A Stafford Spectacular: 2022

March 2018 = Marston Road and Parkside; March 2019 = Wildwood, Walton-on-the-Hill and Weston Road; March 2020 = Rickerscote, Rising Brook and Highfields. Naturally there wasn't a Stafford selection during 2021 for obvious pandemic-related reasons but I can report that March 2022 has reinstated the sequence...

- Welcome to Doxey -

Saturday 19th March will supply the fourth of my annual Stafford specials and this time around I'm going to dedicate the morning to Doxey. After catching the 9:41 train from Wolverhampton, I muster the mandatory Victoria Park pictures of springtime flowerbeds and WG Grace's bowls statue. The terraced sidestreets around the Railway Inn then project me onto Doxey Road as I bear west of the town centre, passing the Rugby Club drive and over the railway line. Doxey declares itself to be a separate village - in fact it was listed as Dochesig in the Domesday Book - so I'm intrigued to see what features await me.

- The former Doxey Arms -

The Chevron Car Centre isn't a bad start, its garage forecourt populated with decommissioned ambulances, before I spot the telltale hallmarks of a lost pub up by The Crescent. Blackened beams and doorway lanterns are clues that this building used to be the Doxey Arms, one of two local watering holes that are no longer operational - the other was the Three Tuns which stood on the corner with Bradbury Rise but was demolished several years ago. Village shops also seem to be relatively scarce despite the presence of a fish bar and a convenience store, although Bradbury Rise does contribute its own little minimart too. 

- Doxey Primary School -

The main bus route covering Doxey is the number 12, currently operated half-hourly by Select Bus Services. The terminal loop utilises Greensome Lane so I have a mooch around by Fern Drive and Conway Road, wondering if there might be a footpath through onto Doxey Marshes Nature Reserve but I can't see one. Emerging onto Doxey Road once more, I pick out two further photo targets, namely St Thomas & St Andrew C of E Church (distinctively pointy and dating from the mid 1970s, it is upstaged by the old cottage next door) and the local primary school. It's been a very interesting hour, seeing a part of Stafford I hadn't ever visited before.

- The Isabel Trail near Eccleshall Road -

Heading back towards the town centre, my plan now is to bear northwards by intercepting the Eccleshall Road. A leisure walkway close to the rugby ground offers a handy shortcut and on closer inspection turns out to be part of the 'Isabel Trail', flanking the eastern edges of Doxey Marshes and crossing the River Sow near a large cemetery. The footpath follows the course of the disused Stafford to Uttoxeter Railway, a line which hosted passenger services from 1867 to 1939 and had intermediary stations at Stafford Common, Salt & Sandon, Ingestre, Chartley and Grindley. There is definitely more walking potential here, even if I just do the stretch up to Beaconside, but on this occasion I exit at Izaak Walton Street. 

- St Bertelin's Church, Holmcroft -

Sticking to my Eccleshall Road guns, I home in on Holmcroft to add to the pictures I gathered in 2018. The weather is vastly improved this time around and St Bertelin's Church is bathed in morning sunshine as I note a scout hut, a kiddies play area and a riot of golden daffodils. Add in a branch library, the Stafford North End Community Centre plus an eponymous roadhouse pub and there's a lot to keep my camera occupied. Elsewhere, the principal access to the aforementioned Doxey Marshes reserve is via the car park off Wootton Drive; managed by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, the site comprises over 300 acres of wetland, grassland and coppice that together form an important breeding ground for many bird species. 

- The Luck Penny, Trinity Fields -

I've nearly reached the M6 Junction 14 roundabout but I turn off just shy of the intersection so that Crab Lane can introduce me to the Trinity Fields estate. The resident box boozer here is the Luck Penny, promoting At The Races tv coverage and boasting a rather shiny extraction pipe. I've earned myself a pit stop and therefore check out the nicely original 1960s front bar over a pint of Carling and a pack of scratchings - there aren't many other punters in to watch the Villa v Arsenal early kick-off so I hope it gets busier later in the afternoon. Similarly quiet is the Shire Horse near the Mustang Drive Business Park, nestled in the shadows of a sizeable Screwfix Distribution Centre. Normally I can't get remotely enthusiastic about Chef & Brewer (Greene King) establishments but there is something enjoyable about sitting in a sunkissed beer garden with the wind ruffling your hair, even if the £3.75 IPA isn't up to much!

