Lost Pubs from the WME Archives: Part 13

The number thirteen might elicit a shudder in those of a superstitious persuasion, but when it comes to the thirteenth episode of the Lost Pubs series I guess the 'unlucky for some' adage doesn't really apply, not when these perished pubs have already bitten the dust anyway. Judge for yourselves whether this latest quintet are likely to suffer from triskaidekaphobia...

- The British Oak -

Go back a few years and you could have had a more than decent pubcrawl heading up the A462 between Willenhall and Short Heath. Although the Whimsey and the Noah's Ark still appear to be trading, there have been a couple of notable casualties in the form of the Brown Jug and the British Oak. The latter was a typical Banks's affair that got turned into a Tesco Express convenience store sometime around 2013; perhaps the influence of 13 proved unlucky after all?

- The Sneyd -

It isn't too far from Short Heath to the edges of Bloxwich which is where we find the Sneyd, a relatively squat watering hole that (until 2016 or thereabouts) served thirsty residents from the nearby Mossley estate - we'll assume the students of the adjacent Sneyd Comprehensive School weren't among the clientele! The modern nature of the building makes me wonder if this was a replacement for an earlier pub, especially as the Sneyd Locks flight on the Wyrley Bank Branch Canal used to be where Vernon Way now stands. 

- The Neachells -

Up next is a place I remember very well even though I never went in it, the Neachells having been a landmark I've passed countless times during family journeys. Prominently situated on the junction of Neachells Lane and the A454 Willenhall Road, this former farmstead was demolished in 2014 after suffering fire damage in an arson attack. There has been talk of building a supermarket on the site but nothing seems to have come to fruition as yet. 

- The Dingle -

Our fourth offering sees us switching attentions to south-west Birmingham for an ex-Mitchells & Butlers establishment in Northfield. The Dingle overlooked the roundabout where Egghill Lane meets Frankley Beeches Road and was afflicted by something of a dubious reputation, particularly towards the end of its existence. It was already boarded up when I photographed it in October 2009 and would soon be cleared to make way for a Sanctuary care home. 

- The Homestead -

Rounding off this batch of bygone boozers is a slice of suburban Wolverhampton, or Oxley to be more specific. The Homestead stood on Lodge Road, close to the main A449 Stafford Road, and evokes childhood memories of playing in the beer garden and gazing up at the man in the moon. Five houses now occupy the land (two of the residences are accessed from Eccleshall Avenue) while local drinkers have the option of the Gatehouse or the Keg & Comfort for their pints these days - cheers!

Lockdown Log: COSELEY

I suppose technically these aren't lockdown logs anymore, being as we're inching back towards some kind of pre-Covid normality. Things are still rather surreal though as I stage my second short train trip in as many Fridays, this time concentrating very much on Coseley and environs...

- A Mane and A Mask -
It's 17th July 2020 and I repeat last week's opening move by catching the 9:48 stopper from Wolverhampton Station (Platform 5 to be exact). Wearing of facemasks feels instinctively unsettling but at least my glasses aren't getting fogged up so much today, although the above selfie confirms I'm in urgent need of a haircut! Five minutes of train travel brings me into Coseley where I cut through Clayton Park to Old Meeting Road, noting both the Unitarian Chapel (the group originated in 1662) and Coseley Youth Centre (much more recent by comparison).

- Red Cow and Razor Wire -
Finding a further trackside footpath, I reach Bridge Street for a look around Wallbrook. Edge Street is familiar from rides on the old 544 bus route - nowadays served by the number 82 - albeit the sight of the Red Cow surrounded by grim hoardings is hardly uplifting, not helped by the coils of razor wire installed to deter fly tipping. Elsewhere in Wallbrook I spot a couple of convenience stores before Fountain Lane doglegs down towards Princes End.

- School's Out Forever -
My Tipton tour merely seven days ago never stretched as far as Tibbington, an omission I'm belatedly about to rectify by including it today instead. Lost landmarks are my theme here, for while two local chapels are still going (Grace Community Church and Mount Horeb), the Tibbington pub and Princes End Primary School are notably absent. The former was replaced by the Parkside care home whereas the school got demolished several years ago and the houses of Cecil Terrace now occupy the site.

- Site of Coseley Baths -
Bradleys Lane crosses me back into Coseley territory with a whisper of Wallbrook Primary School followed by a sniff of Summerhill Community Centre. Pemberton Road puts me within range of Coseley Cricket Club who were founded in 1870 and are pleased that the recreational game has been given the green light to resume. There's no chance of any action sporting or otherwise further up Peartree Lane however because Coseley Baths closed roughly ten years ago, the land remaining empty with weeds encroaching onto the disused disabled parking bays.

