Intrepid Investigations on the Isle of Wight

Having marked the Beardsmore Birthday itself with our Chip Foundation colleagues in the Potteries last month, Stephen and I continue the celebrations by staging our annual coach holiday getaway. Scarborough and Torquay had been our dutiful destinations in previous years but this time around we're intent on inspecting the Isle of Wight, a place the Romans referred to as Vectis...

- Christmas comes early in Shanklin -

A five day break in Shanklin has been booked with Stephen's trusty coach favourites Daish's, starting on Thursday 5th November. Unbeknownst to us, we're now into the 'Turkey & Tinsel' season where operators theme holidays around the yuletide festivities, hence our driver upon being picked up at Wolverhampton's Faulkand Street is dressed in an advent calendar shirt with a Santa hat. The journey down to the South Coast goes relatively smoothly, allowing for an incursion through the heart of Winchester, and we make our Red Funnel ferry crossing at Southampton on time. The worst traffic is actually encountered on the Isle of Wight itself, road closures and school hometimes creating a clog-up around Newport. Nevertheless, we reach Shanklin at about quarter past five, saying hello to various Father Christmas figures.

- Shanklin Theatre -

After our 'Christmas Eve' evening meal - involving vegetable soup, liver, and spotted dick (but not all on the same plate I hasten to add) - Mr B and I venture out into the Shanklin night. Our main task is to find our way around, see where the bus stops and other amenities are, getting an initial flavour of what has long been a noted seaside resort town. Key features include the Shanklin Theatre (reopened in 1934 after a serious fire nine years earlier), several seafront pleasure facilities (crazy golf, family amusement arcades), Shanklin Chine (a famous natural gorge), and the Old Village as populated by pretty thatched cottages. The latter locality hosts two interesting drinking establishments: the Crab is run by Greene King and has a fishpond for much Beardsmore entertainment, whereas King Harry's Bar is a musty hotel space serving up cask ales beneath a snug ceiling plastered with pumpclips - very much a Paul pub this one!

- Island Flyer at Ryde -

Onto 'Christmas Day then, otherwise known as Friday 6th November in the real world, and after more Shanklin seafront shuffles - including a hike up Hope Hill - we catch the number 3 link to Ryde. The Isle of Wight has a robust bus service (even on Sundays) with all routes operated by Southern Vectis and mostly radiating out of Newport as the island's central hub. After journeying up via Lake, Sandown, Brading and St John's Hill, we hop off at the Ryde Esplanade terminus where Stephen spots that the Island Flyer hovercraft is ready to depart from its nearby beach landing point. It's quite a sight to see the craft power up, its cushion inflating to the whirr of engines before it whizzes off across the waves. The journey over to Portsmouth takes roughly ten minutes hence it can be a handy for mainland commuters.

- Ryde Pier Head Station -

Ryde's intriguing transport operations don't merely end there. The town serves as the northern terminus of the Island Lane railway branch, the only mainline survivor of what used to be an extensive network (there is a preserved steam railway too). When I came to the Isle of Wight as a kid, I seem to remember redeployed London Underground carriages running along the pier, although the rolling stock has since been upgraded. Nothing is actually operating right now however because of essential maintenance works out of the holiday period. We therefore amble up to Ryde Pier Head station instead, the gangway having three parallel sections for cars, trains and pedestrian users. It isn't the prettiest of piers but I find it fascinating.

- Spooky Stephen at Sandown -

My childhood Ryde recollections also vaguely extend to visiting the local Wetherspoons (S. Fowler & Co, a former drapers and hardware store) so we happily repeat that for restorative pints of purple peril and Titanic's Black Ice respectively. I rather like the building's decorative charms but it gets completely upstaged by our other two calling points. The Smuggler's Cat effectively is a loving homage to all things Isle of Wight, a treasure trove of antiques, railway maps, cinema seats and local brews (Goddard's Fuggle De Dum gladly wetting my whistle here), before Sandown's Castle Inn amazes us with displays of spooky adornments ranging from dangling skeletons and interred ghouls to suits of armour and exposed entrails. With all that going on, the beer still proves top notch thanks to a cracking pint of Ale of Wight.