- A 'Chocolate Corker' Conclusion -

Generally satisfied with that double dose of lunchtime refreshment, I steadily make my way along the A34 Stone Road where a Pat Collins funfair has set up camp on The Common - the glorious weather means they're all set for a bumper turnout with lots of excitable youngsters already in attendance. Cloudless skies have meant the emphasis has been very much on photography rather than beer this trip although I do allow myself a couple more pints once back in Stafford. The Greyhound by the Gaol can always be relied upon for quality cask and doesn't disappoint, supplying the magnificently malty Bradfield's Irish Dexter while keeping me entertained with its gallery of canine-themed illustrations. Following that is a tough ask but Ye Olde Rose & Crown ably steps up to the plate care of Joules's seasonal 'Chocolate Corker' brew, a fitting finale with some bonus Six Nations action to boot. Cheers!

Hub Marketing 2022: East Birmingham (with a smidgen of Solihull)

Reclaiming its rightful place on the Hub Marketing Board calendar is our almost annual East Birmingham trip, a hub hallmark that has provided magnificent memories of Coleshill, Small Heath, Kent's Moat and Chelmsley Wood in years gone by. Ideally we like to stage the East Brum (this year with added sprinklings of Solihull) in March to coincide with what the Chairman likes to call 'St Pattie Hughes Day', so the 2022 date works well for that...

- St Matthews Business Centre -

Friday 11th March is close enough to St Patrick's Day for our purposes and the trip goes full throttle ahead despite an iffy weather forecast. A morning meeting at Bull Street Metro Stop precedes a first class ferret through some of Birmingham's Heartlands. Gosta Green gives us glimpses of the Aston University Campus - including the Sir Doug Ellis Sports Centre, originally built in 1860 as Woodcock Street Public Baths - before Great Lister Street entices us with some classic gasholders on the skyline. On Nechells Parkway we pause to admire St Matthew's Church, a Grade II-listed Gothic structure that was first consecrated in 1840 and has latterly had its west end partially converted into hosting a Business Centre.

- Paying homage to Washwood Heath Garage -

A dollop of Duddeston is next on the agenda, sniffing out mystery doorways by the railway station although Mr D9 can't be certain whether it was a closet or not. The former Winning Post pub is now the Nimab Mosque's Welfare Centre then we saunter down to Saltley past the Signalling Centre. Adderley Road serves as our silly songs setting, today's choices having a clear Irish theme thanks to 'The Sick Note' by the Dubliners and Joe Dolan's 'Westmeath Bachelor'. Saltley Gate roundabout is our prompt to catch the number 94 bus, giving the Chairman ample opportunity to demonstrate his driving along the Washwood Heath Road; alas the old bus garage here closed in the late 1990s to be replaced by a Pak supermarket.

- The Kingfisher, Smiths Wood -

After a sprightly ride through Ward End, Hodge Hill and Castle Bromwich, we alight on Green Lane in readiness for some breakfast. CJ's Cafe on Windleaves Road is our greasy spoon of choice, supplying large Full Englishes with thin discs of black pudding - hopefully Mr D9 isn't risking too much gourmet gas later on. We wash down the nosh with a pint in the Kingfisher, looking every inch the flat-roofed community boozer but proving surprisingly presentable inside following an extensive refurbishment last year. Dimpled brown bench seating and Sky Sports News screens debating Chelsea's ownership crisis try to detain us but we take our Carlings across to the strobe-lit dartboard for a few ill-fated legs of sporting ineptitude.

