Dudley Winter Ales Fayre 2025

Surely it can't be the end of November already? I triple check the calendar and there's no getting away from the fact that 2025 is fast vanishing, but this time of year always carries certain compensations in the form of the Dudley Winter Ales Fayre. This staple of the West Midlands beer festival scene has become an absolutely essential event - I've attended every one they've staged since 2010 - and the latest edition promises to be a bonanza of beer, grey peas and crackling company...

- Town Hall Temptations -

Trip Log: 28th November 2025 and our preferred Friday afternoon slot at Dudley Town Hall has been lined up for weeks if not months. Jane and I make the journey over from Tettenhall Wood aboard the number 1 bus whereas Nick travels from in Warwick via the 87, giving him a tour of Smethwick and Oldbury he could probably have done without. One way or another, we all converge upon St James Road at around half past eleven, greeted by the now-familiar CAMRA banner with its approximations of prickly holly leaves. £12 entry gets me my kit of tokens, glass and programme so let's see what's up for sampling this year...

- Serious about Snowflake -

No sooner have we set foot inside than Jane strides straight to the cider stand eager to get the lowdown on which from the sixteen offerings best fits her personal tastes - Snails Bank Fruit Bat is a sensible start with combinations of berry fruit. Nick is already circling, armed with his Loch Lomond Silkie Stout so I join him on the dark side courtesy of Northdown's Tidal Moon Stout, a Margate-based brew described as "brimming with dark chocolate, boozy cherry and a hint of vanilla tannins" - I don't disagree with that assessment. The chance to try some special heavyweight ales which are only brewed in anticipation of the festive period is part of Dudley's attraction, hence Nick makes sure to garner a glug of Sarah Hughes Snowflake barley wine before dwindling stocks run out completely. His eyebrows confirm that he likes it rather a lot!

- A Trip to Valhalla? -

Other favourites in line for royal reacquaintance include Enville's Gothic Ginger and Holden's Old Ale, a treacly treat he always likes to seek out. I'm experimenting with a varied selection of stuff I've never tried before; Ickle's Purple therefore carries notes of Vimto - I kid you not - then Cult of Oak's 1138 Matildine Mild delivers a "smooth, malty depth that evokes the defiance of Empress Matilda’s forces during the 1138 Siege of Dudley" (quite how they know these things is questionable but my besieged tastebuds aren't objecting to the spicy clove-laden mixture). Our cider correspondent Jane has taken it upon herself to alternate between lower and higher strength tipples, with locally-produced Mousesweet Valhalla vying with Oak & Axe for her affections - she's a woman not to be messed with if dangerous weaponry is present!

- Hearty Sustenance -

Collectively we've taken up residence in the Tommy Mundon Lounge where we can witness first hand how popular the Little Devils food menu is proving. Every year I look forward to the snacks almost as much as the beer, such is the enjoyment to be gained by gorging on Black Country delicacies. The menu involves simple good grub, from huge cobs to tubs of faggots, mash and mushy peas, or cottage pie with a cheesy topping, not forgetting burly bricks of bread pudding you could use as doorstops if you chose not to eat them. For me however it has to be the grey peas and bacon accompanied by a buttered slice, a dish of delight if ever there was one! Miss Woolf meanwhile gets her wish for a roast pork bap, using all her powers of persuasion to secure the biggest bits of crackling available!

- Chancing the Charlton House -

Back with the booze, Jane is persuaded to try a Pear & Chilli perry (she declares herself partial to this once it is confirmed that the heat isn't overpowering) whereas I spend up on a Cinder Toffee Stout that fuses the taste of charcoal ash with Crunchie bars. The festival fun may be now done and dusted but we maintain tradition by embarking upon a little pubcrawl. Our old standby the Courthouse is currently closed after Black Country Ales chose to divest themselves of the premises, so we're grateful that Bathams' Lamp Tavern is still as good as ever at the top of Blowers Green Road. Here, rear lounge musings on the state of the Higher Education sector are accompanied by wonky picture frames and ornamental zebras, then we relocate to my wildcard choice of the Charlton House on Priory Street. An elegant townhouse facade belies a relatively plain interior with down-to-earth regulars seeming mostly friendly. Guiness suffices in the side room as a young pushchair-wielding couple play darts.

- A.I. Moments in the Malt Shovel -

Whether a respectable royal such as Nick ever wants to be seen in the Charlton House again is a matter for debate, but it's safe to say he'd have no aversion to revisiting the Malt Shovel. This Dudley town centre gem has retained its berth in the Good Beer Guide and demonstrates why with an immaculate serving of Titanic Plum Porter Grand Reserve; conversation turns to the daunting topic of artificial intelligence whereby His Majesty and Jane ponder the possibiity of sentient computer entities ever turning on their human masters. Should the machines one day succeed in achieving world domination, I hope they leave us in peace to enjoy Dudley Winter Ales for many more years to come. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - November 2025

Over in Australia, the grunt and thrust of The Ashes cricket is underway as old rivals slug it out over a small but symbolic urn. Nothing quite so dramatic can be detected on the West Midlands Exploration photostream however, even though various galleries have been peacably updated...

Howzat!! First out to bat for this monthly update is - somewhat unusually - WME Shropshire, which more often than not counts itself right among the tail-enders but has been inexplicably promoted to open the innings. Why should this be the case I hear you speculate? Bridgnorth is almost entirely responsible for this turn of events, supplying a dozen new arrivals including the Northgate Museum, the New Inn and the instantly recognisable Ridleys Seeds lettering. The town's Severn Valley Railway Station ambles up to the crease too, yielding footbridge safety directives and a vintage advertisement for Morris Lubricants.

