The Chip Foundation Does Droitwich

Sometimes the days that stick in your mind the most are the ones that don't quite go to plan but you enjoy them immensely regardless. The Chip Foundation's dance around Droitwich is one that could well linger long in the memory because of missing buses, morning downpours and unexpected pub closures, but we'll keep on smiling whatever the Exploration Gods might throw our way...

- An Artistic Welcome -

Trip Log: Wednesday 3rd June 2026 brings a Worcestershire outing that has been arranged to celebrate my latest birthday. As guest of honour and chief organiser it's imperative I attend but the number 10 bus is conspicuous by its absence and I'm going to be late for the train. Heavy Perton rain is the last thing I need when traipsing to Tettenhall Wood but the other chaps have at least assembled as instructed, collectively catching the 10:50 down from Birmingham. By a process of on-the-hoof recalibration, I progress via Kidderminster to belatedly reach Droitwich at 11:52, greeted by my patient Chip colleagues and an interesting railway station mural which adorns the Hall Brothers accident recovery garage on Union Lane. Kissing couples, lively deer and racing cars all feature as I apologise for being delayed. Let the trip proper commence!

- What remains of the Raven -

Droitwich is a spa town in the Wychavon district of Worcestershire and is a noted site of salt production, with rock salt and brine having been extracted since Roman times. We skip over onto Ombersley Street as our gateway into the town centre, spotting the police station and a selection of 'Hair by...' stylists along the way. There's a considerable promotional presence for the Rik Mayall Comedy Festival, now in its second year and a worthy tribute to the legendary performer of alternative comedy who was born and raised locally. Victoria Square ordinarily would be an attractive spot with the town's library close at hand, but the crumbling mass of what used to be the Raven Hotel is simply inescapable. A handsome timbered building that dated from the 16th century, it had been in a deteriorating condition for some years prior to suffering a devastating fire last August. The site is currently fully fenced off on safety grounds amidst hope of a community preservation project although restoration looks to be a huge task.

- Monarch's Way for His Majesty -

The Raven's sad status means part of St Andrew's Street is closed off so we nip through the adjacent shopping precinct to reach our first pub of the day. The Talbot is owned by Craddocks of Stourbridge and boasts an impressive townhouse frontage at the Old Town Hall end of High Street; internal signwriting suggests it used to be a Hanson's affair and the layout is pleasingly traditional with a front bar, rear restaurant and a curious slightly bulging central passageway. One glance at the ale range means Nick and I immediately home in on Monarch's Way - what else but that for our resident royal? - as a tasty smooth bitter. Scatter cushions featuring pet photographs are a novelty as we chat about cricketing prospects, forthcoming holidays and what our Mastermind specialist subjects would be. I'd probably opt for pop music of the 1950s and 1960s with Ken on FA Cup finals from the same era and Nick tackling the English Civil War, which just leaves Mr B... I'm not sure an encyclopedic knowledge of Warwickshire's recent batting collapses counts somehow!

- Stephen meets Spa Man -

One of Droitwich's most charming aspects is its so-called 'Wonky High Street' where buildings lean at strange angles, the effect of subsidence caused by salt mining. We admire some of the crooked doorways before proceeding at Ken's request to nearby Lido Park, home to an open air saltwater swimming pool which first opened in 1935. The water is heated to a pleasant 23 degrees (positively Mediterranean!) and is fed by natural brine, although we aren't tempted to go for a dip ourselves. Instead we investigate the wider park, meaning Stephen can make the acquaintance of the 'Spa Man' diving sculpture. The park has a fine bandstand (which is being used for some comedy festival performances) and offers fishing provision at Herriott's Pool; Droitwich's cricket and tennis clubs are also in the vicinity, a proper sporting enclave.

- Canalside Chips -

Lunch is in order although my preferred option of the Gardeners Arms on Vines Lane doesn't appear to be open. The Queens Fish Bar can ably step into the breach for our assorted orders involving roe, pies, battered sausage and even a lesser-seen fishcake. We munch these spoils at Vines Park beside the restored Droitwich Canal, albeit our chosen bench gets subjected to galeforce gusts and I have to scamper sharply to retrieve sheets of blown-away chip paper. A statue of St Richard - a 13th century Bishop of Chichester - takes pride of place along with a mosaic documenting Roman salt extraction activities. The tesserae spell out the inscription "Sal Sapit Omnia - Salt Flavours All" with Stephen agreeing that it augments his chips nicely.

