Snoopy Spotting in Birmingham

You remember the Snoopy Trail which Bookworm Bygrave and I attempted at Trentham Gardens back in May? It turns out that a similar series of sculptures have now popped up at numerous locations across Birmingham City Centre during the school holidays, so I'd better start collecting the Beagles of Brum!

- The Bookworm meets 'Golden Hound' -

I'm going to be taking two bites of the Peanuts cherry this time around, reacquainting myself with some of the installations Emily and I saw at Trentham whilst also checking out any that haven't been repeated from the Potteries event. The Bookworm is my companion for Round 1, a Tuesday 4th August quizzing evening where we spend an hour finding the likes of 'I Need More Space' (the planetary kennel in Piccadilly Arcade) and 'Grrrrnarly Beach Hut', a seaside specimen found at the Great Western Arcade. One favourite we're particularly pleased to see again is 'Golden Hound' with its gilded shimmer populated by observational depictions of flora and fauna. It is currently based inside the Burlington Arcade near the Bacchus Bar steps.

- 'BowWow Haus' -

Of the installations we hadn't seen previously, 'It's Treat O'Clock' makes a sweet impression in depicting a gingerbread house complete with mini-Snoopy peeking out of an upstairs window, all very Hansel and Gretel! That one resides close to the Town Hall whereas 'BowWow Haus' lurks outside the Stalybridge Suites hotel on Corporation Street, instantly standing out with a design influenced by the Bauhaus movement and the geometric patterns of Piet Mondrian. As for the quiz, the Bookworm and I join friends Zoe and Mike at the Barrel Store for an evening of testing trivia. Fuelled by indulgent pizzas, we finish a respectable 5th just a handful of points behind the eventual winners. Steve Coogan anagrams and a festivals connection round go well but we get stumped by a close-up picture of a stapler - never mind!

- A Bespectacled Bull -

Round 2 of my Snoopy Sweep occurs on Monday 10th August in the company of my Chip Foundation colleagues. Assembling at New Street Station, we're amused to see that Ozzy the big mechanical bull is now adorned with a fetching pair of tinted spectacles which add further lustre to his rock and roll personality. Two of the Snoopys - or should that be Snoopies? - are positioned around the wider station concourse: 'Plant Dreams, Harvest Joy' has a greenhouse windowpane effect near one set of ticket barriers while the fruit tree fun of 'Garden of Delights' requires escalator access up into the malls of Grand Central.

- Mr Beardsmore by the 'Riverbank' -

Moving along to John Bright Street, 'Riverbank' is the next Snoopy to report for inspection and conveys a waterside air, helped by depictions of swans and a wading heron. A dramatic Peaky Blinders mural extends most of the way along Hill Street, capturing the likenesses of favourite characters such as Tommy Shelby and Aunt Polly, while a separate artwork on the Navigation Street bridge references the four original members of Black Sabbath. We're really getting a solid impression of Birmingham's indelible imprint on British popular culture around here.

- 'Tales for Tails' -

Continuing towards the Mailbox, Stephen can put his dodgy knee to the test negotiating flights of steps and escalators as we work our way through Harvey Nichols floors and past the BBC Studios entrance. 'Tales for Tails' is located close to the broadcasting hub and is probably the most amusing of all the Snoopy designs - I love the comical wordplay giving a canine twist to well known literary works and authors, hence Romeo and Drooliet, Woofering Heights, Bark Twain and Fetch 22. My accomplices all approve of this one too so it definitely appeals to our collective sense of silliness!

- Beer Stop at the Botanist -

This being a Chip Foundation get-together, there are bound to be a few refreshment stops along the way. We might have tested out the Sixes 'Social Cricket' concept had it still been trading but the Botanist is close at hand, via Holliday Passage and Bridge Street. I'd never been here before but both Nick and Stephen had vague recollections of prior encounters, maybe even dating back to when it was called the James Brindley. Either way, it boasts a prime location looking out over Regency Wharf and Gas Street Basin, with pricing to match such a prestigious setting. As is his custom, HRH subjects the menu to rigorous analysis - we suspect Mr B wouldn't be a fan of their hanging kebabs but could go for an edible chocolate plantpot as served with its own spade.

- 'Bee More Snoopy!' -

Upon leaving the Botanist, any debate over where else to try is quickly resolved by the merest mention of the Prince of Wales - we've scarcely seen Nick being so decisive! Our Cambridge Street call yields a cracking pint of Teignworthy's Gun Dog Bitter plus considered discussion about the punk and heavy metal musical genres, then it's on with the Snoopy stuff. A second glimpse of Town Hall gingerbread residences precedes a Corporation Street study of 'Bee More Snoopy', inspired by the importance of bumblebees to our natural ecosystem. 