Also willing to weigh in with some serious strokeplay is WME Dudley, boosted by bits and pieces from Brierley Hill and Blowers Green. The Jones Brothers clock has been a favoured timepiece on Brierley Hill High Street for many a year so it's nice to give that the recognition it deserves, albeit you'll have to decide whether Adelaide Street and Link 51 are as worthy of attention. Black Delph Bridge and the Moor Centre swell the run-rate a little, then you get the customary dash of street signage thanks to Fox Foot Drive or Blowers Green Road.

The middle order engine room is populated by the redoutable pair of WME Birmingham and WME Wolverhampton. Brum takes on some Commonwealth Games deliveries courtesy of Perry the bull mascot, aided by Brasshouse pub lettering and the gilded bronze of Boulton, Watt and Murdoch's statue. Oakham Brewery beermats in Boldmere plus the sad Hodge Hill remnants of the demolished Comet pub also punctuate the scorecard, whereas the power hitting from Wolverhampton is mostly reserved for Bradmore's selection of street signs.

Fancying a role as a demon spinner, WME Worcestershire tantalisingly twirls its way to a trio of Bromsgrove additions (namely St Godwalds Road and some railway station orientation materials). It is joined in the slow bowling stakes by the irrepressible WME Walsall with Bloxwich offbreaks related to the Old Hall Trading Estate and a High Street cafe. The pace unit meanwhile numbers WME Telford (with Blists Hill coal lumps), WME Sandwell (Cyder and Cobb making a second Blackheath appearance) and WME Coventry (the lowest-scoring player of the lot, earning just its third picture of the year in the form of empty beer casks at the Broomfield Tavern). That completes our batting card - until next month, enjoy the pictures!

Perton and Pattingham with Mr D9

Here's a strange little puzzle for you: Mr D9 and Secretary WME have been at this Hub Marketing lark for nearly 15 years now, covering all manner of places around the West Midlands and beyond yet not once had we visited Perton or Pattingham. Somehow this little corner of South Staffordshire had evaded the Board's inspections until one gusty Monday evening at the tail end of 2025...

- Perton is Primed -

The Secretary is no stranger to Perton of course, having taken photos of the still-expanding estate several times over the years; in fact, following a recent house move, Mr WME should be getting to know the area even better in future. That said, it is worth repeating that Perton occupies the site of a former RAF airfield initially set up during the First World War and then re-established with three runways between 1940/41 and 1946. Housing took over from the 1970s onwards and current developments such as that underway at Wrottesley Village mean the local population is set to grow further. Anders Square is at the heart of things with the Civic Centre, the Church at Perton, a Sainsbury's store and other shopping provision based here.

- Oxford Gold in the Wrottesley Arms -

This is a Hub Marketing summary and this means there must be pubs. The Wrottesley Arms takes on the role of our rendezvous location, Mr D9 eagerly getting himself into position circa 4pm ready to be joined by the Secretary once he's finished his shift. Brakspear Oxford Gold is a satisfactory start to drinking dispatches although it's the £2.70 Happy Hour price that really has the Chairman grinning. The bar room is a lively place with groups of chaps watching a replay of Leeds v Aston Villa on the Sky Sports screens while other folks play pool. A huge inflatable Christmas tree is another standout feature while Mr WME approves of the framed promotional covers of hockey club publications.

- Shropshire Sun in the Ale Hub -

After giving the Wrott a big thumbs up we decamp next door where a micropub can be found as part of the Anders Square precinct. Any establishment called the Ale Hub definitely requires our attention and this does not disappoint, proving a relaxing setting for a refreshing pint of Hobson's Shropshire Sun whilst sat on chunky Chesterfield-styled sofas. The Chairman gets himself a new canine chum when stroking the Staffie loitering by the bar, the scent of his own chihuahuas likely causing the surge of interest. We can't stay long because we've got a bus to catch, so we scramble over by Sainsbury's to intercept the 10A beside the petrol garage.

- Totem at Twilight? -

It takes little over ten minutes to reach Pattingham, although negotiating the dark lanes of Nurton and Great Moor isn't much fun in the dark. An attractive and affluent village based around St Chad's Church, Pattingham has had its fair share of previous blog entries although always during daylight hours whenever Mr WME has dropped by before. The bus terminates outside a small run of shops just shy of the Pigot Arms, and by the Chairman's calculations we've got roughly half an hour to do two pubs plus gather any required photographic content. The totem by the village hall is duly snaffled, as is Patshull Road and a Burnhill Green sign.

- The Pigot Arms -

A brace of boozers at rapid pace - no problem! We dash straight into the Crown, tucked away on High Street just down from St Chad's lych gate and my is it busy! Standing room only on a Monday night is impressive going for a pub out in the sticks, but the quality of the ale is a clue as to why it might be so popular - the Plum Porter is outstanding. We seek brief refuge in the back room near the dartboard, noting neat mining lamps as added wall decor, then switch to the Pigot Arms for Timothy Taylor's Landlord and a bus-watching brief from the front window. It's quieter in here, but by no means dead, and the beer is perfectly acceptable too so we can easily envisage paying Pattingham a longer visit in the not-too-distant future.