- Newport Minster -

The challenge of representing 'Boxing Day' falls to Saturday 7th November, which we've set aside for Conquering Cowes. We sally forth on the number 3 again but this time covering the other half of the service via Ventnor, Wroxall and the incredibly quaint Godshill. Newport gets only the briefest of visits, albeit long enough to eye up landmarks such as the Minster Church in St Thomas's Square, then we're onto another bus in the form of the 5. This route passes the Medina Leisure Centre and Osborne House (Queen Victoria's favoured Isle of Wight retreat) to reach East Cowes, setting down outside a Waitrose Supermarket with its tiled depictions of pleasure craft, helicopters and Union Jack-clad shipyard berths.

- East Cowes Terminal -

When I last visited the Isle of Wight with my family roughly 25 years ago, we stayed at the Waverley Park caravan site in East Cowes so this - along with Ryde - is the part of the island which seems the most familiar to me. Stephen and I take a gentle stroll via Albany Road to cover some of the Esplanade; seeing the static caravans rising up the hill towards a distant clubhouse certainly brings back a few memories! Likewise the Red Funnel ferry terminal where our timings are spot on for seeing 'Red Eagle' being systematically unloaded - it's an impressively choreographed procedure, getting everybody safely off before welcoming the next batch of Solent-crossers on board. A relaxed pint in the traditional Ship & Castle adds further East Cowes endeavour with hints of the quayside close at hand.

- Waiting for the Floating Bridge -

East Cowes is separated from its more glamorous Cowes counterpart by the mouth of the River Medina although there is an exciting Floating Bridge to connect the two sides. A single fare of £1 for foot passengers allows us to sample this chain ferry experience, with tug boat 'Tectis' nuzzled up close to keep our craft on course. Cowes meanwhile is famous for its royal yachting connections, hosting the socialite swirl of its world-renowned Cowes Week regatta every August. It's a moneyed place in some respects with the amount of boat clubs dotted about, but otherwise seems relatively ordinary on a chilly November afternoon. Two prime pubs catch our collective eye here: the Painters Arms promises sports screens although the Wrexham v Wolves game isn't showing, and we almost find ourselves becoming inadvertent extras during filming for a music video! Shooters Hill meanwhile is home to the reigning Isle of Wight CAMRA Pub of the Year, the Ale House micropub. We partake of a leisurely tipple sitting upstairs, accompanied by an antique Pittis estate agents For Sale board.

- Yachts at Small Hope Beach -

Using a slab of poetic licence about the usual yuletide flow of things, Sunday 8th November becomes 'New Year's Eve' for Turkey & Tinsel purposes although Stephen and I don't need to work off any overindulgences. A sunkissed stroll along Small Hope Beach - just north of the main Shanklin promenade - has us admiring a series of multicoloured beach huts while the local sailing club are lining up their various steeds along the sands. After pausing to pay our Remembrance Sunday respects amidst road closures by Shanklin Cenotaph, we board that number 3 bus once more for the twenty minute trundle into Ventnor. There's some superb scenery to be enjoyed around Luccombe and Bonchurch - where some of the cliff paths are fenced off due to the risk of landslips - before the bus tightly twists its way down the hill near Holy Trinity Church. I would not want to be a bus driver trying to navigate these steep bends!

