Christmas Leftovers

You've probably all had your fill of turkey curry or sprout casserole by now, so the leftovers I'm bringing your way are merely details of the December adventures I haven't yet had chance to tell you about. Two trips in two days saw me firstly making extra use of my Unchained pass at the Black Country Living Museum, and then meeting up with Chairman D9 for the Hub Awards 2022 extravaganza...

- Decorations in the Tilted Cottage -

Selected highlights should be sufficient for the purposes of bringing things up to date so I'll begin with the BCLM on Thursday 29th December. Although I've visited the Museum many times over the years, I'd never before popped in over Christmas so it was truly delightful to see the place with an additional festive flavour. Traditional decorations were fully to the fore with paper streamers and holly boughs evident - I particularly liked the Tilted Cottage's tree, bedecked with pine cones, preserved orange slices and red ribbons.

- Something Angelic in the Elephant & Castle? -

The museum's main village was predictably busy in the school holidays although I was able to check up on 1940s-1960s New Town progress, including spotting a West Bromwich Building Society frontage nearing completion. Castle Fields Boat Dock proved quietly evocative with fenders and mooring chains dotted about, while the Elephant & Castle pub had a plastic tree angel more in keeping with its remit of capturing a 1960s Christmas. I steered clear of any Babycham but did partake of Banks's Mild in a proper dimpled mug.

- Holden's Old Ale at source -

My Unchained ticket covers me through until next October so I fully expect further BCLM visits to follow in due course. This time around I paired my museum investigations with a homeward stop in Woodsetton, primarily so that I could savour the Park Inn again. Holden's brewery tap never lets me down and this latest encounter came with the added joy of sampling Old Ale, their 7.2% humdinger brewed for a limited time every winter. Dark and resinous, the pint had notes of fruit, malt and maybe even treacle - as the glass says, Pure Black Country!

- The 2023 Hub Calendar Presentation -

Let's skip headlong into Friday 30th December next when I met up with Chairman D9 for the Hub Marketing Awards ceremony; normally our gala would take place prior to Christmas but delivery delays meant that a certain calendar had not arrived in time, hence the need for an extra meeting. After a brisk 49 bus ride across from West Bromwich, we breezed around Bearwood for pit stops in two former banking premises. The Midland is an erstwhile Black Country Ales favourite but the Pub at Bearwood is a new arrival on the scene, based in the ex-Lloyds TSB building on the corner of Rutland Road and High Street. Armed with a Rocking Rudolph, Mr D9 is the grateful recipient of his 2023 gift featuring a wrapping paper quiff cover.

- The Lion, Quinton Road West -

Another notable watering hole to register on our Awards itinerary was the Kings Head on Hagley Road, a long-term Outer Circle bus landmark at Lordswood Road lights which has been given a very stylish Desi-type makeover. A turn-up-and-go connection courtesy of the number 24 route then had us weaving through Woodgate Valley North to reach the Lion off West Boulevard. Previously the Quinton Members Club but having also been known variously as the Monarch and the Island Inn, it now serves as the sister pub to West Bromwich's Red Lion - we rather like it! In between times, DJ D9 Hubbacini counted down the 2022 Silly Songs Chart, with the acclaimed number one spot going to 'Grandad's Motto' by Stan Richards. 

- Charles Pemberton Rowbottom At Your Service -

Indeed, the afternoon went on to take a distinct Desi turn when we proceeded from the Lion up to the New Talbot, a venue Mr D9 remembers affectionately as the Midland Red Social Club. Although significantly revamped from the days when it used to be the preserve of bus drivers and transport staff, such provenance made it the ideal setting for our esteemed Hub founder Charles Pemberton Rowbottom to put in an appearance and the awards listings were duly declared: Outing of the Year was Leek, Dive of the Year was the Grey Lantern, and the Truckers Rest at Cannock beat off serious competition for the Best Greasy Spoon gong. Thus concluded the Hub Marketing Board minutes for 2022 - cheers!