- Would you let this man loose near your bus shelter? -

Our haste has been necessitated by not wanting to be stranded without a return bus, albeit Mr D9 gets very nervous standing by an oak shelter that was the subject of complaints when a timetable case was erected! Our desired 10A doesn't let us down and the ride is enlivened by two Ronnie Corbett silly songs ('Fanny' and 'Big Man'), not to mention a hedgerow-dodging steering demonstration from the Chairman. Progress has been such that we've enough time for a Pear & Partridge nightcap back in Perton, sampling more Plum Porter as well as Wye Valley Butty Bach; again this proves encouragingly busy with 1970s Wolves programmes providing some of the Molineux-themed decoration. Cheers!

Chip Foundation Chronicles: BURSLEM

Chronicles No. 90 is a belated birthday adventure in honour of Mr Beardsmore. True, Stephen did turn 61 back in October so we're a few weeks behind schedule, what with busy calendars and a house move having delayed things until a suitable date became available. As with his birthday trips from 2022 and 2023, we've picked out the Potteries for the resultant pubcrawl...

- Lemmy Forever -

Trip Log: Saturday 22nd November 2025 and we're very much following on from that 2023 episode by returning to Burslem for a second bite of the Mother Town cherry. We'd covered a fair bit two years ago but by no means everything, so we're all set for fun once a very crowded Manchester Piccadilly train has deposited us at Stoke-on-Trent Station at 10:48. One earnest hello to Josiah Wedgwood later, we combine the 40A and 39A buses (switching at Hanley) to pitch up in the heart of Burslem. One notable development since we were last in the vicinity is the installation of a statue remembering legendary bass guitarist Ian Fraser Kilmister - known to adoring rock music fans as 'Lemmy' - who fronted both Hawkwind and Motorhead. Mr B is quite partial to the genre and approves of a Lemmy Forever tribute across adjacent windows.

- Pointing to Port Vale -

It's a stereotypical November day weather-wise - drab, dreary and drizzly - but we're keen to see one of the grand old stages of Midlands football. Vale Park has been home to Port Vale FC since 1950 and is an old-fashioned ground merely a short walk from Burslem Town Centre. Like in 2023, our visit has coincided with a matchday and fans are already assembling for the 12:30 kickoff against Plymouth Argyle. We mingle happily among the throng, checking out the Vale Store club shop (where a line in branded Christmas trees with bearded gnome baubles is subject to a special offer) and spotting a statue of legendary manager John Rudge in flat cap.

- Burslem Park -

Ken has been there and done that many times in terms of watching football in the rain and the cold (decades of penance at St Andrews supporting Blues imbue in him a certain stoicism) but we've no wish to sit in the stands today. Instead we'll let the pre-game rush subside with a little snoop around Burslem Park, which is literally across Hamil Road from the stadium. We're not seeing the park at its best and yet it still conveys a sense of Victorian civic pomp, not least the Tudor Revival-styled Pavilion overlooking a rather fine terrace lawn with ornamental fountains. Other key aspects are a sizeable lake, a replacement bandstand and a Pulhamite rockery, then we spot a peculiar sculpture representing the life cycle of a mayfly - how intriguing.

- The Bursley Ale House -

Many of Burslem's pubs had opened early to facilitate pre-match imbibing, and given that Port Vale's footballing fortunes this season aren't much better than those of Wolves I suspect some of the drinking might have helped prepare for the worst! Things have quietened down a bit by the time we make the Bursley Ale House our first liquid refreshment haunt, taking a shine to an old townhouse setting opposite the former Wedgwood Printworks. Nick dodges a draught when positioning himself in front of a cabinet of casks, although the Castle Rock Mysterons ale apparently isn't to his taste - perhaps Captain Scarlet would like it more? 

- Johnys Micro Pub -

The royal tastebuds are much more partial to the beer in our next chosen establishment, Hog Noggins serving up both Bass and Titanic Plum Porter Grand Reserve in exemplary condition. This is a friendly little place with staff all wearing Port Vale replica shirts; we make ourselves comfortable to reflect on England's Ashes capitulation in Perth (like Wolves, another cheerful topic!) then relocate a few doors down to the New Inn for Beardsmore bleach, Guinness and televised football - at least West Brom are losing. The New Inn fills the gap while we wait for Johnys Micro Pub to open at 2pm, and I must say I'm glad we lingered. Not only is Dancing Duck's Dark Drake oatmeal stout available - with delicious whispers of liquorice - but the setting is perfect micropub fare, small but perfectly formed.

- An Old Dog in the Reginald Mitchell -

We could happily have stayed in Johnys much longer but the final whistle has blown at Vale Park and the home fans are arriving en masse to drown their sorrows after a 1-0 defeat. We take our cue to sup up and seek a bus connection, albeit the traffic gods aren't being kind to us with a lot of to-be-expected football-related congestion. The 103 down from Crewe does show up eventually, linking us back into Hanley where we make the Reginald Mitchell our dining contender for the day. You know what you're getting with Wetherspoons most of the time, and this one has a reasonably grand setting in the town's old Meat Market building. Stephen might want to send out a search party for his lack of chips whereas Nick goes all oriental for a steaming bowl of Korean chicken with rice, and Ken is the only one of us with sporting reason to smile given that Blues are comprehensively beating Norwich.

