The Steamer's under new management after a year or so of caretaker-lull following the glory days of Cliff and Shirley, but it seems to be thriving again - lots of events, bands, singers, open mics, although, sadly, the Folk Club no longer meets there (not that the Sinclair Room was ideal, but it had a certain soul). The Steamer's just at the end of our street but (shamefully) I only pop in if I want to find my old mukka 'Sailor' Ron Baxter, who does his art in there in his downtime. Good to see it springing into life again & the new landlord seems a jovial cove (a fellow ex-pat Geordie, ha!) so hopefully it'll see good use in the festival this year, just as long as they don't ask me to MC the Saturday night... They say you can fit the entire population of the world on the Isle of Wight if they all stood very close together - that's what The Steamer feels like on the Saturday of the Fylde.

Actually, writing this, I'm tempted to pop down just now for a toastie & pint of Bombadier by way of a quick lunch. Maybe I'll suggest to the new guy starting up an experimental music & free-improvisation club in The Sinclair Room...