- Cascade Gardens, Ventnor -

Ventnor is predominantly a Victorian seaside town with a whiff of elegance about it, although - as with most equivalent places - it requires regular fresh investment to keep looking its best. Pier Street precedes the sweeping arc of the Cascade Gardens, nestled under the watchful gaze of the art deco Winter Gardens building. We take a wander along a short breakwater for snippets of a small working harbour, then continue along the Esplanade to reach the rather eccentric Spyglass Inn. A strong pirate theme is instantly apparent here, augmented inside through a range of nautical devices at seemingly every turn. Our attendance coincides with their resident musician playing the piano in his smart pinstripe blazer. Tunes such as 'Misty', 'Close to You' and 'Sleepy Shores' really hit the mark for easy listening nostalgia.

- VPA in the Volunteer -

The Spyglass Inn was great but my favourite Ventnor pub discovery has to be the Volunteer, a throwback free house on Victoria Street. Run by an old school publican wearing a tie, the beer is exceptional (VPA standing for Ventnor Premium Ale as brewed by Yates) and the setting is almost a time capsule of sporting trophies and gentle titillation. I'm particularly enthralled by a Rings board - I don't remember seeing one of those in the wild before! - while the regulars have been treated to plates of sandwiches, possibly as part of the Remembrance activities. Our final evening in Shanklin is spent back at King Harry's Bar where a smiling cartoon sketch of King Charles beams down upon our table, we knew Nick was with us really. All that remains is our Monday morning ferry connection - sitting on the outer deck to see Southampton in the Solent haze - and the long coach ride jaunt back up to the West Midlands. Cheers!

Chip Foundation Chronicles: Stoke and Longton

Another one of our number is getting incrementally older again with Stephen taking his turn in the birthday spotlight. It's become customary for our Beardsmore trips to poke around the Potteries so we have every intention of sticking to a winning formula…

- Open for Business in the Potteries -

Trip Log: Friday 30th October 2026 and it's the big day itself. Yes, Mr Beardsmore is turning 60-something this very day and the idea is to cover more of Stoke on Trent in his honour. Previous outings have harnessed Hanley, tickled Tunstall and bagged Burslem so this time we'll fix our erstwhile gaze upon Stoke Town proper, combined with a look at Longton. Nick has specified the 10:49 train as being the one we need to catch, although it is a busy service and we effectively end up meeting on the platform at Stoke Station. Crossing the omnipresent A500 arterial route, we pass part of the former Minton Hollins Ltd tile factory on Shelton Old Road before immersing ourselves in more Potteries heritage courtesy of the Spode Museum. Here a representation of a willow-patterned teapot beckons us inside and Ken observes that it helps to be called Josiah if you want to be a pioneer in the manufacture of porcelain.

- A Spode Seat for His Majesty -

The museum is well worth visiting any time of the week although we drop particularly lucky in witnessing a live gilding demonstration from a retired Spode worker named David. The level of artistry involved is amazing, requiring fine sable brushes, good eyesight (or strong spectacles) and a very steady hand. We also hear about the Spode Works band during the 1980s where Heather from the canteen surprised members with her vocal talent. A huge montage of works photos lines one corridor and there is a separate display documenting local LGBT history. We take time to peruse the shop - being very careful not to knock anything over - and have a nose inside the Daniel Room as a bookable meeting space. A ceramic throne outside gets tested by the royal derriere, plus we can admire the old works entrance gates off Church Street.

- Big Dog in the Congress Inn -

The number 11 bus towards Longton is next on our agenda, after a sighting of Stoke Library as now based in the repurposed market hall. The route in full links Newcastle and Hanley via Bentilee but we only need the short section along City Road and King Street through Fenton. My cue to alight is the distinctive green girder railway bridge abutting the Crown Hotel so we hop off near a disused Woolworth's store and set about tracking down our first pub of the day. The Congress Inn duly awaits on Sutherland Road and is a classic corner local, serving real ale with a side order of spooky decorations. Big Dog from Lowestoft's Green Jack Brewery is billed as a Golden Rye creation and drinks very nicely while listening to an alternating playlist mostly featuring Slade and The Sweet. 'Little Willy' still hasn't gone home after all these years!