- A Large Dog at Hanley Town Hall -

Time is ticking on and our intended look around Longton will be saved for another day. Instead we can marvel at a pair of giant Staffordshire dogs guarding Hanley Town Hall before rounding things off at the Coachmakers Arms: one, because it's extremely handy for the bus station and two, because it's a cracking traditional multiroomed boozer that can be relied upon to serve great beer. Peakstones Rock's '20 is Plenty' is a case in point, a darker brew with a hoppy edge that hails from a brewery based in Cheadle. The rear left room offers perimeter bench seating and the BBC Radio Stoke football phone-in plus the outhouse gents loos are very much in demand too. With that, we intercept the number 23 Blurton bus and troop to Stoke railway station in time for the 17:44 train. Belated birthday wishes Mr B, cheers!

Coalport China Museum

It's time to get potty about porcelain as Bookworm Bygrave and I continue with our investigations of the Ironbridge Gorge. The Coalport China Museum awaits our joint attentions as a celebration of clay-based creations...

- A Terrific Teapot -

Trip Log: Sunday 16th November and we're all set for an afternoon in sleepy Shropshire. One of eight operational sites currently overseen by the Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust (although stewardship is due to transfer to the National Trust in March 2026), Coalport China Museum is housed in a former factory that was originally established by John Rose way back in 1795. We begin our tour in the gift shop and reception area, immediately spotting a huge teapot which I could easily imagine keeping the Bygrave family freshly supplied with their favourite beverage.

- Vivacious Vases -

The Coalport name is known around the world as an exemplar in bone china and ceramics, so it is fitting that the museum showcases many examples of what would have been produced in the area. From highly elaborate vases to commemorative plates for royal occasions, there is such a lot to see and admire. One upstairs gallery is dedicated to the Caughley Collection, featuring soft-paste porcelain made near Broseley, while a Study Room has a selection of seminal textbooks and catalogues for those undertaking detailed pottery research.

- Workshop Aprons -

Having perused the exhibitions and carefully-presented cabinets, we proceed across cobbles into the Long Workshop where we can get a flavour of the manufacturing process. A recent arrival is a hefty red stirring machine transferred up from a company in Gloucestershire - it's a serious bit of kit, throughly splattered with years worth of dried droplets, and was used to mix slip or liquefied clay. The River Severn is rising high just beyond the workshop's back door so a few precious items have been repositioned in case of flooding; Emily and I are interested to hear about the different moulds and designs that are still crafted here but the unexpected star of the show is an adorable Staffordshire bull terrier who seems to like me more than Miss B.

- A Very Fetching Bonnet! -

Had Emily taken umbrage at this display of canine favouritism, she soon has reason to feel much happier when the Social History section has us reliving the lives of ceramics workers in centuries gone by through the medium of headwear. As you can see, my dubious choice of bonnet isn't quite the look a self-respecting Paul usually goes for but Miss Bygrave insists it suited me very well. One curious-sounding job title would have been the Saggar Makers' Bottom Knocker, with saggars being sturdy protective cases in which precious porcelain objects would be placed ready for firing in the kiln. 

- Bottle Kiln Aglow -

Talking of the kiln, one of the surviving bottle-shaped structures is a key part of the attraction, evocatively representing the sights and sounds of this key stage of manufacturing. Saggars would be piled high in bungs or columns, with the kiln operators carrying them on their heads whilst using their hands to climb up tall ladders. It is said that it could take two whole days to fill the kiln prior to it being lit, and it's very atmospheric when lighting effects have it glowing bright red as we make our way around. Preserving the kilns is a considerable task hence the Trust rely on traditional techniques such as lime mortaring to help manage the old bricks.

- Coalport Bridge -

Having gained a deeper appreciation for all things pottery, Miss Bookworm and I explore a little more of the wider Coalport setting. Part of the former industrial complex has become a Youth Hostel complete with coffee shop from which we can obtain takeaway hot choclates, then a riverside stroll brings us to Coalport Bridge as erected circa 1818. The Woodbridge beckons for Brunning & Price high quality hospitality, both in terms of the beer options - Titanic's Cappuccino Stout, Three Tuns Solstice - and the food. Faultless roast pork with additional cauliflower cheese and pigs in blankets is indulgence par excellence, and for pudding the sticky toffee is to die for. I have a feeling we'll be back for more - cheers!

Lost Pubs from the WME Archives #42

I'm in a reflective mood again, blowing the cobwebs off another dusty box of memories to see what else can join our photographic parade of perished public houses. The 42nd episode of the Lost Pubs Series therefore brings you four from Dudley plus a South West outlier from Somerset's county town...

- The Barley Mow -

We'll start with a Stourbridge selection which takes us to Wollaston (in the dark no less). The Barley Mow was a typical Banks's estate affair nestled near the apex where High Street meets Vicarage Road with frontages on either side of the fork. I had the pleasure of visiting a couple of times and always found it a friendly sort of place; the second of those calls was a specially convened Hub Marketing meeting in 2013 when we'd heard it was imminently due to close forever. Those reports were true - it has been turned into a Sainsbury's Local shop. 

- The Royal Exchange -

To Brockmoor next for a brace of boozers which were not very far away from each other. The first of these is the Royal Exchange on Bankwell Street, just off Wallows Road. Like the Barley Mow, this would have been a Banks's tied house back in the day, built on a slight slope with a  ramp leading up to the front door. The pub seems to have shut between 2012 and 2014, after which the building was taken on by Chimera for retail use as some kind of gaming enterprise.

- The Brockmoor House -

Also hailing from Brockmoor is the eponymous Brockmoor House which could be found on the crossroads where High Street, Hickman Road and Station Road all intersect. Black Country Ales had this one for a while, although it never seemed to be a successful venture for them, and it was during their stewardship that Mr D9 and I popped in for some BFG in January 2013. I don't know the exact date of closure but it's been many years since this one was operational, and the condition of the premises is gradually deteriorating to a worrying extent.