- The Railway Inn -

A gentle stroll along the water's edge allows glimpses of Bridges 17, 18 and 19, all of which are short swingbridges carrying footpaths that link to the Saltway main road (although we note that No. 18 is locked out of use and not in the best of condition). Netherwich Basin is a pretty marina mooring base with narrowboats shimmering in the sunshine; the canal effectively runs parallel to the River Salwarpe at this point whereby they both cut a swathe across Vines Park. Emerging onto Kidderminster Road, we make the Railway Inn our second drinking port of call, enticed by the locomotive illustration adorning the pub's exterior. Alas we get a sense of things going through the motions here - we're the only customers and any real ale they did have has run out, resulting in halves of Guinness, Worthingtons and full fat Coca Cola. Daytime telly can't quite compensate for the underlying lack of atmosphere, as much as our entertaining perusals of the Rik Mayall festival programme make a valiant attempt to enliven matters.

- Mr May after a makeover? -

Onwards we trot via a Hampton Road underpass which connects directly onto Friar Street. Two prime watering holes await us within yards of each other, both of them ripe for revisiting after Nick and I first sampled them way back in May 2014. First up is the Hop Pole, a Good Beer Guide mainstay where I'm delighted to see Bathams is a permanent fixture, not just the Best Bitter but their Mild too. I'm feeling in a Mildish mood actually and the resultant pint is an object lesson in how to serve ale perfectly. Where the Railway suffered for lack of patronage, there are no such qualms here; nearly all of the tables are already taken so we squeeze into a raised section watched over by a large cuddly gorilla and another soft toy shrouded in a mass of comedic curly hair - is it a sloth, is it a meerkat, is it Ken in disguise? Who can tell!

- The Old Cock Inn -

When you haven't set foot inside an establishment for twelve years, it's tricky to gauge how much you expect to remember but the Old Cock Inn does evoke a nice sense of familiarity. My archive notes make mention of an ecclesiastical-styled main window and that is evidently still intact (and came from St Nicholas's Church apparently) while the ale range has branched out beyond the Marston's stable to include more guest brewers. Hobsons' Champion Mild is my pick, doing my bit to keep the traditional style alive, and we gather in a cockerel-themed front snug trying to outdo each other in the innuendo stakes. There are at least four different zones within the overall layout, all really nicely decorated, with a boardgame selection available for any dice-rolling enthusiasts. Having first been licensed in 1712, this is a beguiling hostelry in one of the oldest parts of Droitwich so together with the Hop Pole we are most impressed.

- A Rifleman's Finale -

Maintaining such standards will be a tough ask but I'm optimistic that the Arch Rivals micropub could get close, only to discover it isn't open yet. A vinyl records theme is detectable if peering through the windows but there are no signs of life and I'll just have to save it for a future jaunt. Deflated but not totally downhearted, we know the Riflemans Arms back by the railway station is an option having toyed with it as a meeting point earlier - it claims to start trading at 11am but it was closer to midday in this particular instance. Anyway, it's a typical sidestreet Banks's number with a plain bar side and slightly more comfortable lounge, a few sepia photos of the Royal Brine Baths and a handy train departures screen - I've been in better, I've also been in much worse. My closing tipple is a toss-up between Amber and Wainwright Gold with the former just about edging it, albeit sadly not brewed in Wolverhampton anymore. The 17:56 train is ideal in that it takes HRH direct to Warwick Parkway while the rest of us hop off at Smethwick Galton Bridge for our Wolverhampton connections. A testing day but good fun!

Lost Pubs from the WME Archives #44

There are myriad factors influencing why a pub may close its doors for good. Changing societal drinking habits, local demographic shifts, greedy developers wanting land or property for other uses, the cost of living crisis, nearby competition, retirement of long-term tenants, the list could go on and on. Some of these reasons - and probably more besides - might apply to this quintet of bygone boozers, all of which in relatively recent memory used to call Birmingham their home...

- King Edward VII -

One possible cause I didn't mention in the preamble there is road widening, for that's what ultimately precipitated the demise of the King Edward VII in Aston. Perched on the corner of Lichfield Road and Aston Hall Road, this was a highly distinctive local landmark so the fact it was sacrificed to make space for a wider carriageway and boring industrial units is a bone of contention. Mr D9 and I called by in February 2013 having heard that demolition was on the cards, and by 2015 the pub was lamentably gone forever.