- Our Special Guest 'Arrives' -

To be fair, D9 Destroyer isn't playing that badly and thoroughly deserves his 4-0 victory, it's just that WME Whirlwind was utterly hopeless and seemingly more intent on leaving holes in the wallpaper than hitting the actual board. The predicted rain is beginning to set in by the time we extract ourselves onto Auckland Drive, so our spirits are lifted by our guest of honour 'Pattie' who times his arrival to hear DJ Hubbacini counting down the 2021 Pick of the Hubs charts. Wilfrid Brambell, Max Bygraves, Leonard Nimoy and Harry H Corbett all have designs on the top spot but the number one song of last year could only ever be Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich with - classic warning! - 'The Loos of England'. 

- Could it be the Coleshill Hub? -

Chart formalities done and dusted, we seek shelter in the Toby Jug which is a Chester Road hostelry to the north of Kingshurst. A mobility scooter welcoming committee prepares us for another Carling and a read of the local newspaper, where to our amazement a whole page is dedicated to activities at the Coleshill Hub. Custard yellow paintwork and 1970s number ones are part of the entertainment before we undergo our regular PopMaster penance. For once we score reasonably well on Ken Bruce's legendary quiz, racking up 30 then 24 points thanks to unexpected expertise regarding The Fortunes and Fats Domino.

- Jan's Nets, Yardley -

With the precipitation situation continuing to look ominous, we catch the 58 route on Over Green Drive for wiggly journey via Hurst Lane, Packington Avenue (the edges of Shard End), Lea Village, Lea Hall railway station and Whittington Oval. Our target is Yardley hence we hop off on Church Road to survey the stores clustered either side of the Yew Tree roundabout; Jan's Nets particularly stands out for its dated shopfront while we also spot Ivy's Cafe tea rooms and a branch of Lloyds Bank. The hometime rush means the lollipop ladies are out in force helping the pupils of Yardley Primary School cross Harvey Road and Yew Tree Lane.

- Drying out with a Lyndon Guinness -

We've earned ourselves a couple more pub pit stops, the first of which is St Bernard's Grange on Barrows Lane. This elegant townhouse was apparently once associated with the Wimbush family who had a number of shops across the Birmingham area; these days it is a standard Sizzling chain affair showing Hey Duggie cartoons and trying to tempt kids into the attached Fuzzy Ed's Fun House. We however swerve any thoughts of soft play in favour of trudging across towards Olton, whereby various karaoke renditions of 'O Pattie Boy, the hubs, the hubs are calling' take our minds off the drenching we're about to receive. The Chairman is still in full wet weather regalia when we reach the bustling Lyndon for a restorative glass of Guinness.

- A Proper Job at Platform Three -

We really rather liked the Lyndon, encouraged to see a simple suburban set-up really pulling in the punters. We can similarly declare ourselves partial to Platform Three, a Warwick Road wine bar and eatery that's particularly handy for Olton Station - pricey Proper Job and shaggy sheepdog stools are perhaps our defining memories here whilst acknowledging the place has a relaxing refined ambiance. Time is tight if we're going to get back to Brum Central within the Chairman's curfew but we can't overlook McDwyers, a classic terracotta tavern on the A41 near Sparkhill. Old-fashioned Irish haunts are sadly becoming a rare breed but this is a fine survivor; naturally we partake of Guinness and revel in architectural details that include excellent tiled stairwells and a proud clock turret. It's a shame to leave but go we must, flagging down a number 6 and squeezing in a Grey Lantern splash and dash prior to our trams home. It's been hectic, it's been damp and it's been tremendous fun - cheers!

A Rapid Rugby Rundown

A briefer post this time compared to my usual ramblings but nevertheless long enough to tell you about a visit to the Rugby Beer Festival with Nick last Saturday...

- Railway Station Rugby Ball -

Trip Log: 5th March 2022 sees Nick and I joining forces aboard the 10:45 train from Coventry, arriving unsuspectingly into Rugby ten minutes later to a cacophonous din of 'Dancing Queen' as the station forecourt hosts some kind of open air disco. The town's status as the birthplace of the oval-balled game is also immediately apparent thanks to a sizeable sculpture that was created to mark the 2019 Rugby Union World Cup, the tournament having been held in Japan that year. Sightings of the Stagecoach depot and Wheeltapper along Railway Terrace seem almost mundane by comparison!