- Staking out the Strand -

I'd been to the Congress before (with Mr D9 back in 2019) and it was still as good as I recall, but our next two places are something of a mystery. Traversing the 1960s shopping joys of the Longton Exchange precinct - a popular amenity with a friendly community sensibility - we can reach the Strand, a deceptively spacious bar fashioned from a former tobacconist's shop. The Caldmore Taverns group were responsible for the conversion here and they've done a great job, even serving up a tasty glass of Wincle's Hanging Stone Smoked Porter. The beer at our third port of call is sadly nowhere near as good; in fact the Black Sheep Bitter at the George & Dragon was probably well past its best but the pub as a whole left a memorable impression! Quite what the regulars thought of us is anyone's guess, with Messrs Beardsmore and May almost swallowed by a very low soft sofa. We manage to prise them back up eventually.

- Longton Market -

Aside from the pubs (and Woolworth's!) it's good to see a little more of Longton, one of the six towns which federated together to form the City of Stoke on Trent - the arrangement officially came into force on 31st March 1910. We'd seen brown tourist signs for the Victorian Market and needed to take a closer look, even though trade is winding down for the day. The building alone is architecturally impressive having originally been built circa 1862/3 and then enlarged in 1914; it currently operates on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and you can imagine the promotional patter of stallholders filling the air, telling of bargain fruit, veg, fish, meat and other household products. The Town Hall adjoins one end of the market site at Times Square.

- The Glebe Hotel -

The return number 11 to Stoke hurtles back through Fenton and drops us off on Church Street practically outside the Wheatsheaf Wetherspoons. We're safely within the 2pm to 5pm window where the cheaper afternoon meal deals apply, and Stephen gallantly copes with a shortage of salt sachets. Burgers, chicken bowls, brunches and ham/eggs duly consumed - and with the Maxim John Bull Stout declared as decent - we move nearby to assess the Six Towns (an Irish affair taking on what used to be a Titanic boozer called the White Star) then finish at the Glebe Hotel. I am a fan of the latter and can easily understand why staff at the adjacent Civic Centre make this their post-work bolthole. Joule's have applied their customary high-end finish of dark wood, mirrors and stained glass insets, while some of the breweriana creations prompt talk about Football Pools coupons and Premium Bonds - those were the days!

- The Birthday Boy in Action -

Satisfied by a closing slurp of Slumbering Monk, it's over to the railway station we trot albeit the 18:44 Birmingham departure is delayed by around twenty minutes. A platform bench thus offers time for reflection on another successful Stoke trip, and the general passage of time, before another very busy set of carriages mean seating can be at a premium. The final word should of course go to Stephen so here we see him at the George & Dragon, his Coke almost tantalisingly out of reach as the perils of a certain sofa take effect. I wonder which destinations might be in line for celebrating Chip Foundation birthdays in 2027?

WME Flickr Focus - October 2026

October's photostream activity has seen Exploration Extra continuing its national tour of duty. Join us on a journey from the South Coast to North Yorkshire via Merseyside, the East Midlands and a Trent Bridge cricketing call...

We'll work our way up the country for this monthly appraisal, so I'll pick our Portland as our starting point. The Spirit of Portland sculpture made quite an impression on me in January 2024 with its dramatic hilltop depictions of stoneworkers and fishermen, and I was similarly beguiled by the Royal Portland Arms as a quirky free house in Fortuneswell. From Portland we move to Portsmouth for the nautical harbour-end delights of the Spice Island Inn (complete with tiled facade for the defunct Brickwoods Brewery) and hints of the city's sailing club. 

Inching east along the South Coast, we reach the seaside town of Littlehampton for glimpses of beachfront pebbles, round chapel windows and riverboat berths - the Arun View being our principal pub offering here. The Menu restaurant and a disused MOT garage plump out my Littlehampton local items before Brighton nudges in some North Laine arrows, just in case anybody wasn't sure how to reach this trendily bohemian district with its independent range of shops and bars.

