After illness robbed us of our intended Redditch Rumble two weeks ago, Chairman D9 has regained full fitness in readiness for the Hub Marketing Board Pre-Christmas Party. Normally December would herald our Awards Gala but the Hub calendar is still at the printers and the noble Charles Pemberton Rowbotham III can't be exhumed due to a gravediggers strike in Market Drayton. Nevertheless there is still much fun to be had in the realms of Rowley Regis...
- Wintry Hickman Park -
Like most of the country, the West Midlands has experienced a cold snap of late and there is much slippery stuff to contend with underfoot come Friday 16th December. Chairman D9 has stipulated an afternoon Bradley rendezvous so the Secretary has a free morning to utilise - how about some Bilston pictures then? A Midland Metro tram ride to The Crescent is followed by a slither around Hickman Park, a flagship area of open space gifted to the town as a tribute to the industrialist and MP Sir Alfred Hickman after his death in 1910. The park's facilities include an open air stage (which sadly has suffered a spate of vandalism), a sporting arena, wildflower meadows, and a restored original shelter dating back to the park's 1911 launch.
- Bilston Town Hall -
Picking his way carefully across ice-capped pavements, the Secretary next tackles Bilston High Street which is pleasingly busy with festive shoppers. Bilston will never be the most glamorous of locations but it does seem to inspire fierce loyalty among the locals, and the market always seems to be bustling with activity. Major's has queues of folk flocking to partake of their legendary orange battered chips but it's the nearby Town Hall that attracts WME attention; built in 1873, it was the seat of local government activities until the County Borough of Wolverhampton was established in 1966.
- A Bulls Head Beginning -
Mr D9 advises of his impending Bradley Lane arrival and the tram soon whisks us off towards West Bromwich where we can catch a 3A bus bound for Blackheath - the route covers the Lion Farm estate and Newbury Lane. Alighting on Throne Road, we make a beeline for the Bulls Head at Whiteheath, a former Marston's boozer that's become a Bar & Grill affair with 1980s tunes on the big screen music channels. A swift pint of Carling each provides solid if unspectacular lubrication but our main concern is previewing the Hub Awards nominations, deciding which greasy spoons, bald spots and dives should be in the running when the winners are announced on a future bash.
- A Moore Mural -
Ideally we'd like a helping hand TUAG link into Blackheath but the curse of D9's timetables strikes again and there isn't a bus in sight. No matter, the walk gives us chance to play the day's silly songs, whereby 'What Are We Gonna Get 'Er Indoors' by Dennis Waterman and George Cole gets upstaged by Larry Grayson's 1975 ditty 'Who's Stuffing Your Turkey This Christmas?' - festive classics both we're sure you'll agree! Our first pub target in Blackheath itself is the Knights Quest (historically known as the George & Dragon) where the lunchtime carvery is being packed away at the end of service. A nice tartan-patterned bay window seat helps us warm back up again before we relocate to the Little Beech on Halesowen Street; this one is the Beech Tree under a slightly reworked moniker and has a Covid Heroes mural that features a depiction of Captain Tom Moore.
- Santa Steering on the 4H -
Also on Halesowen Street is the Cyder & Cobb micropub as visited by the Secretary and our royal correspondent after the Dudley Winter Ales Fayre last month. A second sampling isn't out of the question albeit the place is packed full with a works do, meaning our best option for sitting down involves risking frostbite by occupying the pavement tables outside. We wouldn't ordinarily recommend al fresco drinking in subzero December temperatures but Vocation's Naughty & Nice Chocolate Stout is not to be missed - liquid heaven! Being out here has other advantages too, namely that we can keep abreast of any bus comings and goings, thus we make a sprint for the 4H as soon as it comes around the corner. 'Santa' willingly obliges for a driving demo as we descend Gorsty Hill Road into Coombeswood.
- Christmas Cheer in the Lighthouse -
At Mr D9's request, we've come this way so as to look in on the Lighthouse, literally shining out like a beacon in the encroaching evening darkness. Secretary WME forges ahead to get the round while the Chairman is distracted by clay post bus stops, but the resultant glasses of pristine Enville Ale meet with universal approval. Gary Woo the marketing mascot makes his Hub Christmas debut as we savour the good-natured atmosphere and Black Country banter. The pub is effectively perched on the hill above the Dudley No. 2 Canal's Gosty Hill Tunnel with a pathway opposite leading down to the south-eastern tunnel portal.
- And the 2022 Pub Games Champion is... -
We don't fancy towpath trekking in the dark so the return 4H nips us back up to Blackheath for a darting decider in the Three Diamonds Bar off Horner Way. A studious glance at the maths suggests D9 Destroyer and WME Whirlwind are tied level on 17 legs apiece across the whole year so whoever wins this contest will be crowned our 2022 champion. Fuelled by Carling, it is Destroyer who ultimately finds the oche more to his liking on this occasion with Whirlwind struggling to unleash any devious checkouts. Four unanswered legs ensure that the balding one conclusively takes the title - well done sir!
- A Four Ways Finale -
Solace for the Secretary is served up care of a definitive Desi experience at the Four Ways, our closing port of call for the day. The pub has a rather quirky sense of humour as evidenced by the barrel-clutching figure on the car park or a parade of model zoo animals in the kiddies play area. Our primary concern is food and the £15 Mixed Grill sharing platter is ideal for our appetites, comprising chicken tikka, hariyali tikka, lamb kebab and wings, plus mint yoghurt and other relishes - very tasty indeed! All that then remains is for us to head homewards with assistance from the 4 and a tram so I'll finish by wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!
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