- An early airing for the quiff -
Indeed the 2017 edition quiff enters the action almost immediately courtesy of a D9 driving demonstration aboard the 9A - the Chairman's creations get more elaborate every year and this one involves scrunched up black paper with plenty of sticky tape. We caught the bus outside Coventry railway station just after half past ten, settling in for the short ride towards Finham via Styvechale Parish Church (St James) and Mantilla Drive.
- 9A at Wainbody terminus -
The 9A terminates in a residential estate just off Kenpas Highway, the bus pulling up outside the Green Lane Ex-Services Club on Leasowes Avenue. The Bishop Ullathorne Catholic School is another notable local feature as the Chairman treats us to the vocal talents of Mrs Miller warbling a hideous version of 'Act Naturally'. Via Wainbody Avenue South we make our way to our chosen breakfast venue, the Burnt Post doing the honours in typical Ember Inns style (albeit with a shortage of hash browns).
- Finham Library -
Next up we venture deeper into Finham by following Green Lane down past St Martin's Church and a small clutch of shops (Finham News, Posh Nails and a piano tuition store). The local branch library can be found on Finham Green Road and is now a community-managed facility operated by volunteers; public library services up and down the country are sadly having to rely on such solutions to maintain provision in the face of ongoing austerity measures imposed on local government.
- The Festival, Fenside -
On a more cheerful note, we continue through to Fenside where the Festival on Leaf Lane becomes our darting destination for the day. The pub is a simple estate boozer with a combined allegiance to Coventry City FC and Glasgow Celtic. Fuelled by Old Speckled Hen, WME Whirlwind edges out a 3-2 victory by virtue of a clinical three dart 101 checkout in the deciding leg that left the D9 Destroyer gasping in awe (or something to that effect).
- A Social Club Spot -
Availing ourselves of the number 23 bus in order to escape a sharp shower, we relocate to nearby Cheylesmore where the Social Club on Quinton Park demands our attention. The bald spot strides forth to get us signed in, then we can relax by munching scratchings, supping Ansells Mild and watching the horse racing. One club curiosity is a full length bagatelle table with a curved net at one end; Coventry is one of the few places in the country where the game is kept alive.
- Daventry Buildings, Cheylesmore -
Beyond the Social Club, Cheylesmore has much else of interest to keep us entertained. A long suburban shopping parade stretches along the Daventry Road whereby Bosworth's Butchers and Devlin's Newsagents occupy one prominent corner. Quinton Park has a pool popular with anglers and geese although the Chairman is disappointed to discover the closet block has been demolished. The toilets were formerly located on Cecily Road opposite where the Cheylesmore Hotel once stood, the pub site now being home to an Asda supermarket.
- Coat of Arms Bridge -
Elsewhere on Daventry Road, the Open Arms offers another slice of Ember Inns hospitality before the Secretary delves deep into his sleeves to summon up a memorable landmark. Coat of Arms Bridge is a sandstone structure that carries the Coventry to Leamington railway line near War Memorial Park; the bridge is decorated with the carved heraldic crest of the Gregory family, local landowners at the time of construction.
- Earlsdon Closet Conundrum -
War Memorial Park is subjected to a bequiffed Rock 'n' Roll singalong (with apologies to Neil Sedaka and Connie Francis) as members tra-la-la their way to Earlsdon, spotting a historic water fountain on a patch of Stivichall Common. The Royal Oak in Earlsdon itself is a pub that had eluded us previously so we enjoy adding that to our growing portfolio (a swift half of Bass does the job nicely); sadly neither the Watchmakers nor the Albany were open by way of follow-up, and the conveniences adjoining the branch library have been taken out of service.
- Byatt's Brewhouse -
Evening is encroaching upon Coventry now and the Chairman still requires his Bendibus fix, the remaining articulated fleet being due for withdrawal by the end of the year. Route 4 is where the Bendibuses currently ply their trade but luck dictates we end up with a boring Trident for our journey to Holbrooks, drat! The Hollybush provides Mr D9 with a Carling pit stop before Lythalls Lane leads us to Byatt's brewhouse base (i.e. yet another of those new generation brewery concerns that no self-respecting industrial estate should be without). The Coventry Bitter is quality here, easily the Secretary's favourite beer of the day.
- The Bendibus Bash -
The sun is setting on an epic adventure but we cannot leave Coventry before attempting a frantic Foleshill Road finale. The D9 dive detector goes into overdrive by pinpointing the Three Horseshoes combined with the Wheatsheaf - both pubs have a certain downtrodden charm that the Chairman seems to savour even if Secretary WME is distinctly less convinced. We survive to tell the tale though, the number 4 bus then granting our Bendi wish for a closing example of superquiff steering. A Philip Larkin nightcap brings the curtain down, and that's Coventry done and dusted for another year. Cheers!
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