Hub Marketing 2016 - Coventry

Friday 11th November 2016 and the time is counting down to quiff o'clock as the Hub Marketing Board prepare to embark on their annual Coventry pub pilgrimage. Our visits to Godiva's fair city traditionally come with a teddy boy theme, so this year the dancefloor is primed for a Holbrooks hop, some Rock 'n' Roll Radford and a Stoke Aldermoor stomp - let the party commence...

- 13 bus at Whitmore Park -

With Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran programmed into the jukebox, Chairman D9 and Secretary WME arrive into Coventry at 08:30 ready to inspect the improved boulevard outside the railway station (much better than the grotty subway it replaced). Smithford Way seems quiet as we wander among the shopping precincts before catching the 13 to Whitmore Park. The ride involves the ceremonial unveiling of the 2016 quiff, a laminated black effort with a misbehaving elastic band, while the route in general allows a look at Cheveral Avenue, Jubilee Crescent and Nunts Lane.

- Trolley time with the 2016 Quiff Design -

Whitmore Park terminus is virtually on the city boundary at Wheelwright Lane where the Hub pub requires some repeat marketing action. A breakfast call at the Hungry Haven cafe satisfies our craving for bacon, hash browns and black pudding, fortifying us for a Holbrooks hike round past the John Shelton Primary School. Lythalls Lane has a scattering of leaves as we locate the Cherry Tree private members club and the Hey Machine Tools workshop - interesting finds in a corner of Coventry we haven't visited before.

- Brookville Cinema -

Holbrook Lane is home to the Hollybush (a large M&B pub turned balti emporium) and the former Brookville Picture House (now masquerading as a Karpet Kingdom showroom). Both are fine landmarks even if they've seen better days, and together they precede a stroll around St Paul's Cemetery where we pause for some Armistice Day reflection at the allotted hour - the sacrifices of war should never be forgotten regardless of time's constant passage.

- The Pilot encounters bald spot turbulence -

Onwards we go and Burnaby Road soon has us bearing down on the Pilot, a sprawling Radford roadhouse on the corner with Catesby Road. This really is a massive pub that simply demands we take a closer look, hence we partake of pint and darts in a games room bedecked with library bookshelf wallpaper (sadly such surroundings did not inspire the Secretary to any sporting success). With D9 taking an early lead, we continue to nearby Jubilee Crescent to survey the elegant shopping parades as arranged looking out over the oval green. The neighbourhood facilities include a branch library although the adjacent public toilets have closed, much to D9's predictable dismay.

- Peugeot Works Regeneration -

Something in our memories was now stirring with thoughts of Stoke Aldermoor, scene of a brief 'Keeping up Appearances' visit back in 2011. Keen to see Onslow and Daisy's fictional residence once more, we combine the 13 with the 16 (via Terry Road) to reach The Moorfield. Michell Close is the street where Hyacinth Bucket would grudgingly visit her relatives although we make sure to do a wider tour of the area courtesy of Barley Lea and Pinley Fields. Besides that nugget of television history, Stoke Aldermoor also has some automotive heritage with the Humber-Hillman (latterly Peugeot Talbot) car plant being located between Humber Road and Aldermoor Lane. The factory site has been widely redeveloped in recent years with new housing springing up where the offices once stood.

- Poppy Ale in the Humber Hotel -

The Stoke Green area tempts us for a trio of pubs, starting with the New Inn on Bulls Head Lane where we retake to the oche and resume darts hostilities. Aided by some shamrock-styled flights, WME Whirlwind plots his now-customary comeback to claim a narrow 5-4 victory thanks to a deciding leg double 16 checkout (not bad after being 4-0 behind). The Bulls Head is just at the end of the road for a standard Sizzler experience but it's the Humber Hotel that really captures our collective imagination. The building has plenty of Edwardian-era detail plus a rare bagatelle table so we arm ourselves with some Otter Poppy ale (a special remembrance beer) and enjoy a Gene Vincent singalong. Be Bop A Lula!

- Greetings from the Gosford Hub -

From the Humber it is but a short walk to eclectic Far Gosford Street, passing the Gosford Community Hub for a surprise photocall along the way. Fargo Village is a quirky creative enclave showcasing vintage clothing stores, street art, tin man sculptures and the Twisted Barrel brewery. The bar here is in the 2017 Good Beer Guide but we're a little too early for the 5 o'clock opening time, hence the 16A bus steps into the breach and transports us back across Coventry for a thrash up the Radford Road. The journey heralds the return of Chairman D9's bladder botherations, the situation almost assuming critical proportions until the Wallace comes to his rescue. 

- Coundon Cheers with the Chairman -

Three more pubs will now round off proceedings just nicely, starting with the Grapes for good old Guinness and some classic craic. Flags of Irish provinces decorate the bar room walls as we listen to a Bob Brolly-style soundtrack of ballads and tunes from the Emerald Isle, wonderful stuff! Hewitt Avenue has the task of leading us to the Coundon Hotel for some dusky Doom Bar, then the final Coventry curtain falls courtesy of Black Cherry Stout at the Town Crier on Corporation Street. With that we catch the 19:22 train home to Wolverhampton after another day of very happy hubbing - cheers!