Eastbourne Excursion Extractions

A special family holiday arranged in honour of my Grandad's 90th birthday means the extended WME clan - and guest member Stephen - will be staying in Sussex for a few January days. Eastbourne is a new destination for me so here's to a coach getaway...

- Dusky Eastbourne Seafront -

Our East Sussex story starts on Sunday 25th January with a nominal departure time of 09:10 from Wolverhampton's Faulkland Street coach station. Our steed actually arrives remarkably early and then makes reasonably rapid progress - via Dudley and Frankley Services - along the M5, M40, M25 and A27 with a halfway stop at Beaconsfield (no, I didn't partake of the on site service station Wetherspoons). Checking into Daish's Imperial Hotel at circa half past two, there's scope for some initial Eastbourne exploration prior to our evening meal. The Cornfield Garage supplies refreshment in the form of Rebellion Brewery's Smuggler ale in a building that until 1976 had been a landmark car showroom. Fed and watered back at our lodgings, Stephen and I then take a dusky seafront stroll to ponder below-the-pier murals denoting appropriate recycling of plastics, slotting in a quick dash of Little Chelsea as Eastbourne's quaint Victorian quarter makes an immediate impression.

- Mr Beardsmore on the Ouse -

Monday 26th January is the big day in terms of family celebrations, with Grandad receiving cards, cake and a 90th birthday balloon either side of enjoying a trundle off to the bookies. Mr B and I otherwise dedicate the day to Lewes, a timeless county town that retains more than its fair share of independent family businesses and is all the better for it. Catching the 09:55 train over (once the driver had turned up), we cover the full length of the High Street from Cliffe at the eastern end to the Old Grammar School and St Anne's Church to the west. Along the way we note the River Ouse, Lewes Town Hall, the Con Club and a succession of route 28 buses. Several of the buildings have connections to Thomas Paine, whose philosophical writings on politics proved highly influential during the American Revolution. One of the local hostelries is called the Rights of Man while the White Hart proclaims itself the cradle of US independence.

- Castle Gate, Lewes -

The entire town centre is dominated by Lewes Castle standing ruined on its mound. This 11th century fortification was originally erected after the Norman Conquest and is noted for having two mottes as part of its phased construction. Winter opening times apply so the museum can only accept visitors on weekends for the moment; Castle Gate does at least allow views of the stonework from afar and presents an attractive thoroughfare in its own right, traversing lamplit arches. We follow the cobbles past the castle's associated bowling green - said to have been in use for over three centuries - to reach the Lewes Arms, a superb find which has rightfully earned entry into the 2026 Good Beer Guide. Procuring Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter (and Mr B's lemonade and blackcurrant) from the small front bar, we proceed into the side snug to sit among chopped logs and photos of the town's famous Bonfire Procession. Lewes has seven Bonfire Societies that oversee the annual November 5th festivities, marching the streets with martyrs' crosses all aglow. The gallery certainly makes it look spectacular!

- Harvey's Brewery -

Lewes is also home to the aforementioned Harveys, a family brewery that was founded in 1790 and is currently run by the seventh and eighth generations of their dynasty. I'm naturally keen to sample more of their wares so we check out the Gardeners Arms, a cosy narrow pub off Cliffe High Street where the XXXX Old Ale is excellent, then move around the corner into the John Harvey Tavern taphouse. Here the full range is gloriously showcased in appealing surroundings, hence the XX Dark Mild tickles my fancy and is served straight from the stillage behind the bar counter. Mr B and I decamp to a spare table cocooned inside a giant barrel to debate cricketing and footballing matters in the time-honoured way. Our Eastbourne evening then involves more family time with Grandad and my parents, playing bingo without much success and tackling the hotel's daily quiz by racking our brains to think of US states that begin with the letter 'C'. Let's just say we didn't win...

- Feline Friend in the Dolphin -

Onto Tuesday 27th January and Storm Chandra has been howling outside for hours, although other parts of the country seem to have had it worse. The weather remains foul for most of the morning so we stay indoors listening to the ODI cricket commentary from Colombo, England securing the welcome boost of a series win in Sri Lanka. Mr Beardsmore is certainly buoyed by that news as we stick around Eastbourne for the afternoon, venturing out to the London & County Wetherspoons for a lunchtime pint before casting our pub net elsewhere in town. The Dolphin was one of the Little Chelsea hostelries we'd spotted on Sunday night so a visit there makes sense, sampling Long Man's Old Man dark ale from a small brewery based in nearby Polegate. The resident ginger cat is not a creature to be ignored and literally demands regular floofing by miaowing at any unsuspecting customers - we are happy to follow its orders!

