The Hub Marketing Board's Round Oak Return

Back in late May 2013, I prepared for a big birthday by joining Chairman D9 for a Hub Marketing tour of Brierley Hill and its environs, visiting pubs that would have been frequented by workers from the Round Oak Steelworks. Fast forward ten years and I'm again - albeit more reluctantly - celebrating getting even older, and we decide to repeat the same trick. What can the area offer us this time around?

- Brockmoor Breakfast Beckons -

Round Oak Steelworks was a major Brierley Hill employer from its inception in 1857 through to the closure of the plant under British Steel in 1982, with the land being redeveloped to form the Merry Hill Shopping Centre and Waterfront facilities. Even though most traces of the old steelworks had been demolished by 1984, the vast site is still widely remembered to this day and thus provides the inspiration for our outing. At the Chairman's request, we converge upon the Brockmoor Cafe eager to indulge in a traditional greasy spoon experience. 'Breakfast 2' costs £5.50 and comes complete with two rounds of toast, sausages, bacon rashers, beans, tomatoes, hash browns, mushrooms and tea or coffee - great value it must be said. The cafe is busy with its takeout trade as well as having six tables for those who wish to eat in. 

- Spotting the Steelworks? -

After that substantial feed, we proceed via Station Road into Brierley Hill town centre and unleash the day's silly songs into the bargain. Mr D9's choice is that Bill Oddie oddity 'Harry Krishna' which combines Hare Krishna chanting with reference to famous Harry surnames (think Secombe, Worth and Corbett) whereas Mr WME selects Jon Pertwee's 'Noodle Doodle Man' as based on a Heinz spaghetti advert. Two pubs on Brierley Hill High Street get our quaffing underway; the Dog & Partridge featured on the original 2013 Round Oak crawl but has since been upgraded with some very bright floral wallpaper. The Brier Rose meanwhile was a HSBC bank ten years ago but is now on hand to serve up Carling, Ashes cricket and some very broad Black Country accents - one purple-rinsed lady does not like the Albion! Sepia snapshots of steelwork chimneys ensure that the bald spot is suitably distracted. 

- The New Talbot -

Long-term roadworks mean that the High Street is only open to traffic in the Dudley direction so we continue on foot rather than try to hunt down any diverted buses. It isn't too far to Silver End anyway, even in soaring temperatures, and we can soon avail ourselves of refreshment in the New Talbot which sits near the easternmost end of Brettell Lane. A plain and unfussy free house, this is an understated gem of a boozer and the landlord makes us feel right at home. Samuel Smith's Extra Stout is quality drinking, the Chairman breaking his golden rule of not touching tarmac when the weather is hot, and the darts honours go to WME Whirlwind (2-0) despite our host's best attempts at sledging the Secretary for some initial wonky throws.

- Brettell Lane Bridge -

The obligatory ferret for this trip involves a stretch of the Stourbridge Canal, part of a network of navigations that would have provided access to the steelworks in its heyday (although the Dudley No. 1 Canal went through the actual site). We join the towpath at Brettell Lane Bridge, being mindful of the low headroom, and plod on through to Moor Street while steering clear of any swan or goose nests. Having avoided any unwanted peckings, we pause briefly at the Samson & Lion between Locks 4 and 5 of the Stourbridge Flight; this canalside concern retains a few hints of heritage despite being repainted in shades of midnight blue. Our al fresco glasses of Timothy Taylor's Landlord perfume the air with the scent of hops.

- Hawbush Housing -

Further lock-collecting antics keep us occupied along the short distance down to Swan Lane Bridge from where we can investigate the Hawbush estate. Swan Lane itself offers reminders of the Nags Head, a lost pub which partially became a One Stop convenience store. Hawbush Road is deceptively hilly as the afternoon heat takes hold so we've worked up a considerable thirst by the time we reach our old favourite the Starving Rascal. Nowadays owned by Black Country Ales, this famous local landmark stands on the fork where Collis Street splits away from Brettell Lane. Inside it is lovely and cool making it the perfect bolthole for partaking of Enville White in exemplary condition, and the Chairman is getting all nostalgic about the summer of 1976 when his neighbour Mad Matthews used to endlessly play 'Combine Harvester' by the Wurzels day after day after day - what torture!! 

- Bathams Best in the Robin Hood -

Amblecote really is an ale-lovers paradise and we're spoiled for choice as regards tempting taverns to try out. Keeping with Brettell Lane, the Swan needs to be done because Mr D9 has never had the pleasure of sampling it previously. Secretary WME knows the place well and pines ever so slightly for the days of chintzy furniture and internal ironwork, although there's no doubting that the new owners have carried out a high quality refit that feels more modern yet simultaneously still traditional. Oakham's Hangar 17 offers tantalising tastes of tangerine here before we relocate to the Robin Hood, perched halfway up the slopes of Collis Street. Bathams Best Bitter always gets the WME vote whereas Mr D9 dabbles with the aromatic aspects of Purple Moose's Elderflower Ale.

- The Chairman and the Chieftain -

Another Amblecote alehouse that's high on the Chairman's wishlist is the Maverick, which is sited at the very bottom of Brettell Lane on the Audnam traffic lights. A country and western theme is immediately apparent with American car registration plates, bounty hunting posters and a large carved chieftain character - not the kind of thing you'd normally expect to see on the outskirts of Stourbridge, that's for sure. Wye Valley's Hollywood is a limited release brew infused with summer berries (quenchingly nice) as Mr D9 worries about getting scalped, understandable when you haven't got much hair left to lose!

- D9 drives home -

Thankfully the Chairman escapes with his remaining follicles intact and we intercept the 6 bus in readiness for a Holly Hall finale. The King William might be handy for Russells Hall Hospital but is otherwise an average community local where the barmaid's kids are having a lot of fun, while the Railway Tavern on Buxton Road gives us a lively nightcap Carling that nearly causes us to miss our onward 8 connection. So concludes my series of birthday excursions, and I wonder if we'll return to Round Oak once more for the 2033 celebrations? Cheers!