Hold onto your hats folks, I’m in for a busy few days as March nears its denouement. First up is an evening dose of Hub Marketing in my old North Wolverhampton stomping ground, followed by the potential for more Chip Foundation Birmingham-based antics exploring the nightlife epicentre that is Broad Street...
- Jovial in the Junction -
Monday 24th March sets the ball rolling with Chairman D9 declared fit enough to attend a Hub Marketing soiree along the A449 Stafford Road. Secretary WME lived in Bushbury for the best part of thirty years so knows this corner of Wolverhampton very well indeed, although changes are afoot affecting some of the landmarks he grew up around. For example, the Railway Club on Bushbury Lane is now calling itself The Junction and is open to all, complete with snazzy cream rendering to liven up its plain slab frontage. Our opening pint has us checking out the main bar, perched on a barrel table while an excitable pug nervously sniffs at our ankles.
- New Estate at Northwood Park -
Mr WME remembers attending many family gatherings in the Railway Club's function room so its good to see the place continuing to serve the local community in its updated form. The 33 bus does sterling legwork for getting us to Northwood Park where we alight at the Alton Close terminus to see what has become of the Northicote School site. Housing developments have been springing up here over the last three years, centred upon the likes of Blackthorn Drive and Juniper Avenue, but it does feel strange to think that the school has vanished.
- Feeling Bullish in the Moseley Park? -
Continuing along Cromwell Road before cutting through onto Blackbrook Way, we subject the Moseley Parklands to our silly song selections. Puncturing the otherwise peaceful air are The Barron Knights with their Heatwave parody 'Boozy Nights' followed by Louis Armstrong's take on the classic 'Yes We Have No Bananas'. The local residents will no doubt be delighted their eardrums can be spared further abuse once we pitch into the Moseley Park at Broadlands; this is a typical Beefeater chain pub, mostly focused on steakhouse food but mellow enough as a setting to allow for a quick Carling and admiration of mounted Highland bull crockery.
- Making Moreton Memories -
The Hub Marketing rulebook dictates that whenever we're in the Fordhouses vicinity we are behoven to call into the Moreton Arms, mainly so that the Chairman can re-enact a favourite skirt-related homage to bus driving characters from years gone by. It's a shame there are no Banks's ales on during this visit - a sad reflection of the brewery's impending closure - so we make do with Wainwright and Tetleys, downed in double quick time once we realise the next 3 is imminent. Our speedy supping allows scope for a swift splash and dash at the Harrowby, another Marston's boozer which serves the Wobaston estate by Chetton Green flats.
- D9 drives the Stafford Road Hub -
Our ultimate landing point will be Oxley, once Mr D9 has determinedly demonstrated that his steering prowess remains undimmed despite recent lack of practice. The Gatehouse beckons as a Greene King (Hungry Horse) affair down by where the Goodyears tyre factory used to be, hence the winged tyre depiction on the pub sign, while the Island House overlooks Bushbury Lane roundabout and incorporates a chip shop plus a Grill-It restaurant. Alas the Chairman's wallet recoils in horror at the thought of £5+ prices for Shipyard IPA, so Secretary WME is a clear winner in the discount stakes after cheekily taking advantage of a Moreton Happy Hour.
- A Gentleman? Or a Scholar? -
If we're talking about expensive drinks, the real price pain is reserved for the Chip Foundation in Birmingham on Tuesday 25th March. Our Broad Street brief takes us into the very heart of Brum's nightlife, provided we've said hello to Ozzy the Bull at Grand Central first. There are yet more cranes on the Second City skyline as we proceed via Paradise Circus and Centenary Square, Nick pointing out The Octagon as one of Europe's tallest residential skyscrapers. The Gentleman & Scholar awaits with refined surroundings as part of the Hyatt Regency Hotel complex - £7.75 for Guinness and £4 for a small Coca Cola means you pay for that finery.
- Getting a little hazy perhaps? -
Having debated which amongst us counts as a gentleman (Ken) and which would be the scholar (Mr B), we move pretty much next door into the Solomon Cutler Wetherspoons where the monetary outlay required is altogether more acceptable. The tail end of the recent JDW Ale Festival means Nick can sample EVA with me on the Hey Pal, albeit the resultant glass contains a turgid brown liquid flatter than the proverbial pancake. Better prospects lie ahead courtesy of O'Neill's where the Hazy Jane is much more palatable in its own branded beaker.
- A Fan Zone Flourish -
O'Neill's is an upbeat party pub with Irish leanings and a digital darts gangway, whatever that entails. His Majesty regales us with tales of Melrose holidays while Ken anticipates his coming Cromer getaway as well as reminiscing about the Tow Rope Café, a greasy spoon that used to be popular with those doing all-night drinking sessions in the 1970s. We won't be attempting anything quite so adventurous ourselves, hence we'll finish off in respectable fashion over at Walkabout, part of a national string of Australian-themed bars complete with koala bear mural.
- An Australian Beer Aversion? -
It's a rare sight for me to be drinking lager which originally hails from Down Under although this Fosters is much more likely to be of a Manchester rather than Melbourne persuasion. We count at least sixteen separate sports screens covering baseball, tennis and the Wales v North Macedonia World Cup qualifier, plus Nick and Stephen make sure to acquaint themselves with the dedicated Fan Zone flags. Our closing conversations cover a certain US President, the Ukraine War and Mr Beardsmore's car window travails, then it's time to head home. Cheers!
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