- The Saffrons -

Fine discoveries are to be had around Meads Road courtesy of Eastbourne Town Hall and the Caffyns dealership where vintage early motors such as a 1908 Morris Oxford are on display. The Saffrons is home to Eastbourne Town Football Club plus bowls, tennis, hockey and cricket provision so it's a serious sporting concern - I love the turnstile entrance kiosk with its painted embossed letters. Saffrons Road has flint-speckled stone walls as we access Dittons Road onto The Goffs, effectively flanking the edges of Gildredge Park. A rug repair shop catches Stephen's eye as we home in on Old Town, a historic district of Eastbourne which pre-dates the development of the Victorian seaside resort brought about by William Cavendish, the 7th Duke of Devonshire. The presence of an older settlement is indicated by the 12th century charms of St Mary's Church, one of two fascinating buildings that stand side by side.

- The Lamb, Old Town -

The second of these special structures is the Lamb, a wondrous watering hole that just looks the part with its black and white beams, monumental fireplaces and a well some 18 metres deep (or around 59 feet in old money). The cellars here are said to date to 1180, echoing the Norman construction of the church next door, and the pub as a whole is one of the oldest in the entire country. What's more, it's a Harvey's tied house and I've been developing a distinct liking for their ales all week. Armada gets the nod this time, served in impeccable condition, while sketch portraits of Eastbourne cricketers ensure Mr B is sufficiently placated too. The high backed benches are ecclesiastical in flavour and the medieval masonry is marvellous. Mealtime at the Imperial then precedes more Harvey's admiration in the guise of the Victoria Hotel, a backstreet boozer we managed to sample at the third time of asking. Whisky jugs, sherry butts and other ceramics create a memorable setting for gentle conversation.

- Eastbourne Pier -

The big news come Wednesday 28th January is that the sun has come out, and Eastbourne does look especially refined on an unseasonably springlike morning. I have the Pier almost all to myself, strolling along the boardwalk to get pictures of its different components including a Victorian tearoom, a tackle shop and gilded lanterns at frequent intervals. The seafront hotels have more sparkle about them suddenly, with elegant facades detectable from the Burlington, the Chatsworth and the Queens. I loop as far as the Redoubt Fortress, a formidable coastal defence built to guard against Napoleonic invasions but it currently appears to be disused if the museum it houses is no longer operating. It's then time to catch the bus to Hastings, the 99 being a Stagecoach route serving Pevensey Bay and Bexhill-on-Sea. 

- St Clement's Church, Hastings -

We alight on Harold Place in Hastings town centre (on account of everybody else getting off) and immediately spot a couple of murals representing local musicians and the lifeboat; I don’t recognise any of the performers but it’s a visual treat regardless. Mom and Dad recommended the Old Town area as being the nicest bit of Hastings to investigate so Mr B and I aim there, noting hints of craggy castle and the West Cliff Lift en route. George Street has a boutique feel with bunting, bric a brac emporiums and tempting sweetshops - cue some fudge purchases - before the lovely parish church of St Clement's steals the scene. The opposite corner is where the Swan pub used to stand until it became a victim of German bombs during The Blitz.

- First In Last Out is a Cardinal -

We won't be able to sample the Swan sadly but two other establishments are in line for our custom, starting with the First In Last Out. The amount of previous Good Beer Guide stickers adorning the front windows is proof enough of its pedigree for serving quality ale, and the fact the place gets packed out with expectant diners within a quarter of an hour of opening likewise suggests we're onto a winner. So it proves with their own microbrewery being responsible for a nectar-like pint of FILO Cardinal Sussex Porter, I'm blown away. The Jenny Lind has a tough act to follow there but comes up trumps with Long Man Best Bitter and a strong commitment to live music. Shanty sessions with Completely Scuppered are their Thursday night staple.

- Beardsmore by the Beach -

More Hastings heritage needs to be rigorously investigated so the fantastic Fishing Quarter is an unmissable attraction. This seafront enclave comprises The Stade and Rock-a-Nore Road complete with tall Net Shops - black mariner shacks unique to Hastings - and a rocky outcrop known as East Hill. There are two museums in the vicinity, one focusing on the fishing industry and the other dealing with shipwrecks, so you can get a sense of Sussex's maritime past. We troop back into the somewhat less glamorous modern town centre, nip into the John Logie Baird Wetherspoons for additional refreshment - it is named after the Scottish engineer recognised as the inventor of the world's first mechancial television set - then Eastbourne beckons once more for our final evening on the South Coast, spent back at the Dolphin attempting their pub quiz (we came joint sixth after an unfortunate wipeout finale). Come Thursday 29th January it's time to head home, enduring A27 traffic due to malfunctioning manholes but still reaching the West Midlands in good order. A special week!

