Hub Marketing 2019: Desi Day

There’s something about the Desi Pub phenomenon that makes such establishments ideal for a January pubcrawl - the peculiarly heady mixture of spicy scents, curry and Carling which soon banishes away the winter blues. Step forward the Hub Marketing Board with Chairman D9 and Secretary WME both in need of some New Year rejuvenating and the wilds of West Bromwich willingly at our disposal...

- West Bromwich Football Supporters Club -

Friday 18th January 2019 sees Secretary WME making haste for West Bromwich, eager to get a few photos before the designated 12:30pm rendezvous. Another look at Claypit Lane is on the cards to confirm that Living Well Street is now fully occupied, then Westbourne Road offers up some bonus Banks's branding at the West Bromwich Football Supporters Club bowling green. WME is just bearing down upon Oak House when Mr D9 declares himself available earlier than scheduled - good grief! Perhaps it was the threat of a curry penalty rather than a cob forfeit that ensured the Chairman's new-found punctuality.

- The Ridgacre Branch Canal -

The balding one is indeed present and correct outside the bus depot and we can immediately plunge into Desi duty courtesy of the Soho Oak (previously the Oakdale Social Club). D9's memories of this establishment stretch back many a year so it's a little strange for him to see the place all transformed - we wonder what the likes of Stan Barnes and Roger 'Hairpiece' Woodward would make of the new look. An opening Carling christens our 2019 adventures before we head for Black Lake and the Ridgacre Branch Canal. Several shopping trolleys have met a watery grave along here, including all your favourite stores - Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons and even Safeway (remember them?)

- Spotted by the scrapyard -

A hike through Hateley Heath has Mr D9 reminiscing about former local councillors as Denbigh Drive and Coles Lane connect us to Hill Top. The Hen & Chickens has been stylishly renovated as a Desi contender although there are still plenty of loyal regulars partaking of the lager. The first silly songs of 2019 are declared with 'Poor Begonia Got Pneumonia' receiving the Chairman's approval, although Mr D9 is quickly distracted by a scrapyard crammed with vintage vehicles. After eyeing up a particularly rusty old Cortina, we proceed to the Three Horseshoes and commence another year of darting duels. Secretary WME soon finds himself trailing and takes the unusual step of removing his walking boots; playing in his socks certainly does the trick and a 4-3 Whirlwind victory is the result. The pub is a Black Country Ales house that is listed in the 2019 Good Beer Guide, our pints of Heritage Red are undoubtedly befitting of such an accolade.

- Mill Pool -

D9 Destroyer puts his darting disappointment to one side and plots the route for an afternoon ferret that will guide us through some of his formative haunts. Take Mill Pool for example, an area of open space just off Rydding Lane where the pool itself is known locally as 'The Milky' due to its opaque appearance. The younger D9 was also an occasional user of the running track at Menzies High School albeit the site is currently closed off and overgrown so we cannot stage the nostalgic lap he'd been hoping for. No matter, we can just continue via Marsh Lane into Stone Cross and recall well-known barbers including Gordon Dale and Mad Harry - are they responsible for the Chairman's subsequent baldness?

- D9 drives the 4H -

Stone Cross gives its name to our next Desi find, a true landmark roadhouse prominently sited on the junction of Walsall Road with Hall Green Road. The pub is also known as the Curry & Grill House and is where we pause for more Carling as quaffed to a Pat Benatar soundtrack ('Love is a Battlefield'). In terms of fixtures and fittings this place feels much more basic compared to other Desi examples though we're still glad to have done it. The bus stop over the road beckons so that we can flag down a Hayley Green-bound 4H ready for the Chairman to show off his customary steering prowess.

- Might this be the Red Lion perchance? -

We stay on the bus a mere handful of stops until the Red Lion looms into sight - it's hard to miss this one to be fair given there are large illuminated lion sculptures guarding the main entrance. As one of the flagship Desi watering holes it is essential we pay it a visit, especially as we're feeling rather peckish. There are little bits of Ansells heritage to marvel at as we enter, then we take up residence in the rear restaurant section to share a large mixed grill. The sizzling platter includes chicken tikka, seekh kebab, chicken hariyali (coriander coated) and even a rogue couple of fish pakoras, all on a bed of charred onions - delicious! 

- Mild in the Miners -

Re-energised by that spicy fare, we plough on towards West Bromwich as darkness sets in for the evening. There are three more pubs to account for so Church Lane is selected to convey us to the Queens Head, an understated Black Country boozer where the regulars all seem to be engrossed in watching ITV quiz show The Chase. Not too far away (around the back of Oakwood Park) we nip into the Merry Go Round for a swift half and a look at some AJW Mario Lanza beermats, then we weave our way into Golds Hill to sample M&B Mild in the Miners Arms. This Bagnall Street local feels like its out on a limb a bit and is notably quiet although the dominoes team should be arriving later on.

- Hub Le Bas, Bradley -

The Chairman's navigation skills have done us proud as an Eagle Lane dash sees us safely onto the number 43 West Bromwich to Bilston bus. We alight at Bradley to make use of a twilight marketing opportunity (cue Hub Le Bas) and pluck ourselves one final Desi feather for our caps. The Old Bush on Cross Street by the canal workshops has only recently come under Asian ownership having faced something of an uncertain future. Hopefully it will now go from strength to strength, and given it's on the D9 doorstep we may well return. Thus concludes this entertaining entry in our Desi diary and the first Hub Marketing outing of 2019; fingers crossed there will be plenty more to come - cheers!