- Sabbath Signage in Scruffy Murphy's -

Our earlier chat about the various forms of rock music has reminded me of a certain venue we really ought to visit so - once 'Fungi's House' has been foraged with its toadstool-capped top - we deviate to Dale End for a slice of Scruffy Murphy's. Formerly the Pen & Wig (which itself hosted many live bands in its time) this place pays due tribute to the gods of heavy metal and boasts an enviable collection of mounted guitars, not forgetting a gallery of silver disc records. Extracting ourselves from soft low sofas (easier said than done), we nip into the Square Peg Wetherspoons to taste the remnants of their recent craft cider festival - cue Hecks Slack-ma-Girdle for me and a Scrummage for HRH. At this juncture we must sadly go our separate ways, albeit with 'BowWow Haus' supplying one final Snoopy sighting. Cheers!

Hub Marketing 2026: Mr D9’s Wombourne Wishlist

The Hub Marketing Board’s summertime saga continues with another of our squeeze-one-in-on-the-sly type outings the Chairman likes to sneak under his dragon’s radar. We have a few leftover strands from last autumn to attend to after our Greensforge Gallop and Wet Weather Wombourne trips still left us with a few South Staffordshire holes, so Mr D9 has issued instructions for a speedy Monday meeting…

- The Student Hub -

Trip Log: Monday 3rd August 2026 and a rendezvous near Wolverhampton Art Gallery has been arranged in the region of 4pm. Chairman D9 must be eager for not only does he arrive earlier than the Secretary, he's taken up a prime position for advertising the Goose's Student Hub credentials - his commitment to the marketing cause is ever unwavering! The plan for the next couple of hours is duly confirmed and we'll proceed with the express intention of mopping up a handful of outlying Wombourne watering holes which have yet to receive a Board visit. 

- D9 drives the 16 -

A Stourbridge-bound number 16 bus is soon on the scene, allowing for top deck views of Market Square reconstruction activities; the new development off Salop Street will apparently be called Smithgate and combines urban living with diverse shops and leisure opportunities. The A449 Penn Road is the recipient of the latest D9 driving masterclass, powering past the Mount Tavern, Hollybush and the Lloyd Hill roundabout into Staffordshire. Wombourne isn't very far and we're under orders to alight at the New Inn, a pub we can't do today even if we wanted to. Sadly this one has been shut for a few months now, which explains why the beer garden looks so overgrown and the building is starting to fall into disrepair; no, our first tipple of the trip will have to be sourced elsewhere...

- Enville Ginger in the Round Oak -

Marching along Ounsdale Road past the Leisure Centre and the adjacent renamed secondary school - now simply called Wombourne High - we reach the Round Oak as invitingly situated alongside the Staffs & Worcs Canal (next to Houndel Bridge). Gleaming glasses of Enville Ginger, a beer with a nice little kick to it, can slake our growing thirst while we home in on a well-ventilated raised rear lounge. On very warm days such as this, it's always a relief when pubs have good fan provision for cooling folk down. Large potplants and trellis-like partition screens add to the garden-like ambience here, plus there are some lovely vintage frosted window panes to give Mr WME his history fix too. A 1980s soundtrack is proving fun until 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' reminds the Chairman of his domestic bliss status!

- Mount Pleasant -

Spicy Enville beer quaffed, we continue on our merry way to guarantee our intended call at the Mount Pleasant. As with the Round Oak, Mr D9 can't remember ever setting foot in this place before although the Secretary has enjoyed some hospitality here previously. The Chairman's wallet is prepped to take advantage of the promotional prices on Carling - it doesn't seem that long ago when £3.95 would have been our most expensive beery outlay, not the cheapest! If the Ounsdale Road boozers were engaging in a tussle for blowy one-upmanship, the Mount Pleasant is ahead on points thanks to a huge industrial fan circulating air around the lounge. We find a mottled brown booth behind a central chimney breast to debate plush toys, bus timetabling matters and generally set the world to rights.  

- The Wombourne Closet Bald Spot -

Retracing earlier footsteps, we hurtle down Windmill Bank where the Chairman’s ever-reliable closet radar detects a toilet block by the maypole sculpture; apparently D9 may have utilised these facilities during his 1990s bus driving shifts, hence the bald spot's sense of nostalgia at being back again. Pub number three awaits whereby the Old Bush is an essential secretarial request being as it fits neatly on the way to our ultimate Red Lion landing point, plus its Black Country Ales-ness makes it a no-brainer with Mr WME in urgent need of some sustenance. Ashover’s Elderflower Ale is a risky selection but the floral flavour thankfully doesn’t become too overpowering while the critical cob is of generous proportions, chunky cheese and onion exactly as I’d been longing for.

- Snug Seating in the Red Lion -

Our finale comes at the musty Red Lion down Battlefield Hill where we both have very fond memories to recall. It’s ticking over reasonably well here for a Monday night with a scattering of folks in the beer garden plus a few stalwart barflies to keep the tills ringing. We collect a pint of Holden’s Golden Glow each - top quality ones at that - and bonus packets of Gill’s white label pork scratchings before parking ourselves on the table which nudges inside the lounge hearth. This half of the pub is particularly homely, you just need to be careful not to wallop your bonce when standing up - ouch! All that then remains is a sprightly A449 scurry to the Billy Bunns Lane bus stop and our mopping-up mission is declared a success. Cheers!