- A Webb Ellis Wonder -

Minus any rucks or mauls, we make our way into the main town centre for further sporting symbolism. The traffic gyratory outside Rugby School has been graced with a Webb Ellis Cup creation that dramatically guards the northernmost tip of Dunchurch Road, while pavement markers form a 'Hall of Fame' trail celebrating notable players and achievements throughout the game's history. Pub-wise we get underway with two fairly ordinary market town taverns - both the Black Swan and the Bull are already busy with the Saturday morning Carling crowd so a half of Doom Bar in each whets our appetite for the more exciting tipples to follow.

- Nick models the Beer Menu -

To that end, we proceed to The Arnold House which has resumed hosting duties for the Rugby & District Beer Festival (apparently the 37th edition of the event in total). Grade II listed and with a masonic heritage, the building looks the part as we admire gleaming chandeliers and peruse the varied ale menu. Ever keen to dabble in the darker side of the spectrum, we start on Big Bog's Peat Bog Porter (infused with real liquorice root) and also respectively account for Bristol Milk Stout, Neptune Brewery's Holy Diver (quite ticklish due to an underlying tweak of chilli or pepper) and Flagship's Strobe, an appetising chocolate orange milk stout. 

- Bass Breweriana in the Merchants Inn -

One of the festival-attending aspects I most missed during lockdown was the chance to meet some true characters so it's great to be able to catch up with a couple of Nick's Warwickshire contacts. We are thus duly brought up to speed on Norwegian fjord cruises and Regimental Museum happenings whilst confirming that Wild Beer's Millionaire is the standout selection today - we couldn't possibly ignore tasting notes that state "this beer wraps you in a velvety cocoon, dresses you in a smart suit and takes you out for a special night on the tiles"?! We don't quite descend into all out party mode thereafter although a visit to the Merchants Inn is essential for breweriana galore and an excellent half of Acorn's Gorlovka Stout, lovely!

- Asteroid Assistance in the Windmill -

The warming log fire and comfy Chesterfield thrones of the Merchants threaten to be a total crawlwrecker but we have other establishments to assess before the fat lady starts singing. Options include the Prince of Wales (a down-to-earth drinkers' haunt on Drury Lane) and the Courthouse (a beige-beamed Brewers Tudor affair which seems surprisingly quiet), however it's the Black Country Ales appeal of the Windmill that tempts us into an Asteroid encounter. Our finale comes on Castle Street care of London Calling!, a modern bar with an avowed liking for The Clash (hence the name). Church End's Goats Milk becomes our nightcap half while we watch some of the Liverpool v West Ham evening football fixture. Cheers!

Hub Marketing 2022: Chase Terrace and Brownhills

Things may have been quiet on the Hub Marketing front since December's Coventry Christmas caper but the membership are busy plotting out the year ahead. First off for 2022 is a combined Staffordshire and Walsall showing that includes all the usual features - bald spots, D9 drives, darting incompetence, silly songs and of course a handful of watering holes...

- Globe House, Walsall -

Friday 25th February 2022: we'll start at the beginning and that means a Walsall rendezvous, Chairman D9 arriving ahead of schedule as his 34 bus rolls into Bradford Place. Secretary WME has already gathered pictures of the cenotaph (adorned with fluttering Union Jack flags) and Globe House, the latter topped with an 1887 Victorian Jubilee panel. Our first task is to obtain breakfast so we pitch into Digby's Cafe on Lower Hall Lane (near Primark). There is momentary drama when our Full Englishes get stuck in the dumb waiter but the waitress does a sterling job of prising the misbehaving doors apart to rescue our nosh!

- Burntwood Mining Monument -

Deliberating whether to take the 10 to Brownhills West or the 8 towards Lichfield, the decision is made for us when the 8 turns up on stand first - cue the Chairman giving the steering wheel some serious welly through Clayhanger. Sankeys Corner prompts us to alight so as to admire a bronze figure of a miner and his pit pony (Scamp) which takes pride of place opposite the library and the Burntwood Town shopping precinct. The statue was installed in 2013 following community fundraising efforts, and the plaques around the plinth record the names of 79 miners who worked in the local pits.