WME Flickr Focus - January 2026

Photostream felicitations to you as 2026 is already a whole month old. Hopefully any January blues are starting to dissipate and we can all look forward to shorter nights plus warmer temperatures on the horizon. Encouragingly, the last few weeks have been ones of positive pictorial progress - here's the latest...

Stealing the New Year limelight is WME Dudley which ushers forth a deluge of Delph dealings from the environs of Brierley Hill. The Bull & Bladder pub is a muse I'm always happy to gaze upon again so forgive me for an obsession with beer-related Bathams Brewery lettering, whether this be for Mild, Bitter or the on-site Hop Room. Street signs increasingly come as standard where my archive is concerned so Thorns Avenue and The Goss make their combined presences felt, and I can't publish items from The Delph without drawing upon the famous canal flight and its associated boozer (The Tenth Lock). A sprinkle of Dudley town centre offerings add more bulk, with an emphasis on Duncan Edwards's statue.

Secondly, let's swiftly consider WME Shropshire where I've been decisive in Ditherington thanks to sacks of dominoes and a Long Row street sign. They feed into my general Shrewsbury album alongside four Coleham contenders, the lanes Salters and Egland being joined by the glorious Bass lamps of the Cross Foxes. Craven Arms meanwhile furnishes us with farming possibilities in the form of Morris Corfield's tractor dealership, almost agricultural!

WME Wolverhampton is usually pretty active and January was especially productive for the insertion of tweaked pictures i.e. ones that didn't initially meet my extensive quality control expectations and required remedial surgery. George Street tiles, Pool Hall golden leaves and Springfield Campus construction banners all benefit from such extra editing, whereas Dixon Street mosaic basketballers and Connaught House flat namings made the cut at the first time of asking. The legendary tree growing in the gents of the Combermere Arms also makes an appearance, joining Compton's Oddfellows in my Wulfrunian assemblings.

Elsewhere, there have been stirrings from WME Sandwell - most notably involving the Midland Electric Power Company frontage on Reddal Hill Road in Cradley Heath - and from good old WME Birmingham which bashfully recruits the Deritend Fish & Chips shop on account of its vintage Pepsi branding. Brum also bagged itself an Allison Street snippet down in Digbeth and an encounter with Lock Six on the Ashted Flight (near Curzon Street) for a canal candidate whereas Sandwell summoned a Galton Valley metallic portrait.

To the surrounding shires now, with WME Staffordshire apparently active in Lower Penn and Trescott (cue Dene Road, Shop Lane and yet another canine artwork). WME Worcestershire wiggles through a River Severn scene at Bewdley before allowing WME Warwickshire to claim the stage via a couple of Curdworth Locks. All that remains is a brief mention for WME Coventry and its acquired piece of James Starley street art and you can consider yourselves fully in the know. Until February, enjoy the pictures!

Glugging Around Gornal: A January Jaunt

Foundation Assemble! Your mission - should you choose to accept it - is to raid the pubs and taverns of deepest Gornal in search of ale, cobs and merriment. Will you be up to the task? There's only one way to find out...

- The Jolly Crispin -

The first Chip Foundation outing of 2026 stands to be a wet one. His Majesty has requested an extended Glugging Around Gornal session as a follow up to December's calendar unveiling affair, during which we spotted a Stripey Oss among other things. Several of our old favourites are in line to be revisited in the rain, starting with the Jolly Crispin on Clarence Street. Indeed, Nick has forged ahead to claim a prime table in the rustic old bar and is happily clutching his Ossett White Rat by the time Stephen, Ken and I pitch up off the number 1 bus. Promising a festival of beer everyday, this used to be the Fownes Brewery tap but now functions as a free house that - if the date on the paintwork is to be believed - first got going circa 1820.

- Britannia Buddies -

Conversation about Eastbourne holidays, Beardsmore tenants and the recent snowy weather prepares us for a stroll down the road to collect that other Upper Gornal mainstay, namely the Britannia. Some of us were only here last month but it's always a joy to return, especially if there is Batham's Best Bitter in the offing. HRH goes rogue by sampling the Mild - which he rates very highly - and we find ourselves budging in amongst the regulars in the main bar due to Sally's Parlour room being used for interviews. One of the barmaids is working wonders in getting a roaring fire fully stoked up, just what you need on a chilly grey day in January. We mostly gloss over our Ashes cricket reflections (probably too traumatic for poor Stephen to contemplate) and instead debate Greenland developments plus the general rate of inflation.