- The Bromford -

By contrast, I never had the pleasure (or should I say experience) of drinking in the Bromford, a tavern that would have been a familiar sight for regular passengers on the Outer Circle bus route between Washwood Heath and Hodge Hill. A building of some architectural merit, it nevertheless was consigned to history and a fire in September 2014 wouldn't have helped. Following demolition in 2015, the site has become a base for the Heart of Birmingham Vocational College complete with a Community Hub facility.

- The Gunmakers Arms -

Not to be confused with its namesake in the Gun Quarter (which at time of writing is happily still trading), the Gunmakers Arms in Lozells is our third Brummie victim for this post. Small but inviting, it carried some Banks's branding at the time of this wintry 2013 picture, and I've fond memories of a Hub Marketing visit in October 2015 when it had a throwback vibe that likely hadn't changed much since the 1970s. It was up for sale at that juncture and the premises would subsequently lie empty and boarded up for several years - such a shame!

- The Midland Tavern -

And now for a Duddeston diversion. Erskine Street was the highly unpromising setting for the Midland Tavern, nestled close to a railway line and seemingly surrounded by small workshops and pallet storage yards. It looked in a bad way - especially the roof - in my picture although remarkably was repaired to become a Shisha Lounge for a period. HS2 developments have now claimed much of this end of the street, all part of the march of progress.

- The Stonehouse -

Let's conclude matters over in California shall we? No not that one - the WME budget doesn't stretch to daytrips in Los Angeles or San Francisco - but rather that little pocket of Brum which lingers between Weoley Castle and Woodgate Valley. The district was actually named after a pub, the California Inn which stood in the vicinity of Barnes Hill and Alwold Road, but this post is more concerned with the Stonehouse (formerly of Stonehouse Lane). An impressively large roadhouse, it was demolished circa 2014 with housing now occupying the site.

WME Flickr Focus - May 2026

Like one of those all-you-can-eat oriental buffets, or maybe a box of liquorice allsorts, May has been a month of tasting a little bit of everything. My pick and mix approach has yielded 66 new photostream arrivals so let's assess where that leaves me (apart from craving sweets and curries that is)...

The first thing to note is that - unusually - there was a tense fourway battle for photostream supremacy with Wolverhampton, Dudley, Staffordshire and Birmingham all slugging it out to supply the most material. In the end there wasn't an outright victor as Wolverhampton and Dudley both tied on 12 photos each with Brum slightly behind on 11 and Staffs performing honourably with 10. Reaching double figures for updates in a given month is my measure of meaningful progress so all four can consider themselves recipients of a Paul gold star.

But what of the pictures that brought this about? WME Wolverhampton mostly meddles with Spring Vale (an unexpected fixation on football pitch markings at the local park) whilst also picking up parking personalities outside St Jude's School; WME Dudley deals with Quarry Bank mince pies and Sedgley Thai doll figurines, not to mention Shell Corner Lest We Forget wreaths; WME Birmingham plucks a series of Perry the Bull mascot statues from the 2022 Commonwealth Games; and WME Staffordshire summons Shropshire Union Canal bridges, Stafford platform numerals plus a Spode China Halls lettering extract from the Potteries. 

Falling just short of making it a fiveway tussle, WME Shropshire can nevertheless reflect on some steady accumulation of its own. Shrewsbury leads the way here, supplying Belle Vue pub signage and British Transport Police parking bays, although Shifnal's assistance care of the Odfellows Wine Bar should not be overlooked. WME Telford & Wrekin was considerably quieter by comparison but can claim two extra Quackers ducks in the Ironbridge vicinity.

Handing out the dolly mixtures is the twin-pronged 'W' combination of WME Warwickshire and WME Worcestershire. Warks stocks up its Stratford-upon-Avon goody bag thanks to assistance from the Stratford Alehouse - a very fine micropub - and some station walkway mosaic action whereas Worcs stops by at Stoke Cross, a small settlement on a crossroads below Finstall. Shenstone near Kidderminster isn't that much bigger but can contribute the Granary hotel-restaurant plus a sighting of Back Lane.

Arguing over the remaining scraps, WME Sandwell snaffles a Queens Head pub sign from West Bromwich as accompanied by an overall pub picture of the New Inn at Rowley Regis. WME Coventry and WME Solihull hardly ever trouble the scorers but even they have shown some intent this month. Coventry collects an excerpt from Pool Meadow Bus Station's City of Culture mural, then Solihull scoops up a Purity Longhorn pint at the Tap & Tandoor. I wonder what kind of assorted treats will be on the menu in June?

