
Ploughman’s…
Liver & bacon…
Fish and chips…
All tasted great…who’s round is it?
Founded in 1981, Crouch Vale Brewery has survived (prospered, even) to be today, the longest-established brewery in the diverse, eclectic and damn fine county of Essex. We are immensely passionate about what we do and massively proud of our hand-crafted, multiple award-winning beers. The company is (and has always has been) independent and privately, family owned.
We’d arranged to meet friends nearby at the ‘Tapping The Admiral‘ public house…
Having been voted north London pub of the year in 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2023, you can be certain of the quality, and condition, of our ales. We pride ourselves in sourcing the finest cask, bottle, can and keg products from up and down the UK, as well as quality wines and spirits sourced from local distributors.
Plenty of beers on show…
A session pale ale with a variety of fruity and aromatic hops from around the globe. The malt and hop combination creates an interesting flavourful thirst-quenching beer.Bootiful is a new world take on a Best Bitter, with rich toffee and caramel malt flavours combined with modern tropical hop flavours. Ernest hops deliver New World characteristics with fruity notes of apricot, nectarine and spice. Mosaic hops provide tropical and soft fruit flavours and Challenger hops give a balanced, subtle bitterness.
The pub was suggested to us by our longtime friend and beer expert Julian Turton…
His recommendation was the ‘Prohibition Pale Ale’ by the Kent Brewery…
American highly hopped with some of the latest US hop varieties, this citrusy pale ale is a celebration of America’s contribution to modern brewing.
It was soon time to head back to the venue…
One of our Sheffield pals Steve had got the train down to see us.
Backstage, Carl’s son Chay had come to see us…
And tonight’s setlist is…
A massive London crowd was waiting…
It was a brilliant atmosphere…
After the show, amongst others we met up with Paul Oakenfold, James Brown and Gary Stonadge from Big Audio Dynamite…
It was a fantastic night in London…
Next stop Southend…
Saturday 28th March 2026 – Southend Cliffs Pavillion
Southend’s premier entertainment complex, the Cliffs Pavilion is a great place to experience live performances. The region’s leading theatre and concert hall, programmes include touring West End musicals, ballet, concerts and comedy.
We stayed overnight in a Travelodge and woke up to sunshine…
Another brisk walk…
Thought we’d head to the train station…
Following the station’s opening 1 October 1868, the Midland Railway built the Midland Grand Hotel on the station’s façade. George Gilbert Scott won the competition to design it, with an ornate Gothic red-brick scheme. St Pancras has been widely praised for its architecture and is now a Grade I listed building.St. Pancras International, an iconic London landmark and the gateway to highspeed travel across the UK and Europe. With its stunning Victorian architecture, St. Pancras is more than a station – it’s a destination in it’s own right.
We passed the iconic Scala venue…
Built to the design of H Courtney Constantine, the Kings Cross Cinema, was nearing completion when the First World War began. The partially completed cinema was first used to manufacture airplane parts, and after 1918 as a local labour exchange for demobilized soldiers returning from the war. Finally completed, the Kings Cross Cinema opened on April 1920. Seating over 1000 people, the auditorium offered a three-hour program, accompanied by a 20-piece orchestra.
Then back to the hotel…
And breakfast…
Carl’s of course
The plan was to head to Canvey Island and the ‘Lobster Smack’…
Canvey Island is a town, civil parish and island in the Thames Estuary. It forms part of the Castle Point district of Essex, England. It is separated from the mainland of south Essex by a network of creeks, but is connected to the mainland by bridges. It has an area of 7.12 square miles (18.44 km2). At the 2021 census the parish had a population of 38,327 and the built up area had a population of 38,010.
Took us a while to get there but at last we saw the pub in the distance…
Everyone out…
We headed to the shore line…
Looking out to sea from Canvey Island, you primarily see the expansive Thames Estuary. The view focuses on the Kent coastline in the distance, shipping channels, and industrial infrastructure across the river.
Now for the pub…
Nestled on the edge of the coast, the Lobster Smack is a charming traditional pub offering a warm welcome, fantastic range of drinks, and classic British pub food. With its original wooded beams, roaring open firers, and cozy corners, it is the perfect spot to unwind with family and friends. In those summer months if inside is not for you, we have a large outdoor area serviced by our outside bar.
We ordered the IPA…
Greene King IPA is a widely available, budget-friendly English session ale (typically 3.6% ABV in cask) often described as a mild, “entry-level” bitter rather than a modern, hoppy IPA. It is known for a light, toffee-malt sweetness with subtle, earthy hop notes.
The food was nice…
Lemon SoleWrap
Some history…
There are several books and articles where the Lobster Smack is portrayed as the Inn in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, chapter 54.
Time to get on the bus…
And make our way to Southend…
We travelled through Canvey Wick…
Canvey Wick is a 93.2-hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest at the south-west corner of Canvey Island in Essex. It is owned by The Land Trust and 18.5 hectares is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Buglife as a nature reserve, who are working to bring more of the area under management and to improve public access.