October's East Midlands extractions meanwhile build on the Leicester haul that we'd begun in September. The Newarke supplies its own brand of street signage and I like a mural montage remembering the former Savoy Theatre. Northampton nibbles on Norvil nuggets courtesy of a former motorcycling shopfront, although you might prefer the Irish twang of the Swan & Helmet. Nottingham then tempts us with Trent Bridge for a variety of player portraits (Luke Fletcher, Olly Stone), general cricket ground livery and two date extracts from the riverside War Memorial. I must also mention Matlock matters, delivering the Derbyshire Dales council offices and a closed Ford car dealership amongst other morsels.

Macclesfield moves us closer to the North West, supplying pub content from the Nags Head and the Castle (the latter being one of my absolute favourite finds of 2023, I love its timeless interior). The historic 108 Steps needed to be represented while fans of carved typefaces might like the Police Station marker, or perhaps a little nod to Waters Green. Liverpool and Southport cover our Merseyside angle, whether this be with Globe Inn beer-bellied ornaments or Singer sewing centres. My nostalgic side likes the Southport Pier Pavilion with its vintage penny arcade games, such as a Ring A Ding slider featuring Norman Vaughan catchphrases.

Our nationwide roaming remit culminates in Yorkshire, where a visit to the National Railway Museum is on the cards. Dairy tankers, Cheltenham Flyers and cleaning warnings were my chief spottings there on a wet June 2019 morning. Elsewhere in the vicinity of York, we populate my Poppleton archives with the local branch library and village green parking enforcement notices, then land up in Scarborough's Craft Bar by way of Richmond. River Swale scenery mingles with railway station reminders to complete our October arrivals. Until next time, enjoy the photos...

The Route 1 Pubcrawl: D9 at the Double

The storm season has arrived with a vengeance as Austen and Boelo have wreaked their collective might upon the West Midlands. The Hub Marketing Board were due to meet for a Shropshire session but scaled back our plans in favour of a local pubcrawl aboard the number 1 bus between Dudley and Tettenhall - the idea proved so tempting, we completed it across two separate outings...

- Our driver is in position -

Part One of our twofold tale takes place on the afternoon of Friday 23rd October 2026 when soggy Shrewsbury gets jettisoned in favour of Upper Gornal and Sedgley. The Board are no strangers to wet weather contingencies although the elements have thrown up particularly unpleasant conditions, hence our Pipers Row rendezvous being accompanied by an almighty downpour. Splashing our way to St George's Parade, we intercept the trusty 1 for a TUAG (Turn Up and Go) rumble into Gornal where the Britannia can provide solace from the storm. Bathams Best Bitter in Sally's Parlour is always hard to beat, munching our way through the pub's latest cob delivery while old boys chat about the poor beer quality at their Golf Club.

- The Bald Spot spies a Stripey Oss -

The Secretary doesn't need much persuading to revisit Gornal, knowing that he can cash in a sleeve surprise if the cards fall right. The Stripey Oss on Kent Street's 1960s shopping parade had its shutters down at the first time of asking but obligingly opens up after 1pm; the zebra theme is good fun but our darting exploits become a trial of back room endurance. For once, WME Whirlwind is hitting the board regularly but he lacks the clinical edge for those crucial checkouts. D9 Destroyer by contrast is hitting trebles all over the shop (albeit mostly going bust as a result) and takes a 5-1 lead to the Jolly Crispin. The scoring there is tighter, a 3-3 draw being powered by Neepsend's 6% Typhon pale ale, meaning the Chairman ends up 8-4 in credit. Some Whirlwind consolation is gained from a crafty 101 outshot and the ale is great.

