Lost Pubs from the WME Archives #43

Nearly seven years on from my first Lost Pubs posting, it's a sad and depressing fact that pub closures look likely to continue. These are tough times for the sector, with concerns over footfall (or lack thereof), business rates and alcohol pricing relative to supermarkets just some of the issues our local boozers are having to contend with. How many more will disappear the way of these five bygone boozers?

- The Royal Oak -

I hadn't intentionally planned it to be the case but each of our quintet this time around is from Staffordshire, starting with the Royal Oak at Halfpenny Green. A three-storey Banks's property situated on Six Ashes Road from whence it overlooked the triangular patch that forms the local village green, this place might have been convenient for visitors to Halfpenny Green Airport or Highgate Common back in the day. It closed circa 2015 with planning permission granted to convert it for private residential use.

- The Nesbitt Arms -

The outlying estates of southern Stafford beckon for our second offering, whereby the Nesbitt Arms served the residents of Rising Brook and Burton Manor. Originally a Butlers pub built in the mid-1950s, it could be found on Churchill Way near the junction with Morton Road - I first remember taking pictures of it during my Eccleshall excursion of January 2008 although this photo was obtained a few years later. The building has since been flattened to make way for new housing, leaving the Royal Oak as the only pub in the area.

- The Norfolk Inn -

The Stoke-on-Trent suburb of Shelton is where I happened upon the Norfolk Inn during a nosy moment branching away from the Caldon Canal. Perhaps it was my explorational instincts that led me to investigate Norfolk Street, and I'm glad I did because this ex-Marston's number was already up for sale with a distinct likelihood that it would never reopen as a watering hole. My understanding is that a pharmacy now operates out of these premises.

- The Birds -

Finishing with a couple of Cannock candidates, our next establishment is not to be confused with the famous Alfred Hitchcock film of 1963. I doubt Tippi Hedren has ever had cause to visit Pye Green either but that's where The Birds resided as a fairly functional feature of Bradbury Lane. The pub didn't look as scary as its namesake movie but any risk of avian attacks has surely been extinguished given that the cul-de-sac of Wenlock View now occupies the land.

- The Robin Hood -

All of which brings us to the Robin Hood, an A34 landmark on the approach to Churchbridge Island just north of Great Wyrley. It looked fairly basic at the time of this snapshot, complete with England flags and a Barclays Premier League banner; the pub survived the construction of the nearby M6 Toll motorway but ultimately met its fate at the hands of housing developers with new homes springing up along Lock Basin Close. 

Berkswell and Balsall Common

2026 has proven to be a very sociable year thus far so my usual habit of staging solo adventures has taken something of a back seat. A spare Saturday at the very end of February does however see me venturing out on my own, casting a Solihull spotlight upon the neighbouring villages of Berkswell and Balsall Common...

- Berkswell Station -

Trip Log: Saturday 28th February 2026 and I've not set foot in either of my target locations for several years. Berkswell Station hasn't changed much since I last saw it although I can't help remembering the days when it had platform awnings, a station house and a level crossing - the current brick bunker seems sadly soulless by comparison with just a small hatch window for dispensing tickets to would-be passengers. The Coventry-bound platform is flanked by the many pools of Lavender Hall Fisheries which perhaps look even more watery than usual after heavy rain yesterday evening and overnight. Taking time to get my bearings again, I realise that the Railway Inn is all boarded up so I might have to rethink my pub plans for the day; it always struck me as a traditional homely boozer with lots of train memorabilia on display.

- HS2 Works at Berkswell -

I was already aware that Berkswell lay in the path of the HS2 works but to see construction up close really does confirm how mammoth a project this is. Ominous rafts of concrete masonry have been slotted into position while a long tranche gouges its way through the landscape, just about bypassing the aforementioned pools. Road closure signs abound as I take Baulk Lane, seeing how the earthen ribbon of cleared ground streaks off way into the distance. Litter pickers and horse riders offer company as I head up past Ram Hall, noting sheepy fragrances and hurdling the occasional overflowing puddle. Emerging onto Spencers Lane with sprouting crocuses on the waterlogged verges, I soon reach Berkswell village centre where Coventry Road intersects with Lavender Hall Lane. Chocolate box cottages and a telephone box repurposed as a book exchange suggest this is a place that will suit me very nicely.

