Martin C

Harlequin update courtesy of 'Now Then' magazine. “We want everyone to feel safe here”: The Harlequin to reopen as an inclusive pub under new management from The Rutland | Now Then Sheffield (nowthenmagazine.com)

Wish someone could GM the plant so it doesn't emit that truly obnoxious smell. Win Win - the users would no longer be openly advertising what they were up to (live and let live) and the rest of us would no longer be subjected to that vile stink.

Doom Bore (Doom Bar). Sh*te.

Big fan of most Blue Bee beers, especially the stronger IPAs. Josh certainly knows what hops are for.

Map of the 'Blue Loop' (comprising the canal towpath and Five Weirs Walk). Please note though that the Five Weirs Walk is STILL closed between Washford Bridge and East Coast Road due to flood damage sustained in 2019).

Although not entirely covered by trees the canal towpath is mostly in the shade and is very much flat from Victoria Quays to Tinsley Top Lock. It's been resurfaced as far as Staniforth Road and the volunteers are currently working on the next stretch as far as Worksop Road aqueduct. The Five Weirs Walk through Salmon Pastures and also between East Coast Road and Stevenson Road also has a fair amount of tree cover (and is mostly flat too).

Not had a holiday - other than odd overnight stays in connection with gigs etc (and none of these since late 2022) since a three week USA trip in 2017. Happy enough in Sheffield.

As I understand it in America people can register (even if strongly opposed to the party concerned) as Republican/Democrat solely with the intention of gaining a vote at the respective parties' Primary stage. So probably best to ignore all the guff about Crooks being a Republican - he probably registered with the sole aim of voting against Trump. There's also (unverified) footage of his ranting and raving at a Trump/MAGA supporters' stall.

Anywhere that sells decent (cask/keg) beer and doesn't have Karaoke.

Can't beat a good US/Aus/NZ hopped cask IPA but I do drink and enjoy "craft keg" (or cans) as well.

I drank a lot of Wards in the early 80s and loved it. Time moves on though and I'd absolutely hate it now as I crave hops, hops and more hops. And that's American, Australian and New Zealand hops - not crappy Kentish/European varieties

There's plenty of less well off people (of all ethnicities) who somehow manage to cope/survive without resorting to crime. Poverty isn't an excuse for lawlessness.

I think it's pretty much universally acknowledged that successive governments ( especially the last Tory government) has failed to faciltate/support/promote the building of social/affordable housing, Whatever "priorities" or government policies (as linked above) come into play when assessing the allocation of the inevitably reduced supply of social/affordable housing it's surely not unreasonable to suggest that the numbers of people relying on the availability of same has significantly increased by recent ever-higher levels of immigration (both legal and illegal). Not all these people are the oft-vaunted and much-needed doctors and engineers (those who by virtue of their skills and training able to transition swiftly and unassisted into house/flat ownership or the private rented sector). At least some (probably more) will add to the pressures in the housing market without having contributed much (if at all) to the public purse which has to finance additional affordable/social housing developments.

With respect, the words "have to" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there. Surely any onus to integrate should fall more on those arriving than more long-established residents/citizens, Yes, I acknowledge that the Native Americans (for example) would hold a strong (and probably valid) opinion on this sort of issue, but I still don't think we should "have" to bend over backwards to integrate with other (sometimes very different) cultures. Many will obviously embrace, enjoy and welcome various aspects of these cultures (cuisine perhaps being the best example - though I would personally beg to differ) but "having to integrate"? Choosing maybe, but there should be no compulsion (as implied by "have to") here.

Organised groups like Magnetic North "break the rules" in a very responsible way, washing down the towpath afterwards to remove metallic debris, neatly piling their spoils away from the towpath and arranging for a scrapman to attend to remove same either later the same day or first thing next morning. They're lovely, friendly people with a genuine concern for the environment. Some of the 'scroaty' types who leave metal and other debris (including piles of beer cans and fag ends) everywhere however are "less so" and obviously don't give a flying one for the environment. Despite the above rule a blind eye is generally turned as long as all debris is removed and the site left as found.