The Stafford Saturday Spectacular 2025

Rickerscote, Doxey, Highfields and Parkside... the Oxleathers, Wildwood, Luck Penny and Staffordshire Bull... such is the litany of places and pubs that have formed the backbone of my annual Stafford sessions every March. With much fanfare, it is now time to see what 2025 can add into the mix...

- Glasshouse Greenery -

It's Saturday 15th March 2025 and I'm all set for what will be the seventh in my now-traditional springtime Stafford series. The 10:19 Manchester train from Wolverhampton gets things off to a steady start with a ten minute journey amongst football fans before Victoria Park claims its customary catch-up to get the photos flowing; WG Grace is present and correct as always but some of the flowerbeds haven't fully been planted as yet. I do enjoy a quick mooch around the park's glasshouses, noting tropically large leaf varieties and various spiky specimens.

- Pickups Electrical -

Continuing via Mill Street and then Mill Bank, I note a couple of old-fashioned shopfronts representing local independent businesses. Henry Burton's is a cycle store whereas Pickups Electricals specialises in household appliances, complete with vintage Hitachi logos. My first drinks stop of the day is a bit of a departure from my usual 'old man pub' remit, the Yard being a trendy craft/cocktail bar on the side of the River Sow. A glass of Brixton Reliance Pale Ale is a pleasant palate cleanser, hitting enough sharp citrus notes to clear any tastebud cobwebs away while the overall vibe is a relaxing one - a solid start!

- A Perkins Picture -

Picking out a portion of Stafford I've never photographed before gets trickier each passing year but one corridor which comes to mind is Tixall Road, heading due east from the town centre. Weston Road is my initial gateway before I bear right at the Metropolitan fork, spotting the likes of Dartmouth Street and Harrowby Street in the process. I remember riding through here on the Uttoxeter bus once whereby one standout feature was the Perkins factory; it's still there, manufacturing engines much as it has done for many years. The firm is actually based in Peterborough and has sites worldwide.

- Bayswater Square -

Evidence of Stafford's edge-of-town expansion is apparent further along Tixall Road where what used to be a country lane through farmers fields has been transformed by a sprawling housing estate. Hydrant Way corner has a sunken balancing pond earthwork then Bayswater Square forms the centrepiece of another section, revealing a public open space surrounded by three-storey properties. The new builds stretch as far as the Baswich Lane crossroads and mean that Stafford Crematorium no longer stands in splendid isolation. Clumps of daffodils line the edge of the burial ground as I take the Blackheath Lane turn. 

- The Knot & Plough -

Another arrival over the last ten to fifteen years has been the Beacon Business Park which sits beside the busy A518. One of the first pieces of the jigsaw here was the provision of the Knot & Plough pub (very much a modern Marston's effort with a carvery focus), latterly joined by a shopping precinct containing a Co-op store, Subway and a couple of takeaways. As you might expect, I pause for a pint of Pedigree and take in the scene. Construction work along Gell Way and Brereton Way suggests that more units are being lined up in future.

- Meeting a Slumbering Monk -

Weston Road returns me the two or so miles to Stafford town centre where Joules's Ye Olde Rose & Crown will form the meat between a Black Country Ales sandwich. I'd like to complete BCA's Ale Trail this year if possible, in which case the Shrewsbury Arms and Bird in Hand are duly stamped in my passport booklet - the former supplies Hobson's Plum Porter (lovely stuff), the latter a Backyard Rucker with a heavenly ham and cheese cob. The intermediary filling so to speak is a Slumbering Monk of the aforementioned Joules persuasion, pondering hints of Shakespearean wordplay courtesy of As You Like It and Much Ado About Nothing references to the Market Drayton brewing process. I wonder what Stafford will supply me with in 2026?

March Moments (2025)

Following on from February's fragments, I bring you musings from further potted perambulations at the beginning of March - one from Birmingham and one across Walsall way...