- Daisy Bank Schools -

Backtracking to Summerhill Road, I proceed via Harding Street into Daisy Bank and am saddened to see the White House has been converted into a private residence. A socially distanced queue is forming outside Asda whilst the Daisy Bank Schools complex has been boarded up ever since the branch library and community centre ceased operations. Ash Street then turns rather industrial on the approach to Highfields Road thanks to the presence of C & S Steels, a company that celebrated its 55th anniversary in 2019. 

- Urban Village Construction -

Highfields Road itself has me bearing down upon Ladymoor Pool - plenty of Canada geese but just a solitary angler in situ today - and otherwise provides an update on Bilston Urban Village happenings. The Stonefield Edge development is continuing apace with affordable homes sprouting up on what was previously industrial brownfield land. Ladymoor Garage and the Gills Pork Products factory each merit a mention as I close in on Bilston, stopping by at the remains of Stonefield Schools where the original ceremonial opening tablet from 1905/06 has been retained complete with lists of Edwardian councillors.

- A Jazzy Finale -

There's only one place this trip is going to finish and that's the Trumpet, a legendary Bilston boozer renowned for hosting jazz performances eight times a week. Live music is out of the question for the moment but the Holden's Black Country Bitter is present and correct, quality quaffing with the strains of Nat King Cole in the background - this is precisely the kind of pub experience I'd missed so much during the enforced Covid closures. Fingers crossed the hospitality sector and pubs in particular are now on the road to recovery, although it would be foolish to think there won't be tricky times ahead. Nonetheless it is great to have the Trumpet back and I'll sign off with a most contented cheers!

Lockdown Log: TIPTON

The protracted process of easing lockdown restrictions continues to gather momentum and whilst I would hardly claim that things are returning to normal (far from it), there have been a couple of milestones to report over the last week or so - a proper pint and a train trip...

- Castlecroft Calling -
I reckon it would have been mid-March when I last set foot inside a pub, nipping into the Great Western for my usual Holden's Mild and cob combination. Days later, the Covid pandemic necessitated a shutdown of the entire hospitality industry and it is only recently that establishments have been permitted to reopen. The potential mayhem of 'Super Saturday' didn't appeal much to be honest as instead I opted for a quiet Thursday lunchtime for dipping my toe back into the water. Deliberately staying local, my choice was the Firs at Castlecroft where some Banks's Amber broke my cask drought in very agreeable fashion. It is disconcerting having to follow one-way arrows, stand on certain circles and keep sanitising your hands but this is a small price to pay for having our pubs back.

- Remembering St Martin's & St Paul's -
That near four month gap between pub visits was echoed by a similar hiatus since I last used public transport. Indeed, the first phase of the new Wolverhampton railway station has been completed in my absence, at long last giving the city a facility fit for the 21st century. Facemask at the ready, I board the 9:48 stopper and have an entire carriage to myself for the eight minute journey to Tipton. Owen Street then serves as the starting point for my tour as I pay particular attention to St Martin's & St Paul's, the former parish church which has been standing empty for some time. A victim of diminishing congregation numbers, the parcel tape crudely covering over the church sign tells its own story. The building is apparently available 'To Let' but quite what it can be used for is anyone's guess - a chance for someone to get creative perhaps?

- Foxyards Primary School -
One part of Tipton I'm not overly familiar with is the Foxyards Estate so that becomes my top target (I've been through it on the bus but never done much there photographically). The Pie Factory claims its customary shots and I note with interest the Staffordshire Territorial Force Association base on Sedgley Road West - this Drill Hall dates from 1910 but is another landmark that lacks a current purpose. Foxyards Road leads me down past the local primary school and there are a selection of short cul-de-sacs to ponder before I emerge onto the Birmingham New Road via Wrens Avenue. A well-known feature I sadly can't take any pictures of is the Foxyards pub, otherwise affectionately known as the Rag & Mop; I recall spotting its colourful mural when I was a kid but alas the wrecking ball had the final say back in 2007.

- The Red Lion redundant? -
From Foxyards I meander my way to Tipton Green, dutifully acknowledging Dudley Road offerings such as the Waggon & Horses and St Matthew's Church (the latter being where the parishioners from St Martin's & St Paul's relocated when that closed). Tipton Green gives a glimpse of the Old Main Line Canal and also the Red Lion, possibly Tipton's oldest watering hole (or so a blue plaque tells me) which makes its boarded-up predicament very regrettable - hopefully the shutters aren't an indication of a permanent demise. The associated guest house shows limited signs of life so I presume that it too has fallen on hard times, the Covid pandemic unlikely to have improved the situation. 

- Jack Holden Gardens -
Passing the Silvertrees Primary Academy school, I reach the site where Tipton Baths used to be and am a little surprised that the land remains disused. Signs for Select Healthcare hint at possible redevelopment on the horizon although for now the incumbent hoardings are looking unsightly, all a far cry from the days of swimming galas and lifeguards. The little green patch opposite has become somewhat overgrown although I can still detect a memorial stone paying tribute to Jack Holden, a great of British distance running and a leading light of the Tipton Harriers athletics club.