Winterbourne House & Gardens

An Edwardian family property in Edgbaston that has become part of the University of Birmingham's wider estate, Winterbourne House and Gardens provide the perfect place to meet up with Bookworm Bygrave over the Bank Holiday weekend...

- Winterbourne House -

It's Saturday 23rd May 2026, the sun is shining, there's barely a cloud in the sky and we have history with horticulture afoot on Edgbaston Park Road. Winterbourne House was built in 1904 for John Nettlefold - part of the family who put the 'N' into GKN - who lived here along with his wife Margaret and several children. The property has many Arts and Crafts features as befits its period of construction, including notable examples of William Morris wallpaper.

- Wisteria -

After a period under the ownership of Harry Wheelock, Winterbourne was bequeathed to the University of Birmingham in 1944 and was initially used to provide accommodation for female students. It would then see use as a base for Birmingham Business School prior to gaining museum accreditation in 2017, since when it has become a heritage attraction open to all (admission charges apply). The spectacular planting alone is worth the entrance fee, with Emily especially drawn towards a glorious pergola draped in dangling wisteria.

- Lupins near the Walled Garden -

The Walled Garden can be found close to the house, providing an oasis of scent and colour where tall lupins mingle with trailing roses and lush foliage, making the most of the sunshine. We have a peek inside an outhouse containing the Winterbourne Press, seeing how historic printing press equipment has been salvaged and preserved. The Old Kitchen is also close at hand, showcasing scullery scrubbing brushes and a large set of shiny copper frying pans.

- The Vegetable Patch -

The gardens would historically have been used to grow fresh produce for the Nettlefold family to eat hence it is fitting that the current operation includes scope for vegetable propagation. We marvel at the sight of cabbages, lettuces and tomatoes although a seasonal approach is taken in order to cultivate food through into the autumn. For some years Winterbourne served as the University's Botanical Gardens and this legacy can still be seen today in the form of the Geographical Beds comprising species from Asia, South America and Australasia.

- Teddy Time -

Having had a gander around the gardens, Emily and I pause for a hot chocolate break (yes, there was cake - a cherry and white chocolate blondie in fact) then investigate more of the house. John Nettlefold's study has an extensive library - Miss Bygrave naturally approves - while the children's nursery room has a cute assembly of teddy bears. We learn more about the history of GKN as a firm, and of Mr Nettlefold's involvement in Birmingham town planning.

- Edgbaston Pool -

There's now scope to explore the extensive wider grounds, passing through the Nut Walk arch of hazelnut trees and spotting an appealing Lych Gate shelter. Although not directly part of the property's curtilage, a woodland path allows us views across Edgbaston Pool which serves as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Much of the surrounding land is privately owned by the Edgbaston Golf Club so we can only walk a short distance along the pool perimeter.

- Bookworm Bygrave at Rhododendron Walk -

Back within the bounds of Winterbourne, we burrow between pretty rhododendron bushes to reach the Japanese Bridge and a rock garden. Stepping stones take you across the stream and some of the leaves are absolutely humongous! A bench by the Tall Stones - a sculptural piece formed of a trio of shards - allows us to relax and enjoy the lawn tranquility. There are quite a few art pieces dotted around actually, with a carved specimen called 'A Fine Balance' proving a fan favourite which celebrates the importance of bees.

- Something Succulent? -

We've almost finished our tour but haven't yet glanced among the glasshouses. These are themed according to their contents so we have orchids, alpines, succulents - with some very prickly looking cacti - and even a section for carnivorous plants where we manage to avoid being eaten. We must allow time for the Bookworm to do what she does best, namely peruse the shelves of the second hand bookshop. Emily is in her element!

- Bravo for Bavo -

The bookish angle doesn't end there, for there's more retail therapy on the cards when we continue into Kings Heath. The Book Tower on Poplar Road is not a shop either of us knew about - I sense it could become a regular haunt though - then the Oxfam store on Kings Heath High Street comes up trumps for promising paperback finds and even a Paulish local history purchase. The afternoon concludes with a couple of drinks in the vicinity of York Road where the Juke and Schooners effectively face each other across cosmopolitan al fresco beer tables. Bavo Lager is very refreshing in the former, listening to jukebox tunes amidst a cooling pink interior, before God's Twisted Sister Stout goes down nicely at Schooners, admiring a map pinpointing the locations of craft breweries across the West Midlands. Cheers!