Monday, April 13

Hub Marketing 2015: Bescot and County Bridge

Into April and the Hub Marketing Board embark on an afternoon adventure encompassing parts of Wednesbury, Darlaston and Willenhall. Silly songs and devious discounts await along with old canals, clay posts and closets, not to mention a pot of piccalilli...

- The Bescot Hotel Hub -
We pick up the action on Delves Green Road where the Chairman arrives fresh off his 45 and immediately gets excited about a disused Co-op store with window stickers for New Zealand lamb. The Secretary meanwhile has some sleeve items to unleash, beginning with a Broadway bus stop recalling the discontinued X80 service. In the Fullbrook there are Saddlers football flags to admire over an opening half of ale, then we home in on a hub photo opportunity courtesy of the Park Inn hotel on Bescot Crescent.

- Banks's Stadium Baldness -
The hotel and hub is situated right next door to the Banks's Stadium, home to Walsall Football Club since 1990. The photos continue with the Community Stand and the stadium's main entrance, although at one point a certain bald spot rudely interrupted the view! Having acknowledged the current ground it was only right and proper to include a Fellows Park homage, whereby the sight of Morrisons supermarket had Chairman D9 remembering days driving the 414 when it terminated outside the store.

- Pleck Park Closet -
It was now time for another example from the WME sleeve repertoire so we venture into Pleck Park where the green block groundkeeper's hut includes a locked up gents conveniences for Mr D9 to drool about. Elsewhere in the park, the cricket pitch was being prepared for the summer season while a bowling green boasted a reclaimed bus shelter seating area behind a security fence.

- Mild in the Myvod -
From Pleck Park we next brave the bowels of the M6 motorway, 'enjoying' the urban art represented by concrete support columns as we make use of the Junction 9 underpass footpath. Wood Green Academy is silent during the school holidays, then we mosey on over to the Myvod for a well-earned pint of Banks's Mild. Currently part of the Sizzling brand, the pub is situated on Park Lane just down the road from where the FH Lloyd Steelworks used to be. Their James Bridge foundry had been a major local employer prior to closure in the 1980s.

- Fallings Heath Cemetery Closet -
The Secretary's sleeve successes were coming thick and fast now, with arguably WME's finest discovery being the old closet block in Fallings Heath Cemetery (complete with brown tile ladies and gents lettering). The cemetery was formally consecrated in 1936 and the gates bear the proud crests of Wednesbury Borough Council from the days when the town was its own municipal authority.

- Station Street and Salisbury Street -
Back on Park Lane, we reflect a little more about the aforementioned FH Lloyds site before crossing into Heath Road for a ferret into Darlaston territory. Station Street feels quite industrial with factory chimneys whereas Salisbury Street Primary School provides a sense of continuity. The Chairman is on the lookout for disused bus stops and soon spots a prime candidate further up the road, then we have railway heritage to consider as we briefly investigate the footpath marking the old line behind Darlaston Swimming Baths.

- Richards' Fasteners -
Continuing along Richards Street, we soon reach the Imperial Works site that for many years was home to Charles Richards Fasteners Limited. Although much of the factory has been derelict for several years it is still an impressive and imposing feature either side of Heath Road. We speculate that some of the firm's former workers might well have drunk in the Nags Head on The Green back in the day, so we have a swift half in their honour and a couple of legs of darts.

- Bald Spot by The Boat -
Another pub that might have been frequented by Richards' employees could be the Boat on Bentley Road South, situated adjacent to the Walsall Canal. Although closed for some time, the pub building is still standing  (minus much of its roof) and appears to be the base for another of those ubiquitous car wash enterprises that crop up seemingly here there and everywhere. The Chairman's bald spot pays solemn tribute to a lost watering hole before a towpath stroll takes us the short distance to Bughole Bridge.

- D9 denied a discount? -
Early evening and tummies are rumbling as members make the acquaintance of the Robin Hood down on The Crescent. The Chairman knows this Black Country Ales establishment quite well but his hoped-for happy hour discount didn't quite materialise because we had a Bude beer rather than the BFG. Nonetheless, the ale quality was impressive as were the cobs and pork pies, the latter being accompanied by some piccalilli as the Secretary enthusiastically raided a fine selection of condiment jars.

- Bentley Canal at County Bridge -
There was one final flush of ferreting to account for before the day was done, hence canal remains were now set to become the centre of attention. Members therefore make their way through the County Bridge estate in search of Hopyard Bridge, Devon Road suffering some Des O'Connor-related chop suey-cide along the way. The Bentley Canal once connected the Wyrley & Essington at Wednesfield with the Anson Branch at Bentley Mill with parts of the old canal bed around County Bridge retained as a grassy walkway. 

- The Secretary Secures Victory -
A wander along the track from Hopyard Road takes us past the location of County Bridge itself to reach the spot where Farm Bridge once stood, now marked by some low red railings. From here it's but a short walk to the Noah's Ark off Clarkes Lane, a Marston's pub where the Secretary nearly scores a three-dart 101 checkout but still closes out a convincing 5-1 darts victory. The Chairman's consolation is a nightcap half in the Workers Rest in Willlenhall and a 25A bus ride home. A preserve-packed afternoon of marketing merriment and entertaining exploration is complete - Cheers!

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