- Spotted near Sankeys Corner -

A gentle ferret around Chase Terrace will ease us back into exploratory exercises whereby we undertake a circuit of Cannock Road, Ironstone Road and Princess Street. Our silly songs for the day both have a soap opera link as 'My Name is Frank Butcher' meets 'Grandad's Motto', the latter performed by Stan Richards who played Seth Armstrong in Emmerdale - let's hope the Chairman doesn't take the "eat all, sup all, pay nowt" advice too literally! Two potential pub stops are noted but neither the Victoria nor the Hazelwood seem to open on Friday lunchtime so we gather snaps of a Methodist Chapel before D9 gets distracted by some vintage buses on Corner Garage's side yard. Have you all missed seeing that bald spot?!

- The Wych Elm -

If you'd asked us to guess the first Hub watering hole of 2022 never in a million years would we have said the Firs Club, yet that's where we open our accounts for the year over a Carling each. That unexpected treat sets us up nicely for a tour of other nearby establishments in the form of the Wych Elm (corporate Marston's where our efforts on the dartboard betray a clear lack of match practice) and Sankey's Tap House. The second of those is a Bridge Cross Rd micropub that initially eludes us due to a hospital appointment but then magically opens up after all - make mine a pint of Hartlebury APA please barman. Rope-end light fittings and high stools provide the backdrop to a delayed bout of Popmaster - we score 27 points on Round 1.

- And the 2021 Awards Go To... -

So far so good and the number 8 bus is on the scene again to carry us the very short distance down to Chasetown. Having sampled the Uxbridge Arms and the Junction on previous forays, we concentrate on the Miner's Rest which has been given the full Joules treatment and looks spectacular as a result. Dark wood and stylised breweriana abounds in creating the ideal setting for holding the (very belated) 2021 Hub Awards. Our illustrious founder Charles Pemberton Rowbottom III is in attendance to announce the runners and riders: Pub of the Year was Ilkeston's Burnt Pig, Mr D9 claimed the annual discount and WME Whirlwind rightfully regains his Pub Games crown

- D9 Destroyer at the Double -

Talking of sporting segments, D9 Destroyer is determined to stamp his early authority over our 2022 darts proceedings - he'd already racked up a healthy lead on the Wych Elm oche before delivering a coup-de-grace double 12 checkout in the Jiggers Whistle, take that! This newish micropub is one of two jigger-related watering holes in Brownhills these days, neither of which existed when the Board first toured the town back in 2011. Both namings take inspiration from tragic miner Jack Taylor who perished in a 1950s pit accident - the giant stainless steel statue on the Town Hall roundabout is also called Jigger in his honour. 

- McDonald's no more -

After two relatively recent pub arrivals we pause to reflect on a departure, albeit the Warreners Arms ceased trading many moons ago and was converted into a McDonalds restaurant. That too has now bitten the dust and the cleared site is currently gaining footings for an apartment block. The A452 Chester Road then brings us to the Anchor Inn, situated beside its namesake bridge on the Wyrley & Essington Canal. This Marston's establishment was rebuilt in the mid-1980s and seems rather quiet compared to the other places we've frequented today - a standard Carling is enough to say we've done it. 

- D9 Drives Home -

The Chairman has a nominal 7:30 pm curfew in mind so we summon a 10 double decker for our link back to Walsall. A splash and dash in the Tap & Tanner ensures the D9 bladder avoids any mishaps, leaving us free to finish off at Ale House Rock on the edges of Bilston. At first glance this is a very unpromising location, surrounded by offputting industrial units, but it is smartly kitted out inside and we get chatting to a bloke we think might be the owner. Before we know it, we've heard all about this chap's Smethwick upbringing and D9's supposed hometime has gone right out of the window. What a way to start another year of hubbing!