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!