WME Flickr Focus - January 2021

After 2020 proved a bumper twelve months for the WME photostream (largely because the pandemic meant I had more spare time at home to use constructively), my challenge now is to maintain reasonable progress throughout 2021. January has therefore got the year off to a gluttonous start with an array of tasty new arrivals...

The main item on the menu this time around is Exploration Extra which has really piled on the pictures of late. Northampton has found itself particularly well fed thanks to dishes such as Drum Lane, the Double Top Club and the Old Bank, whilst Nottingham has tucked into Park Row and the old Shipstone's Brewery site. Oxford meanwhile made room for All Souls College combined with the Old Bookbinders pub in Jericho, leaving peckish Poppleton free to polish off some level crossing content from the edges of York. 

Another collection gorging on the feast has to be WME Birmingham, eagerly devouring courses comprising Kings Norton (Thomas the Tank Engine and Wharf Road), Kingstanding (Lambeth Road plus the local Leisure Centre) and lovely Ladywood (Great Tindal Street). A 'Big Hoot' owl swoops into position as Bob the Bat takes up his prime perch at Gas Street Basin whereas Stan's Cafe at Handsworth is definitely one for the greasy spoon aficionado. 

Not to be outdone, WME Staffordshire displays a ravenous appetite when guzzling down several helpings of Hanley - these include the Tontine, the Woodman, Dyke Street and Cauldon Park. Elsewhere, St Leonard's School in Stafford serves up some springtime blossoms before Lichfield delivers dessert courtesy of the Guildhall and Market Street, not forgetting a few sprigs of marjoram as garnered from Erasmus Darwin's herb garden!

We now move onto those more restrained collections that have opted for smaller pictorial portions. WME Wolverhampton is usually quite hungry but only accounts for two street signs (Jeffcock Road, King Street) and some Heath Town Irn Bru branding this month; WME Dudley chomps on a Hawne Tavern lamp near Halesowen washed down with a Hurst Hill bus stop, then that fussiest of eaters WME Solihull shocks us all by munching some choice cuts from Hampton in Arden (the High Street sign, a wild flower garden and a library inscription). 

Finally, nibbling on the remaining scraps are WME Sandwell (the Vine pub and Roebuck Street near Kenrick Park), WME Telford (a Hare & Hounds shot from the vicinity of Oakengates), WME Worcestershire (Bromsgrove's Ladybird pub bringing back memories of railway hikes with Roger) and WME Warwickshire (pretty Leamington crocuses). All that remains is for us to pay the bill and the kitchen will now get to work rustling up some February fodder - cheers!