Lost Pubs from the WME Archives #45

Buckle up one and all as we plunge headlong once more into the dusty depths of the WME photo repository. The cobwebs are being blown off five more Lost Pubs but which of these - if any - do you remember visiting?

- The Belvidere -

I'm leaving the Black Country behind this time around and instead recalling a quintet from our surrounding shires. First up we'll visit the Belvidere which used to grace Shrewsbury's eastern extremities, tucked away on Crowmere Road among pleasant semi-detached housing. I never staged a drinking visit here, instead having to make do with this fleeting sighting from the days when it functioned as a sports bar. It was built by Banks's in the 1960s to serve the expanding estates in this part of town but ceased trading circa 2016 and has since been demolished.

- The Globe -

Staying with Shrewsbury but moving closer to the town centre, the Globe could be found on Coleham Head within easy walking distance of English Bridge. This always looked a plain but traditional prospect with its mostly whitewashed frontage and simple blue signage, hence I can well imagine it being popular for pub games such as darts and dominoes back in the day. The building is still standing but has become a private residence in tones of battleship grey.

- The Brandy Cask -

From Shropshire to Worcestershire next and the market town of Pershore in the district of Wychavon. The Brandy Cask was one of my prized pub finds during Rail Rover Week 2012, an independent free house serving their own real ales and earning praise in the Good Beer Guide meaning there was a lot for me to like. A very enjoyable pint of Brandysnapper proved ample reward for my efforts in getting here and the elegant Georgian setting had its charms too, so I'm sad to report that this Bridge Street property has latterly been converted into flats.

- The Cricketers Arms -

Having accounted for one from Wychavon, let's swoop over to Wyre Forest and the carpet town of Kidderminster. Backstreet Banks's efforts didn't come much more beguiling than the Cricketers Arms, an end-of-terrace brickbuilt property a few doors along from the Milton Hall Baptist Church and Sunday Schools chapel. Handy too for the Severn Valley Railway station, my main memories of this place involve visiting with Roger and Ant to play darts (badly). It has now reverted into being a standard house with not much to indicate it was ever a pub.

- Tweeddale Arms Hotel -

Let's finish in Staffordshire, albeit only just given that Tamworth nudges close to Warwickshire territory. The Tweeddale Arms (as was) is a very familiar landmark on the roundabout outside the town's railway station so countless numbers of passengers must have wandered past over the years, and I dare say a fair few would have quenched their thirst here too. Despite having 'Beers from Coors' at the time of this photo, it would go on to become a Domino's Pizza outlet.

WME Flickr Focus - July 2026

Heatwave temperatures, World Cup heartbreak, another change in Prime Minister - all par for the course where July 2026 is concerned. Amidst all the sweat, blood, goals and political turmoil, the WME photostream has quietly stayed out of the limelight, happy enough to do its usual update thing. Here's what the last month has brought our way...

It doesn't require a presidential trophy lift or a speech from behind a Downing Street lectern when declaring WME Wolverhampton to be July's chief contributor. We've hit a rich seam of Wulfrunian material lately with West Park and Wolverhampton Art Gallery both attracting more than their fair share of arrivals. Funfair posters, magnolia blooms, park pathways and classical Chemistry figures have all earned selection alongside less thrilling items (a West End Club parking notice) although there is a Whitmore Reans Santa Claus to see if you're so inclined. Sprinkle in a triceratops alongside some gingerbread people and you've got quite a lineup!

WME Dudley has shown itself to be partial to a medal presentation (or the occasional lap of honour) and continues its strong performance across the whole of 2026 with a fresh batch of additions. Wollaston makes solid strides here, boosted by several street signs - Gerald Road, Eggington Road, Lawn Avenue etc - plus a peek at Swan Pool Playing Fields, although we mustn't overlook the efforts of Withymoor Village to donate its doctors surgery and Turners Lane to our noble cause.

Another 2026 big-hitter maintaining consistent levels of output would be WME Birmingham, waiding - sorry, raiding - its box marked 'W' for titbits from Weoley Castle (a pub dartboard), Walmley (ditto) and Winson Green (Midland Metro tram stop railings designed to represent James Watt's engineering ingenuity). WME Telford took its time to get going by comparison but has hit a purple patch from springtime onwards - Wellington ensures this momentum is undimmed and yes, there is even more boot bunting to report! The Oddfellows, Cock Hotel and Dun Cow pile up the pub quota too.

After a productive time of it in June, WME Walsall takes things slightly easier this time around but nevertheless has enough energy to pick out a Holtshill Lane pumpkin and revisit Walsall Wood's Boatmans Rest; WME Staffordshire tickles Tutbury a little more, obtaining the Cross Keys and a war memorial poppy wreath; WME Worcestershire extracts two more lock items from the Tardebigge flight, leaving WME Warwickshire holding up the rear courtesy of The Butts in Warwick itself. All eyes will now be on August to see what else might appear...