- Cheers from the Chapel House -

Gornal can be a hilly challenge so we're wisely going down into Lower Gornal rather than attempting any mountaineering in the other direction. Holloway Street and Ruiton Street thus bring us safely to the Chapel House, an establishment we last frequented together way back in December 2010. It was called the Miners Arms at that point but has reverted to an earlier name as well as having its external render removed to showcase the underlying sandstone; Holden's have owned the place since around 1949 hence their range of Bitter, Special and Golden Glow is on hand to tempt us. The locals are playing darts (complete with electronic voiceover) at the front of the pub so we sit near the back, Ken being quizmaster in finding us various BBC football questions to answer based on rounds in Richard Osman's House of Games, Only Connect and Mastermind. Getting 'Trent Alexander Arnoldham' as an Answer Smash might be my finest moment of the day!

- The Fountain Inn -

The next couple of watering holes shouldn't require too much of an introduction, both having been recorded in the annals of my blogdom several times over the years. Passing the edges of St James's Churchyard - where most of the graves look very well cared for - we reach the Fountain as positioned in a sloping formation halfway along Temple Street. For many editions this was a Good Beer Guide shoo-in and we're pleased to report that the quality and breadth of the ale range is hitting the heights still. His Majesty considers himself to be a Fallen Angel (no comment) whereas I simply can't resist the Abbeydale Irish Cream Stout which tastes like a heavenly mixture of Baileys and Guinness. Stephen by this stage is so replete with Pepsi that he can't face another half and prefers to concentrate on munching a much appreciated sausage roll. A comfortable lounge table beckons for Bridge of Lies as the daytime diet of endless quiz shows gets into full swing.

- The Old Bull's Head -

Leaving Ross Kemp to his brooding hosting duties, we switch straight across the road into the Old Bull's Head which also happens to be the Black Country Ales flagship. The company has gone from strength to strength since being founded in 1999 and now owns over 50 taphouses with more being added to the estate each year. Gornal however is their spiritual home so it's always a pleasure to pop by and pick from whichever beers they have on show, which today includes their standard BFG, Fireside and Pig on the Wall plus several guests. I personally partake of Oakham's Hell Bent Coffee Porter which has a pronounced roasted bitterness to match well with some bargain vegetable samosas. The front two rooms have been knocked into one but its an inviting space, decorated in the company's house style and lending itself to deep conversation with a background hint of Smooth Radio. 

- Bush Brethren -

From the Old Bull's Head, we continue our descent past Gornal Wood Bus Station to reach the third of the Gornal communities (Upper, Lower and Wood). The Woodman doesn't look open and has a planning notice sellotaped up by the front door so we hope this isn't terminal; thankfully the Bush Inn on Summit Place is very much alive and kicking. This is a cottagey number that can go under the radar a little compared to the cask ale heavyweights nearby although it's definitely worth seeking out. A tight cask range gives us a choice between St Austell Proper Job or Exmoor Gold - South West beers in the heart of the Black Country - before we park ourselves in the little front snug surrounded by heavily blackened beams. Having settled in, Ken gives us the back story to his new coat purchase and we deliberate over what might become of Wolverhampton Wanderers once relegation is confirmed.

- Milk Stout Moments in PACK -

I make that six Gornal stopping points duly accounted for, a glorious half dozen that covered three local breweries and some excellent independent houses. The 27A bus collects us from Gornal Wood Bus Station at 17:13 for a ride via The Straits (the Longfellow Road variation), Sedgley, the Northway estate and Goldthorn Park. Back in Wolverhampton by 6pm, we finish off at PACK to see what the chaps make of the city centre's latest bar arrival. As with Mr D9 last week, impressions are very favourable with Nick's eyes predictably lighting up at the sight of the table football machine upstairs. Bristol Beer Factory's Milk Stout is the perfect smooth finale to a day of high class beer, and the first floor soft sofa area also scores highly. Cheers!

Mr D9's January Jumble

If at first you don't succeed... rearrange your Hub Marketing plans! After the snows of Storm Goretti forced the postponement of our originally intended meeting on Friday 9th January, Board members soon sorted out an alternative slot in order to stage their first trip of 2026. Wednesday 14th January will be the day in question with the backstreets of Wolverhampton nominated as our pubcrawl destination...

