D9 Goes Clubbing!

Another week, another storm or so it seems given the wild weather recently. Wolverhampton has gotten off lightly compared to other areas of the Midlands (and indeed the country as a whole), but the Hub Marketing Board still need to don their waterproofs when preparing for whatever Jorge might throw our way...

- Electrical excitement? -

Friday 28th February 2020 and the rain is already bucketing down as members meet at Wolverhampton St George's tram stop. The foul conditions can't dampen our enthusiasm though as this is a day dedicated to clubbing, albeit not of the rave-cum-dancefloor variety (the Chairman had a full head of hair the last time he did that kind of thing). No, we'll be acting our age by seeking out some of the local social club establishments we'd never got round to visiting, starting down Chapel Ash with the Electric Club on St Mark's Road. 

- A Meldrew moment on the dartboard -

Having its roots in the Electricity Department at Wolverhampton Council, the club has been based at this site since 1946 and is represented in many local sporting leagues (snooker, darts and dominoes among others). Visitors are asked to put 50p in an honesty box so we happily oblige before taking to the oche ourselves. Armed with quality pints of Holden's Golden Glow, we share the opening two legs with Chairman D9 exclaiming "I don't believe it!" when his treble 11 goes in. Unfortunately for the Destroyer that's as good as it gets because WME Whirlwind summons up a deadly double 17 checkout to take a narrow 2-1 victory. 

- Literally an Old School hub photo -

Pubby possibilities in the Chapel Ash area include the Clarendon Hotel, the Combermere Arms and even the Grill House (though that's more of a restaurant these days). We however test the robustness of the route 1 bus timetable by heading across town to the Dudley Road, Secretary WME wanting to cash in a sleeve hub at the former schoolhouse. The multicultural nature of Blakenhall is very apparent with a range of sari stores and Indian sweet shops, whereas the Old Ash Tree is a throwback Banks's boozer near the Fighting Cocks junction. 

- The Secretary after a dodgy pint? -

Still on the Dudley Road, we note that the British Queen (on the corner with Chapel Street) has been gutted with a view to redevelopment - another pub bites the dust perhaps? Back towards town, the New Bar & Lounge (previously Billa's) was historically known as the Ship & Rainbow, a famous music nightspot in its time having hosted the likes of Raymond Froggatt, Alexis Korner and the Spencer Davis Group during the 1960s. A quick Carling helps us pay homage to this musical heritage and then a soggy trudge through Graiseley gives us some street art to admire - no that isn't a WME self portrait!

- Poised for Pennfields -

At Lea Road a wait for the 2 means we linger by the spot where the Midland Counties dairy once stood; a true Wolverhampton landmark, the dairy was demolished in 1988 and ignominiously replaced by a drive-thru McDonalds - apparently you used to be able to see the milk bottles whizzing around on conveyor belts. Onwards we go to our second club of the day, Pennfields Bowling & Social off Coalway Road. This turns out to be a real treat, sitting in an atmospheric hut looking out over two crown greens with St Philip's Church for a backdrop. Holden's Bitter and Samuel Smith's Taddy Lager are our tipples of choice here, very enjoyable indeed.

- Penn Bowling & Social Club -

A suburban evening stroll through semi-detached Penn gives the Chairman chance to hone his shooting skills on a discarded table football set. Penn Road has a clutch of shops and takeaways, plus the Roebuck as a Banks's roadhouse, then our final clubbing call is the Penn Bowling & Social Club on Manor Road. Immaculate facilities and excellent ales make a stonking first impression with Castle Rock's Snow White pale drinking very nicely - only bettered in fact by the hefty cheese, onion and black pudding cobs. So concludes possibly one of the most restrained clubbing sessions on record - cheers!