Everybody probably has their own concept of the place they call "God's Country", that special locality which appears to have been created via divine intervention. For me it has to be the Black Country of course but a proud Yorkshireman would no doubt extol the virtues of the East Riding or the North Yorkshire Moors, for example. In Mr D9's case, the moniker is reserved for Bromsgrove and its immediate vicinity - cue a Hub Marketing Board escapade to find out more...
- Ozzy Rehomed -
It's Friday 28th July 2023 and this trip is something of a bonus given that board members had largely written off the prospects of a July get-together. Birmingham New Street is our 10:30am rendezvous location with Secretary WME being very keen to see 'Ozzy', the newly-renamed Commonwealth Games bull sculpture which has happily found his permanent home on the station's main concourse (by the Grand Central escalators). As you might imagine, quite a large crowd has gathered hoping for selfies and hints of tail-swishing with BBC Radio WM undertaking an outside broadcast. Ozzy's new title references the legendary Black Sabbath singer Mr Osbourne and was bestowed following a public vote.
- The Bournville Cafe -
After that spot of bovine bothering, we catch the 45 bus along the A441 Pershore Road into Stirchley via Edgbaston Cricket Ground and the Birmingham Wildlife Centre. Bournville Lane offers the neighbouring historic facades of the local swimming baths and a branch library; both are Edwardian edifices although the library (which opened in 1905) predates the pool by five years. Mr D9 and I have been blessed with brilliant breakfast locations thus far in 2023 - think Jack & Ada's or the Brockmoor Café - and further greasy spoon heaven can be found at the Bournville Café, an establishment oft frequented by the much-missed Peter Allen. Painted corner lettering whets our appetites for a £6.50 large breakfast complete with black pudding and fried bread, a definite indulgence which we fairly wolf down.
- Driving Demo on the 20 at Northfield -
In his day job, Chairman D9 has been responsible for putting together the timetable for the new number 20 route, which links the Queen Elizabeth Hospital with Bromsgrove and partially replaces the withdrawn 144A service. We want to put his scheduling to the test so we make our way to Northfield and hop aboard for a ride along the Bristol Road recalling former driving colleague Eric 'Hearty' Carty care of a suitably Reggae-influenced Youtube playlist. Beyond Longbridge roundabout, the bus weaves a merry dance using Edgewood Road as a gateway through the estates of Rednal and Rubery; the A38 then takes the strain into the edges of Bromsgrove where the Miller & Carter at Marlbrook heralds a right turn down to Catshill.
- Royal Oak, Catshill -
Mr D9 might be very familiar with Bromsgrove's outlying suburbs but these are not areas the Secretary knows well at all. Catshill is effectively a totally new discovery for me so I pay close attention along Gibb Lane, spotting a Co-op housed in what appears to be a former pub. A current watering hole is next on our agenda, this being the Royal Oak on Barley Mow Lane - cue a refreshing pint of Titanic's Iceberg pale ale each. WME Whirlwind has been on the end of several darting reversals this year so it's nice to land a few retaliatory legs when securing a comprehensive 3-0 victory, poor old D9 Destroyer feeling rightly downcast at being outplayed on his old patch. Don't take it too personally old chap!
- Watching Cricket at the Crown -
In fairness, the Chairman soon cheers himself up by plotting our progress towards the second pub of the day. Meadow Road leads us past Chadsgrove School, the local social club and a seemingly abandoned Clearway Coaches depot in forming our approaches to the Crown, a Greene King offering on the main Stourbridge Road. Positioned on what historically would have been Catshill's village green with the Battlefield Brook to the rear, this proves a nice enough haunt at which to catch up on the latest Ashes cricket action - the England bowlers are making useful inroads at The Oval in the final test match of the series. The pub building has quite a long roadside frontage and is said to date from the 19th century.
- Catshill Garage -
Onwards we trot with a further stretch of Stourbridge Road introducing us to Christ Church, the principal place of worship for the parish. As handsome as the church is with its sandstone hues and Early English stylings, we're arguably more smitten with Catshill Garage because of its vintage 1970s Texaco pumps - there's no accounting for taste sometimes. The Chairman's careful planning requires a pit stop at the Plough & Harrow where we interrupt the barmaid's cigarette break so as to obtain the necessary glasses of Theakston's XB ruby ale, I think she just about forgave us for our impertinent interjections. Nevertheless, we squirrel ourselves away in a secluded bay window snug just to be on the safe side!
- Fairfield Finds, minus hair -
With Catshill now conquered our focus shifts to the nearby settlement of Fairfield which awaits us on the other side of the M5 motorway. Amenities include Fairfield Villa Football Club and a First School but it won't surprise anyone to declare that we're mostly interested in the Swan, an upmarket Marston's concern where poor old Mr D9 gets stung a hefty whack for two pints of Banks's Sunbeam. Tasteful throne armchairs add a mellow relaxed air to an interior that mostly concentrates on dining positions while the beer is certainly very drinkable in helping to justify the pain inflicted on the bald one's wallet. Talking of that increasingly hairless scalp, it finds other distractions in the form of a yard chock full of overgrown vehicles.
- The Duke of York -
So far so good but with the public transport gods being a fickle bunch, you're only ever one botched connection away from disaster. Having earmarked the 318 route for a helping hand to Sidemoor, we stunned to see the bus flashing past us at least five minutes earlier than billed. Needless to say we're not best pleased, especially as we now face an hour-long walk rather than a five minute journey. Were it not for the fact we've got our hearts set on an archetypal flat-roofer, we would have switched plans entirely; the Duke of York is however essential and has the kind of lid that's more horizontal than a steamrollered pancake. Hi vis workmen and crusty banter ensure an earthy backdrop to our compensatory Carlings, giving us a clear winner in the Pub of the Day awards.
- The Bromsgrove Bus Station Closet -
Fate hasn't quite finished its meddling yet and news reaches us that a number 20 bus has broken down, thus delaying our intended return to Birmingham. A contingency splash and dash in Bromsgrove town centre means the Red Lion gets an airing, earning our custom with its no-nonsense nature and a nightcap from the Banks's portfolio. Hub Marketing decorum dictates that the Chairman must pose by his favourite bus station closet - no sign of any WARP trip snowball fights today - and the homeward 20 belatedly echoes to the sound of more Reggae classics, singing along to the likes of 'Let Your Yeah Be Yeah' and 'Unite Tonight' all the way to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The odd bus mishap apart, it's been excellent fun from start to finish so Bromsgrove truly merits its God's Country label. Cheers!
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