- Not the Chairman (or so he says) -

Happy New Hub Marketing Year! We begin our tale with the Secretary meeting another noted accomplice (namely Mr Beardsmore) for lunch at Tunwall's, a cafe housed in the former Lindy Lou shop on Wolverhampton's Victoria Street. This beguiling building should be very familiar to generations of Wulfrunians, and it's lovely to sit upstairs tucking into sausages, beans and chips among the carved beams. Embroidered Wolves-head seats and a gallery of manga-like sketches add extra curiosity value while one of the rooms has become the new home of the Stay Loose record shop, creating a community hub all under one rather historic roof. Chapel Ash then supplies seasonal street art in the form of the Grinch and a warmly-attired Snoopy.

- This is the Chairman, pondering PACK -

The main Hub Marketing action commences after 4pm, whereby Messrs D9 and WME intend on converging at PACK on Queen Square. This new pub venture stands for Perfect Ale Cask & Keg and launched to much acclaim last November. Based in a disused KFC store - or for older residents the former Mike Lloyd Music shop - it boasts an extensive range of up to 27 beers, while having an interesting collection of steampunk artefacts and fearsome handheld drills dotted about. The Secretary arrives first, furnishes himself with a pint of Bristol Beer Factory's excellent Espresso Martini Stout and explores more of the interior, including a first floor area displaying reclaimed pub signs. The Chairman maintains hub decorum by turning up fashionably late but soon settles in with his glass of Tiny Rebel's Cwtch Welsh Red Ale.

- Jacks Cafe & Bar -

PACK certainly made a positive impression there and it's highly likely we'll stage more visits in future. For now though the backstreets beckon, with the Secretary's nose for a surprise taking us beyond the St John's Retail Park to Frederick Street, Just along from the ex-Star Works car factory (latterly KK's Steel Mill venue for live rock music) is Jacks Cafe & Bar, itself situated in premises that could best be described as industrial. The corrugated beige frontage belies a comfortable interior that majors on food with Indian leanings; they open early for breakfast orders before curries take over in the afternoon and evenings. We call in for a Carling each, sitting by the pool table and revealing more of the treasured 2026 Hub Calendar - Ashmore Park bald spots and Penn Hospital battered sausages may feature heavily!

- Charles Pemberton Rowbottom III's Review of 2025 -

Where next? Well, a little sidestreet shimmy brings us swiftly to Graiseley Row where the Kaz Bar awaits amongst rudimentary workshops and engineering firms. Smoke from a major fire in nearby Blakenhall pervades the air as we check out what used to be the Queens Arms, which hosted CAMRA meetings back in the early days of the Wolverhampton branch (a certain HRH possibly attended some of those). Lager is the go-to drink here these days and despite a few detectable Bollywood trappings, it's nevertheless easy to envisage this being a proper boozer brimming with a simple traditional feel. As such, esteemed Hub Founder Charles Pemberton Rowbottom III grants us with his presence to deliver his 2025 Review of the Year speech, in between bouts of snoring and dozing off. He only gets exhumed for special occasions!

- Smiling Secretary Going Golden -

The Secretary's sleeves are proving productive this evening and he's got another gem lined up tucked away off Lea Road. The Oaklands Bowling & Social Club originated in 1904 and had croquet as part of its remit, although I can't imagine Wolverhampton being a hotbed for that anymore. Latterly the clubhouse premises has operated as the Golden Bar & Grill, making it another curry contender very much in keeping with our theme for the evening. Mr D9 drools upon seeing a vintage green Banks's sign and is delighted once we get inside to sample yet more Carling, sitting below large screens showing the Masters snooker and noting some sparkle from leftover festive tinsel. The extended process of calendar unveiling is finally completed with pictures representing Birmingham reindeer and Telford estate pubs.

- D9 Drives Home -

After going Golden, we relocate to the Bruford Arms in Penn Fields which last received a Hub Marketing visit on our Pintathlon outing during the 2012 Olympics. A mere thirteen and a half years later, we're belatedly back again so that Charles Pemberton Rowbottom can declare the 2026 Hub Awards: Pub of the Year was Penn's Fox & Goose, the Dive could only ever be the Mallard at Brookside, and the Cafe of the Year was a close call between Penny's, the Coffee Pot and the New Stadium greasy spoon at Longford (the Bradmore option just about edged it). With all formalities duly administered, we leave CPR to soak up the Bruford's musty ambiance and catch the 2 into town care of some D9 driving - he's lost none of his steering skill has the Chairman although the bald spot was gleaming at times. A closing nightcap at the Mountain Bar & Grill on Queen Street seals the deal and we're underway for another year. Cheers!