- Rebel Rosie's -

One Upper Gornal pub we won't be able to sample is the Spills Meadow, which is currently all boarded up with skips outside. With that crossed off our agenda, the number 1 briskly powers us into Sedgley for a sampling of Sanzibar (partaking of Draught Bass and Three Tuns Cleric's Cure) followed by the White Horse, the latter a bastion of Carling and avid horse racing on this evidence. Friday's Silly Songs are duly traded: 'Statutory Right of Entry' by Richard Stilgoe from the WME playlist, then the Mrs Mills piano-peddling version of 'Second Hand Rose' - she's no Barbra Streisand is Gladys! Another bus ride brings us back into Wolverhampton, alighting on Snow Hill to check out The Bricks which turns out to put much more emphasis on the kitchen than the bar in terms of its 'Kitchen Bar' operations. Rebel Rosie's is interesting, occupying industrial buildings which were once part of Express & Star news production.

- The Secretary takes a DIVE -

The Chairman takes quite a shine to Rebel Rosie's actually, and we could envisage returning sometime to test ourselves on their glitzy darts lanes or shuffleboards. It is pitched at students and sport lovers so could get lively when a big match is on, but we found it likeable enough. Mr WME's sleeves then start twitching again: we all know that D9 loves his dives but a venue actually called DIVE is a new one on us, and can be found above the ex-Exchange pub (or De Fusion in modern parlance) via three flights of dimly lit stairs. Worries that we are about to enter a Sinderella's strip club are thankfully allayed by the sight of a drinking den with its own vintage pinball games room. Tall glasses of Freedom lager help us to feel at home, then the Secretary makes a sharpish exit to attend to quizzing matters in Tettenhall. A Team Bears debut for Bookworm Bygrave results (or coincides) with a long overdue victory - hurrah!

- Back aboard the number 1 -

Speaking of Tettenhall, that end of the #1 route must not escape hub scrutiny so the Board reconvenes on Monday 26th October for an evening blast. Little has changed since Friday in fairness - the weather is still awful, the Secretary is still wearing his red tent anorak and the Chairman's hair hasn't miraculously grown back. Flagging down our steed on Lichfield Street opposite the Art Gallery, we make speedy progress out to the Newbridge as an A41 roadhouse landmark operated by the Stonehouse group. Daily carveries are the stock-in trade here but we swerve the roast dinners in deference to glasses of Carling, Mr D9 digesting bombshell news regarding the imminent works departure of Head Hub.

- On yer bike, Chairman? -

From this point on, the pubs are all reasonably close together - certainly within easy walking distance - although this doesn't stop the Chairman from contemplating using one of those Lime e-bikes that seem to be everywhere now. The Swan on Lower Street is another Carling contender and has been opened out more since we last saw it (which admittedly was the best part of twelve and a half years ago). 1970s Wolverhampton Wanderers programme covers are the Secretary's kind of decor and sports fans are well catered for thanks to numerous screens. Old Hill has us rapidly revising my assessment about 'easy' walking distance; it's actually quite a steep climb to reach the Two Greens, an establishment some readers may remember better as being called the Rock Hotel. Greene King ales and comfortable surroundings are the result, albeit perhaps upstaged by a Ronnie Barker silly song - 'There's A Lot Of It About' you know!

- The Carpenters Arms -

There are two further taverns to complete our Tettenhall Village set, Mr WME taking pity on D9 by not insisting on revisiting the Crown at Wergs (scene of an all-time expensive round). The Chairman instead finds himself in line for a nifty discount courtesy of the Dog & Gun over on Wrottesley Road, £3.50 each for good quality Plum Porter and Jaipur isn't bad going these days. We can then finish at Tettenhall's newest addition, the Carpenters Arms as based in a High Street premises which used to be the Chill Wine Bar, and a dressmaking shop before that. The refit seems very tasteful, creating a vibe which feels very much like a traditional alehouse with extra capacity via a lounge room upstairs. The beer is on top form tonight, Hobson's Town Crier and Purple Moose's Dark Side of the Moose both meeting with our esteemed approval while the cobs are massive. What a lovely landing point - cheers!