- St Paul's Church -

I'll commence with Tuesday 4th March when a bit of library buddying means I'm back in the Jewellery Quarter once again admiring St Paul's Church, admittedly looking enchanting in the sunshine and being used as a filming location with lots of production equipment dotted about. It's lovely to catch up with Emily in the School of Jewellery, talking about library life over a hot chocolate, while bonus pictures are obtained of Farmers Bridge Locks on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal between Old Snow Hill and Ludgate Hill. Fans of street art won't struggle for inspiration along that stretch, a 'Heart of the Waterways' creation being a standout item.

- Old? Maybe. Contemptible? Definitely! -

Tuesday evening has me meeting up with Nick and frequenting a few more watering holes in the centre of Birmingham. Our first port of call is the Old Contemptibles on Livery Street, part of the Nicholson's brand with a penchant for pendulous tassels. The pub takes its title from the nickname given to the British Expeditionary Force, a noted army unit deployed in France and Belgium during the First World War. Purity UBU and Fuller's London Pride are the tipples here as we watch BBC News analysis of Donald Trump's approach to the Ukraine War.

- Sarah the Botanist Chicken -

One haunt that Nick and I had never sampled was the Botanist on Temple Street so we set about correcting that over a Happy Hour pint of Cornish Orchards cider. The chain hit financial difficulties earlier in the year but appears to have got back on its feet again now (albeit with some closures), and their Birmingham outlet is certainly memorable thanks to floral-themed decor and an ironwork chicken called Sarah. They specialise in botanical cocktails but have quite a range of wines and craft beers, not to mention a popular restaurant facility.

- The Royal in The Royal -

Two boozers of a regal persuasion are next on the agenda. The Royal on Church Street appears to have dropped its 'Old' prefix, depriving me of the chance to mock Nick's age, although our resident monarch gleefully grabs half a Guinness whilst sitting upstairs in a rather stately dining room. Ignoring any Aston Villa Champions League football excitement, attentions switch to the Queens Arms on Newhall Street for a Theakstons XB Ruby Ale in similarly agreeably refined surroundings. The evening's curtain call is then the Shakespeare (the Summer Row version), bookending our rendezvous with another Nicholson's affair and lapping up the Bard's quotations when quaffing a fine drop of Old Peculier.

- Stephen taking his daily steps -

The Walsall segment of this summary involves a Pelsall canals circuit on Friday 7th March, in which case Mr Beardsmore was my willing accomplice over three and three quarter miles. We catch the number 9 bus from Heath Town to Pelsall Wood then set forth along the Cannock Extension branch, deviating across part of Pelsall North Common where marker stumps plot out the route of the Timberland Trail. Stephen almost comes a cropper in one muddy puddle but manages to escape the perils of squelch suction with his trainers still intact.

- Canal Remains at Wyrley Common -

Exiting the towpath just north of Wyrley Grove Bridge, we take steps up to Lime Lane by a couple of isolated cottages before joining a woodland track which skirts the lower edges of Wyrley Common. Felled silver birch logs and craters of gloopy mud need to be hurdled on occasion but we proceed mostly without incident, crossing above a disused canal bridge not far from Engine Lane. A former railway line connects us to The Slough so that we can join the towpath of the Wyrley & Essington Canal, whereby bridge names such as Yorks Foundry help recall the days when the area was a hotbed of mining, collieries and industry.

- A Paul Pint in Pelsall -

Zigzagging beneath the A4124, we come full circle back to Pelsall Junction noting the bridge widening/replacement works underway on Norton Road (Yorks Bridge). The Fingerpost pub has always eluded me previously but happily the lights are on so we can partake of a pint, even though the general kitchen is closed on account of preparing for a large wake later. Timothy Taylor's Landlord drinks well as we recover from our exertions, Stephen reporting a welcome lack of aching, and prepare for evening quizzing duties in Tettenhall. Alas despite a very strong showing, Team Bears would only finish third after a knowledge shortfall about moth infested mansions trips us up in the final wipeout round. Two great outings - cheers!!

The Bartons Arms with a Digbeth Dash

March = Spring = Longer Days = Brighter Weather (we can but hope). The seasons change as they always must, and the first day of the new month is put to good use with a Birmingham-based adventure. Nick and Jane are willing accomplices as we sample Bartons Arms opulence and the delights of Digbeth...