- Tipton Free Library -

After a quick Union Street glance at the defunct Tipton Conservative Club (the only place where I've posed with a pint next to a portrait of Margaret Thatcher), I venture into Victoria Park where the bowling green is waiting to spring back into action. The lake, playground and sports pitches seem to be attracting a few visitors and the benches by the war memorial are all taken which is good to see. Victoria Road supplies shots of Sacred Heart and All Souls Catholic Church (the associated primary school to which has shut down), and I finish off with probably my favourite Tipton landmark of the lot. The Free Library is a classic Carnegie structure in red and yellow terracotta bands, officially opening in 1906 and serving the town's reading needs until 2000 when the Unity Walk replacement took over. My return train from Dudley Port requires further facemask precautions and with that the trip is done - cheers!

Hub Marketing: Pick of the Pubs (The Alternative Chart)...

As lockdown stretches on a while longer, so too does our mini-series of posts recalling memorable pubs from Hub Marketing history. Having already revealed his personal favourites in our previous chart, the Chairman now fixes his attentions on some other establishments that certainly made a lasting impression...

Yes folks, brace yourselves because Mr D9 absolutely adores his dives and I sense that this is the list he's most enjoyed putting together for us. Not every place we visit can be a classic of course, and it's fair to say we've had plenty of interesting 'warts and all' experiences since the Hub Marketing Board was founded in early 2011. Depressing dumps and soulless corporate barns all add to the fun one way or another, but this next chart celebrates a further twenty boozers that - for better or worse - truly ensured themselves of an entry in the Hub Hall of Fame.

- Kings Head, Brierley Hill -

#20 >>> at the base of the listing is an establishment that's about as back to basics as Brierley Hill can get. What the Kings Head lacks in furniture it makes up for in sheer force of personality thanks to a loud rock-oriented jukebox and a general air of scruffiness. Bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale were the order of the day when we called in during our 'Wolf Watch' trip of 2017.

#19 >>> also lurking among the lower reaches is the Seventh Trap at Perry Barr, its name being a reference to the adjacent greyhound track. A run of the mill Banks's effort, Mr D9 likes to imagine illicit 1970s meetings here when businessmen might have met their secretaries for some clandestine canoodling. Whether any such thing really happened is another matter entirely, and we didn't detect any obvious extra-marital shenanigans during our November 2015 visit. 

- Seventh Trap, Perry Barr -

#18 >>> a very well-known pub clocks in at number 18 as we acknowledge the leaning legend that is the Crooked House near Himley. Wonky walls and disconcerting optical illusions are the result of historic mining subsidence, hence the sturdy buttresses preventing any further distortion of the building. Our attendance in February 2019 was accompanied by a certain landfill pong that meant the pub didn't quite enchant us as much as anticipated. 

#17 >>> more spartan stuff from Brierley Hill now as the Dog & Partridge registers itself in 17th position. A long-time fixture on the bottleneck High Street, this was a key component of our Round Oak Run pubcrawl of May 2013 that recalled the heyday of the closed local steelworks. A bare brick facade was matched by a plain interior complete with vintage keg font fittings and a predilection for horse racing.

- Star & Garter, West Bromwich -

#16 >>> how's about something reasonably hardcore from West Bromwich? Market pubs by their nature can tend to be quite raucous and that was certainly the case at the Star & Garter back in December 2014. Situated on the pedestrianised section of the High Street, we stopped by for a pre-Christmas drink on our way back from Tamworth whereby the regulars were most definitely getting into the festive spirit!

#15 >>> a few of the Chairman's choices would induce serious Secretarial shuddering at the mere thought of sampling them, and the Town Crier in Birmingham's Highgate required a suitable slice of courage during January 2020. The frontage was bordering on the hideous, homespun signage with letters hanging off, but we couldn't fault the friendliness of the welcome inside - communal watching of 'The Chase' seemed to be in vogue with plenty of appreciation for Bradley Walsh!

- The Kingstanding -

#14 >>> West Bromwich earns a second top 20 entry courtesy of the Old Crown on Sandwell Road, stranded in a part of town that increasingly feels like a forgotten wasteland. As per the Town Crier, absent lettering could be detected here in May 2014 so we wondered whether we were sampling the 'Old Crow' instead - a crafty Carling did the trick while we also noted the existence of the Sun Garage next door. I wonder if either establishment is still going as the mechanics workshop looked to be on its last legs too. 