- The Crown -

Our fourth and final offering from the Dudley Metropolitan Borough area involves wandering over to Woodside, where the Crown would have served the residents of the adjacent Holly Hall housing estate. Redolent of the type of small box-like pubs that popped up in the 1950s and 1960s, it was located on Highgate Road just along from Woodside Primary School and the local Community Centre. One Stop are the current convenience-oriented occupiers.

- Masons Arms -

I've promised you a further flung finale so let's take a brief trip to Taunton and pay homage to the Masons Arms. Being somewhat off my usual patch, there isn't much I can tell you about this one other than to say it is positioned on Magdalene Street practically next door to the Perkin Warbeck (Wetherspoons) rear entrance, and it would have been a free house. The building was still there last year, with basic signage, but looks long-term closed to me.

A Devonshire Diary: Torquay Tales

It's the end of October which means a certain Beardsmore birthday is imminent. Last year we marked Stephen's 60th by going on a coach trip holiday to Scarborough but for his 61st we'll be at the opposite end of the country. Here comes our Devonshire Diary... 

- Torquay Town Dock -

I call it our Devonshire diary because that's where we'll be staying, enjoying the hospitality of a Daish's Hotel high up on the headland overlooking Torquay Harbour. Travelling down on 27th October after a 9:30am Monday morning pick-up at Wolverhampton's Faulkland Street coach station, we make fair M5 headway with a couple of motorway services interludes. Checking in at roughly half past three, we can get in a familiarisation foray prior to our evening meal once we've negotiated the somewhat notorious Parkhill Road gradient. Town Dock and Inner Dock are part of an extensive marina complex which is home to some seriously expensive-looking boats. The area around Cary Parade and the Strand has been impressively landscaped in recent years and immediately feels like a very nice place to be. 

- Posing Peter -

One of Torquay's claims to fame is that it was the birthplace of the celebrated crime writer and national treasure Agatha Christie in 1890 hence a statue depicts her sitting near the waterside with beloved dog Peter at her feet. The meal back at the hotel goes well, getting to know our fellow guests including Fred and Sue from Sedgley - they've been married for 55 years give or take, that's some commitment! We brave the precipitous descent again in order to sample two of Torquay's hostelries; the Cider Press is a standard town centre boozer serving up a nice drop of Dartmoor Legend but I quickly develop a soft spot for the TQ Beerworks Taphouse positioned on the seafront. They sell a varied selection of craft brews plus some of their own beery creations, with Lord Twiggington's Best Bitter rating very highly in my estimations.

- Breakwater Beardsmore -

Tuesday 28th October is dedicated to all things Torbay as we give the English Riviera our full concentration on a day of gorgeous autumnal sunshine. The bright skies entice us to Brixham with a ride on the number 12 bus via Preston, Paignton and Goodrington. Brixham is arguably the quaintest of the three Torbay towns and looks an absolute treat on this showing; we muse on Middle Street for glimpses of the Golden Hind (a replica of Sir Francis Drake's famous ship which was used for global circumnavigation between 1577 and 1580) before our adventurous streak kicks in for a walk along the town's breakwater arm stretching half a mile in enclosing one edge of the harbour. The lighthouse at the far end is currently undergoing a major repaint.

- Brixham Harbour -

The harbour offers a sunkissed spectacle with pastel-shaded buildings adding to the postcard quality of the scene. Murals near the central car park carry depictions of Winston Churchill and Horatio Nelson before we check out a couple of pubs: the Crown & Anchor is on the quayside and has been the preserve of fishermen for centuries - I have a cracking pint of Firebrand's Gingerbread Porter here - whereas the Golden Lion can be found on New Road further out from the Town Hall, catching our eye with cuddly koalas and a collection of pastoral plates. A fish market, Fuller's Pasties (to sate Mr B's sausage roll cravings) and marina moorings make for a productive photographic period with snack-related punctuation. A special seaside visit!

- Popeye on Paignton Pier -

Paignton has a tough time matching that when we intercept another 12 for the shortish stretch to the bus station interchange I remember from 2006. I've never felt like I've done Paignton full justice in terms of camera captures but we make good inroads by greeting 'Goliath', one of the Dartmouth Steam Railway locomotives which is pulling onto the heritage platforms just when we happen to be passing. Paignton Harbour is a pleasure to investigate, watched over by the Harbour Light St Austell inn albeit our choice of establishment is the less glamorous Henry's Bar on Torbay Road. They're keen to make the most of their 2026 Good Beer Guide listing here yet I'm more swayed by the prospect of Sam's Cider than Trooper or Doom Bar. A peek at Paignton Pier meanwhile has us meeting Popeye, Buzz Lightyear and Minnie Mouse so we really are seeing all the sights of Devon so far this week!

- Train Tracks at Dawlish Sea Wall -

Depending on your liking for transport locations, Devon's sights don't come much more iconic than Dawlish Sea Wall where the West Coast Main Line hurtles along metres from the shore. We get our chance to walk along this remarkable rugged railway hotspot on Wednesday 29th October, this after catching the number 11 double decker bus from Torquay to Dawlish Warren via St Marychurch, Shaldon and Teignmouth. Dawlish Warren has an exposed halt of a station which serves the surrounding family fairgrounds, caravan parks and a sandy spit of a nature reserve that protrudes into the River Exe estuary. Although we'd prefer drier weather, there's something about strolling the sea wall in the mizzle that adds to the atmosphere, especially when we reach a section that had to be rebuilt due to damage from the 2014 Great Storm.

