For the first time in 2026, my summary spoutings start with WME Wolverhampton which has surged back to prominence. Underpinning this startling return to form have been pictures of Mander Centre murals, Oxley sidestreets (good old Atlas Croft), Penn Fields pints (high quality porter at the Starting Gate micropub) and hints of Hanbury Tennis Club. Peel Street's car park recesses have become a reliable source of street art interest including everyone's favourite cartoon skeleton, and there's even a Park Dale bollard if that floats your boat!
WME Dudley has been irrepressible this year and Wolverhampton's busy period can't totally put it in the shade. I love the Old Swan - Ma Pardoe's to its mates - in Netherton so I'm very pleased to record more of its iconic lettering for photostream posterity. Less exciting are some street signs from Oldswinford and Oldnall (Seymour Road, Racecourse Lane) but two balance beam bits from Park Head Locks redress the balance just a little. My mind however keeps on drifting back to thoughts of Bumblehole Bitter at a certain legendary watering hole...
Next up I should make a point of celebrating WME Walsall which has finally broken its duck for the year. I won't go crazily overboard about photos of Paddock Lane (The Chuckery) or a New Invention Brewery banner but slow progress is better than none at all. Also inching forth in a very gentle fashion is WME Coventry, nabbing the Nugget at Coundon Green for a slice of corporate Sizzling pub branding. Memories of Mr D9 attempting Bobby Crush impressions resonate from that particular boozer, I think my brain must be scarred for life after that!
Having mentioned Coventry I might as well hop across the county boundary and check up on WME Warwickshire. Ah, this is where those man traps threaten to grab us thanks to rustic notices on a barn in Old Milverton; I seemed to have a random thing for walls that day if my two other contributions from that small settlement are anything to go by. Sticking to a shires remit momentarily, WME Staffordshire presents Penkhull caricatures of The Potteries' most famous footballer (Sir Stanley, that's you) aided by a Norton Canes memorial tablet before WME Worcestershire mucks in with more of Malvern including a Whatley Recordon clock.
Our stragglers among the April showers are the unlikely combination of WME Birmingham plus WME Telford & Wrekin. Brum nabs two ladder-related street art segments at Newtown Swimming Baths, not forgetting a traditional Moor Pool street sign, whereas Telford positively plunders Newport for glimpses of Silverdale Close and Greenfields Drive. A vintage-styled Joules beermat at the New Inn seals the deal so - until next time - enjoy the pictures!
No comments:
Post a Comment