- Brown Beer at the Bear -

I've earned a drink and in keeping with the adjacent architecture, the Bear Inn is a stunning olde worlde rambling proposition operating under Greene King's Chef & Brewer division. Old steps lead to a protruding porch of flagstone flooring then the main interior has cosy nooks for dining and drinking, not forgetting the Cromwell Bar up in the eaves with more beams than you can shake a stick at. The timbered frame dates from the C16th so there is much age to ponder over a solid pint of Wadworth 6X (the Greene King IPA glass in my picture is a red herring). Soulful music and the earnest arrival of lunching parties give a hum of ambiance although it's the deep brown panelling and sense of history which is ticking my boxes.

- St John the Baptist Church -

 A wider look around the village is a must hence Lavender Hall Lane allows access to Church Lane. A charity barbecue is underway on the little green outside Berkswell Stores while the church itself lurks off the fork, just past its associated primary school. Dedicated to St John the Baptist, it's a striking hodgepodge of Norman and medieval features, the tower being made of stone (with a Packwood-style sundial) but the jettied porch is of timber with yellowed render. Daffodils among the headstones add a splash of colour plus a hazard notice warns of paths getting slippery when wet or frosty - I'll take extra care just to be on the safe side. It's easy to imagine this being an idyllic corner of central England when the sun is shining, giving a taste of Warwickshire's past even though we're technically nowadays in the West Midlands. 

- Long-term blockage at Lavender Hall Lane -

The next segment of Lavender Hall Lane is completely closed off due to HS2 happenings; there's no pedestrian access whatsoever but all I can see beyond the barricade is a mound of sandy-hued earth that I wouldn't be keen to traipse over anyway. I've therefore no choice but to backtrack the exact same way I came - via Baulk Lane - and go the longer way round into Balsall Common. Brightening skies are encouraging as Hallmeadow Road effectively acts as a Balsall Common bypass, sneaking beside Lavender Hall Park where a football pitch plays host to the Hornets whoever or whatever they are. My second dose of refreshment comes at the George in the Tree, primarily a Beefeater chain effort accompanying a Premier Inn hotel on the main Kenilworth Road. I won't get overly gushing about having Carling and watching the BBC News Channel but it satisfies my curiosity which is the main thing.

- The Old Saracens Head -

Something more exciting theoretically awaits in Balsall Street, once I've navigated Dengate Drive's excessive wiggles with all manner of cul-de-sac offshoots. As with the Bear Inn earlier, the Old Saracens Head is a real looker of a building, fashioned out of sloping beams but with low ceilings that could pose a significant danger to people of my height. Managing to avoid walloping the WME bonce on anything painful, I collect a pint of Marston's Pedigree and end up sitting outside - yes, in February. The temperatures are such that I'm hardly going to freeze and with the sun out it's actually rather pleasant sitting on wicker garden chairs underneath a domed pergola. The pub sign features a portrait of a swarthy Arabian tribesman but I'm more distracted by a wiry set of ornamental lambs - what are they all about?

- Cottagey Charms in Balsall Common -

Berkswell is certainly the prettier of the two villages yet Balsall Common is not beyond having its own thatched charms, as indeed evidenced by an attractive property on Balsall Street East. Taking the Gipsy Lane turning past the Heart of England Secondary School, I reach my final watering hole in the guise of the White Horse. Part of the Wells & Co group, this is a bright and breezy standard all-rounder offering drinks promotions, a typical menu and plenty of scope for watching sport. Brewpoint Anchorman lives up to its fresh and fruity billing for a quick slurp in the side snug as champagne corks pop to welcome a wedding party in the function room; I'll quietly leave them to their celebrations and catch the 15:25 train home.

Ale Afoot in Warwick and Birmingham

Two trips in four days makes for a feast of February exploration, although there's quite a contrast to be had between Warwick's aged timbers versus Birmingham's brutalist core. A beer festival in the most memorable of surroundings and a Second City crawl are on the agenda so let's see what occurred...

