Friday 8th June and you'd think we'd be getting on towards the height of summer, surely? Instead it's brollies, hoods and waterproofs (and pubs!) that are the order of the day for the Hub Marketing Board’s latest afternoon out, during which Chairman Mr D9 displayed his new ‘extreme bald spot’ hair style…
OLDBURY - 12:30pm is the designated meeting time as we congregate at the West Bromwich Hub ready for the 404 ride to Oldbury. The Chairman’s updated haircut was immediately into the action as we sought out the new Wetherspoon’s housed in Oldbury’s former public library. The Court of Requests is an excellent conversion, retaining various shelves of books to make me feel very much at work! We stock up on Old Thumper and gourmet burgers with a side order of ‘gourmet gas’ for Mr D9.
WARLEY – the weather is absolutely foul but we brave the deluge for a rummage around by the Merrivale, where we lament the closure of another landmark pub but console ourselves by finding a vintage closet in the undergrowth (Mr D9 was so excited he almost fell down an open manhole). The Thimblemill was still bedecked in the Jubilee spirit for our next escape from the rain.
BEARWOOD – there are two more landmark pubs to contend with here, but what else can you do when the elements conspire against you? The Abbey was one of Mr D9’s locals about ten years ago and he tells me it hasn’t changed much since, whilst The Bear Tavern gives us chance to go ‘barrel-spotting’ as the Chairman uses our window perch to do some impromptu reliability checks for route 82. For the record, we spotted Double Barrel but the original was not in attendance.
WINSON GREEN – the rain seems to be easing off a little, allowing for a bit of backstreet ferreting around Grove Street; sadly we couldn’t find the George so our suspicions that this might now be the Hono (Oh No!) Bar seem well founded. Winson Street brings us to the Bellfield, a sorry sight latterly but the shell of the building still conveys a sense of the traditional backstreet boozer this place once was. A quick Outer Circle hop brings us to the Acorn, a pleasant surprise of a pub with hints of old tiling. At least Andy’s criminal haircut narrowly avoided earning him a stay in the prison over the road!
HOCKLEY – after a very brief call at the Devonshire Arms (dubiously notable for some industrial-strength vinegar masquerading as Guinness), we found our way into the Railway, a proper no-frills local where the Euro 2012 football tournament was underway on the TV screens. We then convened in old favourite the Black Eagle, keeping dry over a pint of What the Fox’s Hat (Church End) whilst ensuring the full Hub Marketing promotional regalia was proudly visible.
KENRICK PARK – time is tight but with the weather predictably improving just as we have to head home, we sneak a final furtle around Kenrick Park where Andy homes straight in on the toilet block. The Cricketers Arms is our last stop of the day, coming to the crease with a cheap round of Tetleys that firmly ensured Mr D9 stole the Discount of the Day award, the cheek of it! Onto the Metro at Trinity Way and the Hub Marketing Board meeting was officially adjourned until next time. Despite the weather it had been an excellent afternoon, christening the new hair (what’s left of it) and pinning a few more markers into our hub pub map of the West Midlands.
OLDBURY - 12:30pm is the designated meeting time as we congregate at the West Bromwich Hub ready for the 404 ride to Oldbury. The Chairman’s updated haircut was immediately into the action as we sought out the new Wetherspoon’s housed in Oldbury’s former public library. The Court of Requests is an excellent conversion, retaining various shelves of books to make me feel very much at work! We stock up on Old Thumper and gourmet burgers with a side order of ‘gourmet gas’ for Mr D9.
- That Rainy Day Feeling -
WARLEY – the weather is absolutely foul but we brave the deluge for a rummage around by the Merrivale, where we lament the closure of another landmark pub but console ourselves by finding a vintage closet in the undergrowth (Mr D9 was so excited he almost fell down an open manhole). The Thimblemill was still bedecked in the Jubilee spirit for our next escape from the rain.
- Thimblemill Library -
BEARWOOD – there are two more landmark pubs to contend with here, but what else can you do when the elements conspire against you? The Abbey was one of Mr D9’s locals about ten years ago and he tells me it hasn’t changed much since, whilst The Bear Tavern gives us chance to go ‘barrel-spotting’ as the Chairman uses our window perch to do some impromptu reliability checks for route 82. For the record, we spotted Double Barrel but the original was not in attendance.
- In the Bear, minus hair -
WINSON GREEN – the rain seems to be easing off a little, allowing for a bit of backstreet ferreting around Grove Street; sadly we couldn’t find the George so our suspicions that this might now be the Hono (Oh No!) Bar seem well founded. Winson Street brings us to the Bellfield, a sorry sight latterly but the shell of the building still conveys a sense of the traditional backstreet boozer this place once was. A quick Outer Circle hop brings us to the Acorn, a pleasant surprise of a pub with hints of old tiling. At least Andy’s criminal haircut narrowly avoided earning him a stay in the prison over the road!
- The Bellfield, Winson Street -
HOCKLEY – after a very brief call at the Devonshire Arms (dubiously notable for some industrial-strength vinegar masquerading as Guinness), we found our way into the Railway, a proper no-frills local where the Euro 2012 football tournament was underway on the TV screens. We then convened in old favourite the Black Eagle, keeping dry over a pint of What the Fox’s Hat (Church End) whilst ensuring the full Hub Marketing promotional regalia was proudly visible.
- Vinegar -
KENRICK PARK – time is tight but with the weather predictably improving just as we have to head home, we sneak a final furtle around Kenrick Park where Andy homes straight in on the toilet block. The Cricketers Arms is our last stop of the day, coming to the crease with a cheap round of Tetleys that firmly ensured Mr D9 stole the Discount of the Day award, the cheek of it! Onto the Metro at Trinity Way and the Hub Marketing Board meeting was officially adjourned until next time. Despite the weather it had been an excellent afternoon, christening the new hair (what’s left of it) and pinning a few more markers into our hub pub map of the West Midlands.
- Cheers! -
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