Eventually we arrived at the venue and our dressing room…
Only ever made and bottled in Italy at breweries in Rome, Bari and Padova, Peroni Nastro Azzurro beer is brewed using the creativity and flair of Italians; blending the finest hops with two-row spring planted barley and a quarter of Italian maize which produces its uniquely crisp and refreshing taste.
It’s a great venue…
After soundcheck we went in search of a watering hole but instead found ourselves in the middle of a car rally!!
‘Old fellas’ apparently…
Welcome to “OLD FELLAS” Home of the ‘Old Skool Boy Racer Era’ If you were a part of the vibrant car culture during the 80’s 90’s and 00’s, this is the place for you. We’re a nationwide community of enthusiasts reminiscing the good old days.
Time to find a pub…
We are a craft beer, real ale and cider pub in Westcliff-on-Sea, near to Southend. The name comes from the length of Southend Pier.
Brilliant bar…
Sup was designed to be an accessible, easy-drinking beer with subtle citrus and resinous notes with a hint of pine.
Perfect for an early evening drink…
One more then it was time to head back…
It’d gone dark and there were queues of cars everywhere…
Meanwhile, back in the dressing room…
It was time to go on stage…
Groovy
ATN
After the show we bumped into an old friend Tony and his daughter Bayley who had taken the videos above…
Tony and a few of his mates had followed our tour bus in their car during our European dates back in 1991.
Later on we watched the Mondays set…
Then finished the night off with a kebab…
Next stop Norwich…
Sunday 29th March 2026 – Norwich LCR, University of East Anglia
The LCR or Large Common Room is a live music venue and nightclub situated on the campus of the University of East Anglia and run by the Union of UEA Students.
Overnight our hotel was at Southend airport…
The 4‑star Holiday Inn is perfectly located at London Southend Airport for seamless travel. Ideal for early flights, late arrivals or stress‑free short breaks, the hotel combines modern comfort with direct terminal access and excellent on‑site facilities.
Up early we thought we’d check it out…
The airport is only 30 minutes from London on the train…
‘Searchlight Beacons’…
This artwork was created by sculptor John Atkin and is made from brushed stainless steel and granite. The sculpture serves as a landmark beacon for the airport terminal. The conical shapes represent searchlight beams from the World Wars, populated with silhouettes of various historical aircraft.
Keith had been up early as well…
And so to breakfast…
Carl’s of course
Then back on the bus…
Today’s lunchtime setting is the Norfolk Broads…
The Norfolk Broads, or simply “The Broads,” is a 303-square-kilometer National Park in Norfolk and Suffolk, UK, offering over 125 miles of lock-free waterways. Formed by medieval peat digging, it is a vibrant wetland habitat for rare wildlife and a premier destination for boating, sailing, and birdwatching, largely managed by the Broads Authority.
Off we popped…
We were heading to the village of Ormesby St Margaret…
Ormesby St Margaret is a large village within the parish of Ormesby St Margaret with Scratby in the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England. The village is situated 7 miles northwest of Great Yarmouth and 20 miles northeast of Norwich.
Nearly there…
Eventually we arrived at our pub for the day ‘The Boathouse’…
The Boathouse incorporates a magnificently refurbished pub and restaurant with intimate dining areas as well as areas for larger groups. The interior is finished to the highest standard using natural finishes with subtle lighting for a warm ambiance.
Inside they had a brilliant beer with a connection to the area…
Eels Foot Ale is a 3.7% ABV blonde/golden session ale produced by Wolf Brewery in Norfolk, England. Often found on cask, this session beer is notably served at The Boathouse who’s former name was The Eels Foot.
Sunday lunch was the order of the day…
It was fabulous…
Another eels foot…
Some vintage pics on the wall…
Ormesby Broad…
The Boathouse in Ormesby St. Michael is located directly on the banks of Ormesby Broad, which is part of the Trinity Broads within the Norfolk Broads.
Sadly it was time to head off…
A short journey to the LCR…
Our dressing room…
Nick Rayns (died 2013, aged 61) was the beloved, long-serving entertainments manager at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich for 36 years. He transformed the UEA Students’ Union entertainment, booking thousands of bands for the LCR venue, which was later renamed “The Nick Rayns LCR” in his honor.
Our soundcheck…
As there were no pubs in the vicinity, we had a wander around the venue with our cans of ‘Hop, Skip & Juice’…
The beer pours a lovely, hazy as you like, straw colour. Another gorgeous smelling beer from Vocation. Tropical fruits mix with a fresh English orchard with aromas of pear and stone fruits as well. The beer itself is super juicy with peaches and pear coming through on the taste in addition to pineapple chunks. There is a soft, moreish bitterness that keeps you coming back for more.
Soon it was time for us to go on…
It was a brilliant night and the crowd were great but we had to go home straight after our set.
sipadvisor 