- HRH's Spiritual Corner -

To Warwick, whereby Friday 20th February saw Jane and I joining His Royal Highness Nick in a county town that never lacks a compelling sense of history. The preamble to this outing had actually seen Miss Woolf and I starting off in soggy Tipton, devouring Pie Factory pastry-lidded dishes with great gusto - for once I rebuffed the chance of suet scrumptiousness in favour of a 'Posh & Becks' Steak and Stilton treat infused with undeniable blue cheese flavour, although Jane still made sure to get a bonus flake with her pudding. A brief encounter with the Flying Scotsman at Birmingham Moor Street precedes us meeting Nick and predictably calling in on our royal's favourite Warwick hostelry, the Old Post Office on West Street. Original owner Tom has recently passed away but his legacy is a special little place with excellent beer and cider, plus a Sacred Heart shrine corner with the Magnificat listed on the resident Psalms board.

- King James's Seat -

Not much can upstage the Old Post Office in truth but there is a beer festival to attend and my what a setting we have. The Lord Leycester Hospital is one of Britain's most intact medieval buildings, comprising a half-timbered complex of lodgings, storerooms, a Master's House and a banqueting hall which have stood the test of time. The site was used by the United Guilds of Warwick as their headquarters before Robert Dudley (the Earl of Leicester) set up a charitable community to meet the needs of injured soldiers in 1571. This function has been upheld right through to the present day, hence the presence of the Master and several Brethren who wear ceremonial attire. As such, the beer festival is a fundraising event held annually in the Great Hall; Nick has attended many times in recent years and has a particular affection for a famous chair where King James I and his specially padded trousers apparently sat in 1617.

- A Perry Pair -

The drinks are almost secondary to the location here but we imbibe most eagerly, perching atop tables that have been pushed to the edges of the hall. Nick and Jane are both of a cidery persuasion, taste-testing the likes of Thistly Cross, Gwynt y Ddraig's Happy Daze and Buck Medium before collectively concluding on the 6.8% goodness of Lilley's Bee Sting perry, ever a joint favourite among my esteemed accomplices. I am therefore left to maintain the ale side of the equation, a duty I perform most admirably courtesy of North Cotswold Morerum Mild (with a snatch of the sailor's tipple about it), Church End Archangel (a 6% heavweight pale) and Green Duck's Space Lord (loaded with grapefruit and tangerine notes). My pick of the lot has to be Byatt's Rye Stout but you know I'm a sucker for the darker brews anyway, then we just have time for a Ronnie's Bar nightcap trying to recognise Rons and Ronalds from the worlds of entertainment and politics - Reagan, Corbett, Barker etc. Excellent fun all round!

- Crossword Concentration -

Trip Two takes place on Monday 23rd February and has the Chip Foundation converging upon Brum for Episode 93 of our ongoing chronicles. Nick has given us a pub collecting remit once we've met within the shadows of bull Ozzy's snarling snout, and a Southside shuffle pitches us promptly onto Hurst Street close to both Chinatown and the Gay Village. One top HRH target - the Sly Old Fox - has been partially sacrificed to become a restaurant and the remaining bar half isn't open anyway, meaning the adjacent Dragon JD Wetherspoons steps nimbly into the breach. Red paper lanterns celebrating Chinese New Year hang across the woodwork as we obtain suitable refreshment, but only after we've figured out which of the many entrance doors actually lets us inside. Titanic's Raspberry Pale fruity ale means that for once His Majesty and I have drinks that rival the Beardsmore lemonade and blackcurrant for pinkness, then Ken has us all racking our brains when completing the JDW magazine's crossword - it’s a tricky puzzle in fairness, requiring expert knowledge of Indonesian Prime Ministers, Californian oil localities and obscure Walter Scott novels so we might have resorted to Google for added assistance.

- Apt for any Chip Foundation outing -

Pressing on, Bromsgrove Street is our means of reaching our next port of call, a wildcard pick from yours truly in the guise of Birmingham's other 'Welly'. While the Black Country Ales place on Bennetts Hill is secure in our avowed affections, its near-namesake the Wellington Hotel is nevertheless worthy of our custom. We've passed this Bristol Street landmark so many times en route to the cricket that we were bound to do it eventually, especially because the building dates from 1890 and is considered a good example of James and Lister Lea’s much-admired public house architecture. Indeed, the upper floors have bow-fronted Regency aspects and the whole premises is Grade II listed even if the historic charm fades a little inside due to the combined intrusions of sports bar and Indian restaurant trappings. Ken at least is approving of their Dennis Amiss signed cricket bat and a framed Blues shirt before conversation turns to coach holidays, the Winter Olympics and general political observations. The Enter Chaos paintwork on nearby Henstead Street suddenly seems highly appropriate!