#13 >>> regular readers will be expecting a precinct pub somewhere on this chart and we'd hate to disappoint anybody. The Kingstanding in (funnily enough) Kingstanding more than fits the bill, being exceedingly brown and angular on the end of some shops. A 1960's M&B rebuild of an earlier roadhouse, we approached with considerable trepidation that was soon soothed by the prospect of watching some cricket coverage although the Chairman seemed more concerned about the 451 route's timetable reliability. Fire damage suffered in 2019 means this one faces a very uncertain future.

- The Bugle Horn, Frankley -

#12 >>> Mr D9 has dished out further precinct plaudits, this time for the Bugle Horn near Frankley which acted as our nightcap destination during the South Birmingham Rovers trip of September 2013. This Wareham Road wonder had the Chairman drooling with delight, or was he just excited at the thought of quaffing some Worthingtons bleach? We did the Lickey Bankey and the Coldstream on the same day, making for a veritable feast of flat roof action!

#11 >>> falling agonisingly short of the top ten is the Crown at Aldridge, an Anchor Road landmark that stands beside a very 1960s shopping centre. The Secretary remembers this being known as the Elms but it was an average Crown Carveries outlet by June 2016 - if memory serves correctly, we gulped down some instantly forgettable Greene King IPA before catching a 997 bus named after Mr D9's daughter. 

In a cruel but hardly unexpected twist, the remainder of the countdown must wait for a future post I'm afraid, although the Chairman insists it's not one you want to miss. In the meantime, the good news is that today (Saturday 4th July) marks the point of the pandemic at which pubs are permitted to reopen - hurrah! Best of luck to all those West Midlands watering holes that will be tentatively welcoming customers once more, we look forward to seeing you soon.

WME Flickr Focus: June 2020

Hold the front page folks as I don't get to say this very often - the West Midlands Exploration photostream has clocked up a century of new arrivals over the last few weeks! Yes, June truly was remarkable considering most months struggle to muster more than thirty additions, and I'm going to have my work cut out namechecking as many as I can...

Nearly every single one of my collections managed to contribute something to the bumper haul but Exploration Extra came out top of the tree. There were wares from Weymouth (Nothe Fort), boosts from Brighton (the Lion & Lobster) and items from Ipswich (a glimpse of Portman Road football ground). The deepest reaches of the WME archives were plundered for a couple of BaMMot bus shots I'd taken back in October 2005 whereas Cardigan (the Castle Inn) and Broadstairs (Platform 2) supplied more recent material by comparison. 

Elsewhere, it won't surprise you in the slightest to know that WME Wolverhampton was also a star turn. Bantock House's Dining Room joins a Gunmakers Arms sign in the Bradmore album whilst Wednesfield benefits from St Thomas's School and the Vine. Bus stops at Rakegate and Showell Circus battle for attention with the Rocket Pools pub and the Nuffield Hospital - there's even room for a repeat howling from Bayliss the 'Wolves in Wolves' sculpture guarding West Park's bandstand.

More than earning its stripes too was WME Walsall which was busy with both Brownhills (St James's Church Hall) and The Butts (Johal News, former home of the local post office). A trio of Bloxwich pub signs joined the fray, respectively representing the Romping Cat, the Wheatsheaf and the Station Hotel, although the Green Rock Tavern probably also qualifies due to being in the Blakenall vicinity. The 394 bus at Brownhills Parade ups my Metrobus quota and there's a sunkissed sighting of Shelfield's Four Crosses, another picture that has waited over a decade to be granted an appearance!

Over on WME Birmingham I can report a brace of showings for the Bell at Harborne (a lovely traditional boozer next door to the church), plus the wider Brum pub parade is augmented by Minworth's Boat, Hurst Street's Old Fox and Ward End's Fox & Goose. WME Shropshire meanwhile adopts an equine theme for its pubby newbies courtesy of the White Horse in Shrewsbury and the derelict Horse & Jockey at Whitchurch (complete with vintage Vaux branding); other Salopian selections include Bridgnorth Rugby Club and the 435 bus laying over at Raven Meadows.

The roll call continues with the combined talents of WME Staffordshire and WME Worcestershire. Staffs checks in thanks to Coven's Harrows and Gailey Top Lock whilst Worcs concerns itself with railway ruminations care of trains at Bromsgrove and Pershore. If that isn't enough of a double act for you, let's try WME Sandwell and WME Dudley - the former musters the Mill (a lost Charlemont Farm boozer) and Haden Hill Park, the latter bags some Stourbridge bus action namely the 318 and the 657, both former Hanson's routes as it turns out.

Even the most productive of months still has a few stragglers bringing up the rear. WME Telford for example drops in on Dawley (a simple signage shot) and WME Coventry secures a Stoke Heath bus stop. Last in line for a mention is the oft-overlooked WME Solihull, proffering forth the Harvester at Olton as a parting gift of an estate boozer - enjoy! I doubt July will be anywhere near as bountiful as June but I do intend to prise out as many pictures as I can - cheers!