- Birmingham Cathedral -

Trip Log: Saturday 1st March 2025 and there are bright West Midlands skies to cheer us all the way to the Second City. A brief snoop around by St Philip's Cathedral cranks the camera into gear, noting the statue dedicated to Charles Gore who was the first Anglican Bishop of Birmingham (serving between 1905 and 1911). Colmore Row's architecture shimmers in the sunshine whereby the Chatwin Building carries medallions of Benvenuto Cellini and Lorenzo Ghiberti, two noted Italian sculptors. Pictures pocketed, we declare it close enough to 11am for it to be Pub O'Clock...

- A Wellington Appetiser -

Our designated meeting point will be the Wellington, with Jane and I arriving first and then keeping watch for our resident royal to appear along Bennetts Hill. A longstanding purveyor of excellent ales, the Welly is doing a roaring morning trade no doubt boosted by the early kick off at St Andrews later. We find a free table among the Bluenoses and peruse the pub's many CAMRA certificates, recognition of the esteem in which the place is held. Black Country Ales are the operators here and are launching their annual Ale Trail, requiring participants to visit 25 of their 53 pubs for the chance to win a polo shirt and case of beer. Rowton's Meteorite or Rooster's London Thunder ensures we get our passports stamped, just 24 more to go!

- Bartons Arms Tiling -

Finding the correct Moor Street bus stop among a mass of tram-related roadworks is no mean achievement but eventually we board the number 51 north into Newtown. The Bartons Arms is no stranger to the WME blog so we were concerned to hear that it had suddenly closed last year. Thankfully this turned out to be a temporary issue and normal service resumed in August with all the late Victorian splendour we know and love intact. I could wax lyrical about Minton tiles and wooden snob screens but you really have to see it for yourself to appreciate just how magnificent the interior truly is. Green Duck's Babylon and Black Sheep Bitter were the ales on show this time around, and we even snuck up the grand carpeted staircase for a cheeky peek inside the Palace of Varieties function suite. Spectacular doesn't do it justice!

- Yo Birmingham! -

From the Bartons Arms we head back across town so as to spend the afternoon in Digbeth, that melting pot district just beyond the Bull Ring which seems to set Birmingham's cultural heartbeat. You're never short of pub options - or street art - in this neck of the woods so we land in the Rainbow on the corner with Adderley Street, enticed by a lively Beavertown mural featuring a series of skeleton-like characters. Inch's Cider slips down nicely in a velvety back room noted for embossed gilded wallpaper, all rather refined. Sports screens show the football match with promotion-seeking Blues closing out a narrow victory over Wycombe Wanderers. 

- The Spotted Dog -

Knowing that hordes of fans will be descending imminently eager to celebrate said 1-0 result, we hotfoot it over to Alcester Street and the Irish mainstay that is the Spotted Dog. Our timing is impeccable, for no sooner have we armed ourselves with Holden's Mild and Aspalls than the place goes from virtually empty to packed out within the space of five minutes. Musician portraits and bottle candleholders caked in layers of wax are part of the charm, sitting in the side snug munching tasty salad cobs. I could literally have stayed in here all day but switch we must to the Old Crown on Deritend, reputedly one of Brum's most historic buildings. The timber frame is worthy of note, even if the 1368 date might be dubious; either way, this is equally as busy so it's standing room only joining the throng by the back yard cocktail van.

- Beware Woolfs with Big Balls -

Much of Digbeth's artistic sparkle centres around the Custard Factory, which probably feels a far cry from the days when Alfred Bird & Sons were manufacturing their prized yellow powder. Independent cafes, bars and workshops are to the fore, including Chance & Counters wherein you can sample craft beers and ciders whilst picking from an extensive range of board games; it's too full for us to get a table indoors but we can sit outside and partake of appley goodness. Birdies is similarly lively - we encounter Sharp's Cold River cider here in what appears to be a portakabin setting - before the fun and games go up a notch at the Roxy Lanes bowling alley. Let's just say Jane knows her way around a bowling ball!