- A Brace of Black Swans -

Having negotiated the mile and a half trek into the centre of Dawlish itself, we keenly look out for examples of the town's black swans (a species which are apparently native to Australia so the South West must have come as a culture shock back in the 1900s). Several swans along with other varieties of waterfowl look very much at home on Dawlish Water - the town's main brook - despite ongoing installation works to fit underground storage tanks, a disruptive but necessary project that should protect against future storm surges. Stephen and I then pause for a pint in the Brunswick Arms (make mine a Dartmoor Jail Ale please), followed by sweet treats from Gay's Creamery. This family business has been operational for over 100 years now and my ice cream comes with a bonus scoop of local clotted cream on top - delicious!

- A Spooky Customer in Teignmouth? -

The bus earlier had tempted us with Teignmouth so we're intent on stopping there for a mooch on the way back. Alighting by the Esplanade, our circuit covers Teignmouth Pier - where the independent amusement arcade at the front is still going but the damaged deck remains out of bounds - the Promenade and the Strand. Although we have no need to use it ourselves, it's interesting to see the Shaldon Ferry rowing boat which has taken foot passengers across the River Teign possibly since Saxon times, giving it a claim to be the oldest such service in the country. Of the local inns, it's the Blue Anchor which earns our custom on the strength of a Good Beer Guide recommendation; the resultant glass of Exeter Brewery's Darkness seems highly appropriate for this time of year, I believe the resident skeleton also approves!

- Newton Abbot Public Library -

To Thursday 30th October, our last day in Devon and - more importantly - the occasion of the aforementioned Beardsmore birthday. Stephen is in a relatively chipper mood despite sporting frustrations that saw defeats for England Men and Women's cricket on the Wednesday, while the less said about Wolves this season the better. Anyway, we've nominated Newton Abbot as our destination once the good old number 12 does its business again (via Kingskerswell). I'm not a fan of Newton Abbot bus station - an ugly Sherborne Road multistorey car park does it no favours whatsoever - but am intrigued by both the livestock market and the public library. The latter was commissioned in 1902 after John Passmore Edwards donated it in memory of his mother, hence it is distinctively constructed out of Devon limestone.

- Ye Olde Cider Bar -

Other marvellous Newton Abbot edifices include St Leonard's Tower (700+ years old or so we're told) and the Railway Station, which opened in 1846 and historically had branches to both Paignton and Moretonhampstead. Heritage of a more agricultural persuasion is next to be savoured at Ye Olde Cider Bar, one of relatively few surviving true ciderhouses nationally and therefore a highly cherished institution. Appley nectar is served straight from huge barrels and wooden benches have been worn smooth by countless backsides over several decades. Sam's Medium and Dry options are both duly taste-tested by yours truly whilst Mr B ponders a succession of sepia gatherings showing the Long Bar Cork Club's outings of yore.

- A Very Fine Hat, Sir! -

Elsewhere on East Street, the Locomotive has its own C17th charms (plus a chatty landlord telling us about getting the old fireplace seen to), then Newton Abbot Museum is housed in a former chapel complete with requisite stained glass windows. I have a go at pulling signalling levers while Stephen gamely models a most fetching hat, and we've time to try out Tucker's Maltings as a Teignworthy Brewery premises (partially) before the return bus. Our final night in Torquay is spent quietly at the Devonshire, reflecting on our holiday and trying to ignore the worst bits of some entertainer or other crooning along to Abba, Bobby Darin and Elvis. Those Devon days disappeared before we knew it, and come Friday 31st we're homeward bound once more. Happy birthday Stephen and thanks for the fun!

WME Flickr Focus - October 2025

Something had to give eventually. After four long months of total Exploration Extra domination, the WME Flickr photostream has finally returned to a normality of sorts by welcoming additions from the West Midlands region again. This means my pictorial exploits can live up to my blog title after all - here's what has arrived during October...

My first port of call involves the safe hands of WME Dudley where the Black Country Living Museum takes centre stage. The regional attraction's 'Forging Ahead' project has involved the creation of a several new exhibits showcasing local life from the 1940s to the 1960s, hence my photos take inspiration from comic annuals, soap sud packages and domestic breakfast tables alongside the more usual fare of bus blinds and boat numbers. In Sedgley, the Beacon Hotel has empty beer glasses drained of Dark Ruby Mild while Belle Vale over in Halesowen ensures I meet my street sign obligations without too much bother.

WME Walsall is next up, breezing around Brownhills for glimpses of Becks Bridge (on the Wyrley & Essington Canal), the Anchor Garage on Lindon Road and even a piece of Eeyore street art. A succession of mostly brown street signs also muscle in, comprising the likes of Pauls Coppice and Pier Street. This is backed by WME Birmingham which manages to avail itself of respective pub letterings from both the Aston Hotel and the Bartons Arms, the latter gem having worryingly closed again recently despite being a spectacular setting for a pint. 

When I'm not obsessed with Exploration Extra matters, you can almost guarantee that WME Wolverhampton is never far from an update (or several). A diet of Bantock Park leaves and blooms might be good for photostream health, whereas the Banks's 'Tells It Like It Is' artworks feel somewhat forlorn after retrospective news that the brewery is closing. Bilston shoehorns in its Lidl supermarket and an evening extract for the Gate Inn near Priestfield.