- The Victoria -

Two establishments within the loose vicinity of John Bright Street now require our scrutiny. The Victoria has a quirky Gin Palace air about it, standing three storeys tall and mostly deep green with gilded embellishments. A comedy evening begins at half past seven which explains why most of the punters suddenly disappear upstairs (it wasn't something Stephen said, honest!) then I shock everyone by having a low alcohol beer, namely Bristol Beer Factory's Clear Head. Sailor-inspired illustrations adorn the inner snug walls - think loveheart tattoos and mermaids - which is in contrast to the continental cafe vibe on show at nearby Cherry Reds. Homemade cakes and gourmet coffees mark this out as being far removed from your average boozer but the beer is good, Pale Brummie and Green Duck Space Lord meeting with our approval.

- Studious Scribbling in the Purecraft Bar -

Our Chip conclusion is the Purecraft Bar & Kitchen in the heart of town, within sight of the Floozy in the Jacuzzi. Purity’s Waterloo Street flagship seems almost deserted at first glance until we realise everybody is downstairs playing Warhammer (or whichever dice-based battle strategy game it happens to be) so initial appearances can be deceptive. I remember this bar launching as a high end concept from the environmentally-conscious Alcester based brewery, and Nick is always keen to support Warwickshire enterprises. Their core range is on full show from Gold to UBU to Mad Goose and the lesser-seen Jimbo, a pint of the latter getting the nod in this case. Notes are jotted, sporting deeds discussed and there's even a closing word from our Royal about a certain disgraced ex-prince, and with that we head home. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - February 2026

Valentine's cards may have been sent and plenty of pancakes flipped over the last few weeks but for the West Midlands Exploration photostream February has been a month of steady simple progress. No pink hearts or sprinklings of lemon and sugar here, just a routine supply of new camera-created content...

If we were to declare a romantic interest, WME Dudley probably retains its leading role from January but you'll have to make your own minds up whether you adore my pictures of Gornal pub signs or the Halesowen Bus Station clock. Over in Stourbridge the Green Duck Brewery tap promises "really nice cobs", and if that isn't enough to turn your head we have a wavy-roofed Tecton turnstile at Dudley Zoo, one for any admirers of Modernist municipal architecture.

If Dudley doesn't dazzle you, maybe WME Staffordshire can tug at your heartstrings instead. I'm certainly a fan of Hanley's Golden Cup pub, and even if its Bass lantern isn't sufficient on its own to make me totally weak at the knees, once you sneak in some street signage (Pall Mall) and a couple of Potteries Museum exhibits I could be yours for an oatcake! A Furnace Grange flurry from Trescott is admittedly more mundane material unless you happen to appreciate farm driveways and temporary road surfaces.

To WME Wolverhampton which has been busily lusting after a Dunstall double act - I give you a Trading Estate unit and the Tabernacle Baptist Church - whilst also flirting with Finchfield (where the Chestnut Tree tries to lure us with its breakfast promotions). Fox's Lane Bridge and Fowlers Park trade teasing insults whereas Graiseley gobbles up the likes of Clayton Close, Ablow Street and the Broyce Control works. 

Usually avoiding the dating scene due to long-term shyness, WME Worcestershire pokes its head above the parapet with a helping of Hagley. The King Arthur is bostin' Bathams at their best, and while Park Road isn't especially exciting, there are two Worcester Stands Tall giraffes to take your fancy. The question here is do you wish to meet 'Deco' at the Royal Worcester porcelain museum or 'Arthur the Giraffa in Banana Pyjamas' at the Cornmarket?

Getting swiped left rather too much for their liking this month are WME Birmingham (despite a burst of Erdington energy courtesy of Summer Road, Silver Birch Road and some Go Go Go hoardings) and that erstwhile singleton WME Sandwell with its only offering of Old Factory Bridge in Tipton. WME Shropshire smooches through a couple of Shrewsbury - or rather Harlescott - street sign kisses, and with that the shortest month is done. With love, enjoy the pictures and see you in March for an early spring selection...