- HRH shows how it's done -

Making ourselves at home on Lane 8 (with guardrail bumpers up due to our novice status), we progress through two competitive games of ten pin bowling. The first one sees The Woolf all triumphant, beating His Majesty and 'Ano Paul' with relatively ease having scored a strike with her very first attempt. The second game is a Paul versus Jane grudge match which Mr WME takes on the final frame, suddenly finding unerring accuracy that had otherwise been absent! Somersby Cider is selected from the bank of craft taps in ensuring we won't go thirsty, and besides the bowling they also offer shuffleboard, American Pool or 'Beer Pong' activities.

- Ruined in The Ruin? Not Quite! -

Darting beneath viaduct arches, we make the Ruin on Floodgate Street our final port of call for an apparent taste of European dive bar sensibilities. I can't comment on whether it replicates accurately the type of haunts you might find in Budapest or Prague but there's a mysterious shabbiness at play which makes for a nice contrast. Orchard Pig cider is detected, winning our vote ahead of the Purity UBU and Gold offerings, while scuffed furniture and courtyard murals add to the overall effect. All in all it's been a memorable day mixing old favourites with newer discoveries, dodging football fans and generally enjoying the Second City sunshine. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - February 2025

A few weeks ago I went on record as saying January had been the month with a little bit of everything, and it seems that February has taken that observation to heart by also endeavouring to spread its update wings across as many of my galleries as possible. There's quite a lot to get through...

... starting with the steadfast consistency of WME Staffordshire. Never one to shirk away from gaining new additions, Staffs is now the proud recipient of several Stafford snippets (Hop Pole pub signage, a Pat Collins funfair inflatable and some gleaming Railway Inn lettering), not to mention Stoke offerings in the form of Floyd Street with a railway station stop valve. Anyone yearning for the early days of spring might appreciate Victoria Park's colourful flowerbeds in shades of deep blue and primrose yellow.

Our other majestic mainstay is of course WME Wolverhampton which admirably keeps its own standards resolutely high. This time around it has focused upon Springfield and Tettenhall so if you are fans of St Michael & All Angels Church or Facebook-thumbed Banks's branding you are in for a treat! Time Trial markers at West Park hark back to the 2022 Commonwealth Games while a Bilston cheese platter recalls happy memories of jazz nights at the Trumpet.

Neck and neck for third place in the rankings are WME Birmingham and WME Dudley, locked together after nine neat arrivals each. Brum mostly swooped upon Stirchley, hence Plymouth Road and Wildcat beer arrows, although there was room for St Paul's Square and two Sommar Brewing references; Dudley meanwhile danced its way along the Stourbridge Sixteen lock flight with recourse to pause at the Bonded Warehouse for good measure. 

In other months, gaining seven new pictures would be enough to earn top billing and yet both WME Sandwell and WME Shropshire find themselves consigned to mid-table in February's bumper bounty. Sandwell consoles itself with Spon Lane Locks and a Haden Hill House Big Sleuth bear sculpture (remember those?) whereas Shropshire snuck along the Shrewsbury Canal for gunged-up reeds and an initial understanding as regards Uffington - cue Mill Lane and a vintage traffic sign indicating the way to Ellesmere and Whitchurch.

Trailing even further behind but with cause to be proud of their efforts come WME Solihull and WME Walsall. Solihull had been January's only missing link so it makes up for that irritating omission by selecting Shirley snapshots (think Longmore Road and the Shaking Hand micropub) and an Usk Way street sign from Smiths Wood. Walsall mostly concerned itself with town centre titbits, should you be interested in Tower Street or the Town Hall. 

Definitely among the stragglers we belatedly give a shout out to WME Telford and its quartet of Sutton Hill contributions, including the flat roofed church and the Hub on the Hill artwork. WME Worcestershire wangled a couple of Stourport pub pickings (hello to the Wheatsheaf and the Angel), leaving a slightly sheepish WME Coventry bringing up the rear with a single Stivichall Croft donation - every little helps! Until March, enjoy the photos.