Beyond those four main contributors, things get much more piecemeal. WME Solihull pays a shapely visit to Birmingham International railway station, whereas WME Staffordshire revisits Awbridge Lock near Trysull for its solitary newbie. The All Nations in Madeley will be similarly familiar to watchers of WME Telford, and Bedworth Market is known on WME Warwickshire too, leaving WME Worcestershire to bring up the rear thanks to the absurdly-named hamlet of Bentley Pauncefoot (which sounds like it ought to be one of Nick's posh chums). Cheers!

A Tipton Taster (with added Coseley Contribution)

We all know the saying about bulls in china shops wreaking havoc but could a wolf - or rather a Woolf - in a Pie Factory create similar levels of destruction? We're about to find out courtesy of this four-pub crawl covering Tipton, Woodsetton and Coseley...

- We Am Tipton -

Trip Log: Friday 24th October 2025 and - if you haven't already guessed it from the intro - my accomplice for this outing is none other than Jane, the WME blog's resident Woolf. We meet as scheduled at Wolverhampton railway station for the 12:18 stopper which is delayed ever so slightly by a late-running freight service. Tipton is only ten minutes away with its station at one end of Owen Street; a welcoming mural helps set the scene with a nod to the Black Country dialect's aversion to grammatical correctness. The Birmingham Main Line Canal splits into two at Factory Junction so we can explore portions of both the Old and New elements, Factory Locks being part of Thomas Telford's improvements as designed into the New Main Line.

- Steak and Kidney Pudding -

Emerging onto Hurst Lane, we go straight for the pub jugular with a highly-anticipated visit to that legendary purveyor of good grub the Pie Factory, also known as Mad O'Rourke's. A stern cut-out of a cartoon cook (armed with a rolling pin) instructs us to wait to be seated before we are ushered towards the main dining area. Any free tables here are fair game so we sit beside Oven No. 3 with shields for Old Hill Hog Pie on the wall and light scatterings of sawdust on the floor. The menu is pretty much as I remember from previous memorable encounters whereby I always opt for the Steak & Kidney Pudding, a glorious gravy-smothered dome of splendid suet accompanied by a basket of battered chips. Miss Woolf avoids creating too much carnage by opting for the 100% Bullocks Steak Pie served with a puff pastry lid.

- A Fine and Dandy Chin? -

Lumphammer Ruby Mild (in a dimpled glass) and Aspall's Cider are our respective tipples to wash down such pie perfection, but will the desserts be as good as the main courses? There's only one way to find out and that's by sampling both the rich chocolate sponge and the sticky toffee steamed puddings, plus Jane gets her wish to be provided with a bonus flake! Even for a confirmed greedy guts like myself, it's a challenge to eat every last morsel but for traditional fare you really can't go wrong. It's customary of course to pose as Desperate Dan complete with his stubbly chin, while a collection of cleavers and mincers looks rather ominous.

- Pugilistic Practice -

Returning to the towpath at Factory Junction - but this time with more emphasis on the Old Main Line - we proceed to Tipton Green to see William Perry's statue in Coronation Gardens. Known as the 'Tipton Slasher', this renowned prized pugilist was a national champion bare knuckle fighter back in the 1850s - should I be concerned that Jane seems to be practising her own boxing moves all of a sudden? To placate her, we nip into the Slasher's former HQ, otherwise known as the Fountain Inn next to the Owen Street canal bridge. Golden Glow or Inch's Cider is the upshot as we chat about manga and cake whilst inspecting a few portraits of the said Mr Perry; he seems to have a flat nose so might have took some punishment.

- Drinking Dragons Blood -

A breezy shower can't deter us from next wandering into Woodsetton so that Jane could add the Park Inn to the growing list of brewery taps she has now sampled. The home of Holden's does not disappoint, especially with the 5.6% abv power of Dragons Blood adding its own heavyweight presence to proceedings. The Holden family purchased this pub back in 1915 and have therefore been custodians here for 110 years, with the fourth generation currently overseeing beer production. A brief interruption on churchy business doesn't detain Jane for long so we can soon discuss our opinions on this year's Great British Bake Off series.

- A Flat Cap Finale in the New Inn -

Three down, one to come as we continue into Coseley via Vicarage Road West. I have a habit of doing the Park Inn and New Inn in tandem so why not combine them again? Ward Street thus beckons for our second Holden's haunt in succession, and this one seems very popular with families (the kids delighted to have broken up for half term I suspect). More Aspalls meets more Golden Glow in the little mocha-toned side snug where we can model the WME flat cap and peruse vintage maps of Staffordshire prior to local government boundary shufflings. All that remains is to avail ourselves of the X8 bus back to Wolverhampton - a grand afternoon!

An October Hub Hat Trick: Telford 2025

October hasn't been lacking in Hub Marketing action. First came Wet Wombourne, then the Darlaston Dash and now we'll make it a hat trick thanks to our long-awaited Telford Tickle. The Chairman has been primed for estate pub ecstasy so here goes...

- A Coffee Pot Cuppa -

Trip Log: Friday 17th October 2025 and our third trip of an increasingly busy month begins in Bradmore. A greasy spoon breakfast can line our stomachs for any Telford tipples to come so the Coffee Pot on Birches Barn Road gets the nod, just along from the Bradmore Arms and a mini Tesco supermarket. The speckled doorstep and simply laminated menus instantly tell us we're in for a real treat and so it proves, Secretary WME making sure to include a helping of his beloved black pudding. The Chairman meanwhile enjoys a restorative coffee although he is perhaps being taunted by the presence of a red 'Andy the Gas' van patrolling outside. 

- The Charging Hub -

Mercifully there are relatively few piano-pushing noises as we sprint for the 4, the driver taking pity on us just when we thought the bus was about to pull away. The 12:12 Shrewsbury train stages our silly song selections in an almost empty front carriage, meaning other passengers are spared the delights of 'The Sit Song' (an affectionate Barron Knights pastiche poking fun at 1970s dog training legend Barbara Woodhouse) or Ted Rogers and the Young Uns paying homage to 3-2-1 favourite Dusty Bin. Arrival at Telford Central is circa half past twelve but the Station Quarter is a mass of cranes and footpath diversions due to major construction works. We manage to find our way to the town's main shopping centre almost by accident, meaning Mr D9 can ably advertise the provision of a Charging Hub within the complex.

- The Randlay Farmhouse -

The Secretary has billed the day as an estate boozer bonanza and we can start cashing in once the number 3 Brookside bus has taken us the short distance to Randlay. A small precinct contains a Premier convenience store and Big T's chip shop but we're more interested in the Randlay Farmhouse, a Banks's number that hints at an agricultural affectation through horse harnesses and blackened timbers. We suspect the pub probably dates from the 1980s though that isn't to say there might have been a farmstead here historically. Either way, we partake of a Carling apiece and park ourselves in a comfy lounge corner pondering Jagerbomb promos and a cast iron Banks's fireplace lintel. A good start!

- Braced for Brookside -

Timing our exit to catch the next 3 very precisely indeed, we proceed into Brookside (an area not to be confused with Channel 4's famous Liverpudlian soap opera). There are admittedly plenty of cul-de-sacs here - each one beginning with B it seems - but again our concentration is reserved for pubby matters. The Mallard is flat-roofed, brown and approached with much trepidation as we dodge car park hazard cones covering broken drains. Our nerves settle slightly once we get inside, discovering framed pictures of mallards of the duck and train persuasion, and any place that serves D9 with discount £3 Carling is always going to rate highly in the Chairman's eyes - it isn't the prettiest but we like it regardless.

- Secretarial Scoring in Madeley -

Continuing on foot, we meander into Madeley via Bridgnorth Road with glimpses of Tweedale Industrial Estate access points. The Three Furnaces is a night-time entertainment venue so we make a mental note that if we ever do desire a Telford pint at 3 o'clock in the morning, we know where to go. Afternoon drinking is more our style so the Cuckoo Oak (Hungry Horse) supplies Beardsmore Bleach in the company of a Macmillan Cancer Support giant, then it's across to Prince Street for the Miners Arms. Mr WME knows this one from Chip Foundation correspondence back in 2019 and it does us nicely for a swift half of Amber, wielding long pegging boards used for backgammon, cribbage and dominoes. 

- Scooting through Sutton Hill -

Fun and games are on the agenda as we saunter towards Sutton Hill, utilising underpasses in the vicinity of Singleton. As if playing football with rotten fallen apples isn't enough sport, Mr D9 can't resist hurtling around on an abandoned pink scooter although its lack of brakes is a cause for concern. Thankfully the bald spot survives this precarious encounter and we can recover in the Madebrook, an independent carvery-focused hostelry serving up respective pints of Worthingtons and Carling. They do Indian cuisine as well as the roast dinners, and while it is definitely an estate pub there's a smidgen of architectural elegance to be had, meaning the Mallard is still leading the dive stakes appearance-wise.

- D9 drives the 1 -

If Brookside was all about the Bs, Sutton Hill is in thrall to the letter S with stubby offshoots called Stanwyck, Stebbings and Selbourne. The number 1 bus is a circular service (mirrored by the 2) which gives us a full terminus loop of the estate prior to more of Madeley. We stay on board through Woodside - where good old W is the alphabetical favourite - and Aqueduct, with Mr D9 getting word from back home about the identity of a mystery pub he'd spotted on family business in the Dawley locality. Having been reminded of the premises in question, he delivers a driving demo then instructs us to alight on Little Dawley's Trinity Road...

- Getting Down with the Dawley Cats -

The establishment being drawn from the depths of the Chairman's memory is the Unicorn on Holly Road, a standalone free house which looks rather tempting even without the revelation that it features in the 2026 Good Beer Guide. The WME wallet does the honours for Green Duck's Supersonic, described as having 'juicy fruit flavours with notes of lime and pine' so you can't argue with that. The resultant pints are high quality, and were it not for our earlier greasy grub The Secretary would have been all over the sausage roll and pork pie cabinet of wonder. Autumnal inflatables add an extra drop of sparkle - think novelty acorn and leaf balloons - but time is tight and we need to get moving. Even with the clock against us, there's always scope for floofing of friendly cats as the bald spot puts in another appearance.

- Mr WME in the White Horse -

Cracking on with our Dawley denouement, there are two more taverns to test out as Finger Road presents us with the White Horse. Shropshire seems to specialise in that kind of fusty musty watering hole that time forgot and this is another in that category - signs that have been in place for years, and shield-upon-shield of crib trophies for a scattering of silverware that would make most Premier League football teams jealous. The Wainwright Gold goes down smoothly here, as does the Banks's Amber in our final calling point, the Queens Head up on King Street. This place makes a good but brief impression as another community local, and we declare for the day by trundling back to Telford Central for the train home. Cheers!