Ale Afoot in Warwick and Birmingham

Two trips in four days makes for a feast of February exploration, although there's quite a contrast to be had between Warwick's aged timbers versus Birmingham's brutalist core. A beer festival in the most memorable of surroundings and a Second City crawl are on the agenda so let's see what occurred...

- HRH's Spiritual Corner -

To Warwick, whereby Friday 20th February saw Jane and I joining His Royal Highness Nick in a county town that never lacks a compelling sense of history. The preamble to this outing had actually seen Miss Woolf and I starting off in soggy Tipton, devouring Pie Factory pastry-lidded dishes with great gusto - for once I rebuffed the chance of suet scrumptiousness in favour of a 'Posh & Becks' Steak and Stilton treat infused with undeniable blue cheese flavour, although Jane still made sure to get a bonus flake with her pudding. A brief encounter with the Flying Scotsman at Birmingham Moor Street precedes us meeting Nick and predictably calling in on our royal's favourite Warwick hostelry, the Old Post Office on West Street. Original owner Tom has recently passed away but his legacy is a special little place with excellent beer and cider, plus a Sacred Heart shrine corner with the Magnificat listed on the resident Psalms board.

- King James's Seat -

Not much can upstage the Old Post Office in truth but there is a beer festival to attend and my what a setting we have. The Lord Leycester Hospital is one of Britain's most intact medieval buildings, comprising a half-timbered complex of lodgings, storerooms, a Master's House and a banqueting hall which have stood the test of time. The site was used by the United Guilds of Warwick as their headquarters before Robert Dudley (the Earl of Leicester) set up a charitable community to meet the needs of injured soldiers in 1571. This function has been upheld right through to the present day, hence the presence of the Master and several Brethren who wear ceremonial attire. As such, the beer festival is a fundraising event held annually in the Great Hall; Nick has attended many times in recent years and has a particular affection for a famous chair where King James I and his specially padded trousers apparently sat in 1617.

- A Perry Pair -

The drinks are almost secondary to the location here but we imbibe most eagerly, perching atop tables that have been pushed to the edges of the hall. Nick and Jane are both of a cidery persuasion, taste-testing the likes of Thistly Cross, Gwynt y Ddraig's Happy Daze and Buck Medium before collectively concluding on the 6.8% goodness of Lilley's Bee Sting perry, ever a joint favourite among my esteemed accomplices. I am therefore left to maintain the ale side of the equation, a duty I perform most admirably courtesy of North Cotswold Morerum Mild (with a snatch of the sailor's tipple about it), Church End Archangel (a 6% heavweight pale) and Green Duck's Space Lord (loaded with grapefruit and tangerine notes). My pick of the lot has to be Byatt's Rye Stout but you know I'm a sucker for the darker brews anyway, then we just have time for a Ronnie's Bar nightcap trying to recognise Rons and Ronalds from the worlds of entertainment and politics - Reagan, Corbett, Barker etc. Excellent fun all round!

- Crossword Concentration -

Trip Two takes place on Monday 23rd February and has the Chip Foundation converging upon Brum for Episode 93 of our ongoing chronicles. Nick has given us a pub collecting remit once we've met within the shadows of bull Ozzy's snarling snout, and a Southside shuffle pitches us promptly onto Hurst Street close to both Chinatown and the Gay Village. One top HRH target - the Sly Old Fox - has been partially sacrificed to become a restaurant and the remaining bar half isn't open anyway, meaning the adjacent Dragon JD Wetherspoons steps nimbly into the breach. Red paper lanterns celebrating Chinese New Year hang across the woodwork as we obtain suitable refreshment, but only after we've figured out which of the many entrance doors actually lets us inside. Titanic's Raspberry Pale fruity ale means that for once His Majesty and I have drinks that rival the Beardsmore lemonade and blackcurrant for pinkness, then Ken has us all racking our brains when completing the JDW magazine's crossword - it’s a tricky puzzle in fairness, requiring expert knowledge of Indonesian Prime Ministers, Californian oil localities and obscure Walter Scott novels so we might have resorted to Google for added assistance.

- Apt for any Chip Foundation outing -

Pressing on, Bromsgrove Street is our means of reaching our next port of call, a wildcard pick from yours truly in the guise of Birmingham's other 'Welly'. While the Black Country Ales place on Bennetts Hill is secure in our avowed affections, its near-namesake the Wellington Hotel is nevertheless worthy of our custom. We've passed this Bristol Street landmark so many times en route to the cricket that we were bound to do it eventually, especially because the building dates from 1890 and is considered a good example of James and Lister Lea’s much-admired public house architecture. Indeed, the upper floors have bow-fronted Regency aspects and the whole premises is Grade II listed even if the historic charm fades a little inside due to the combined intrusions of sports bar and Indian restaurant trappings. Ken at least is approving of their Dennis Amiss signed cricket bat and a framed Blues shirt before conversation turns to coach holidays, the Winter Olympics and general political observations. The Enter Chaos paintwork on nearby Henstead Street suddenly seems highly appropriate!

- The Victoria -

Two establishments within the loose vicinity of John Bright Street now require our scrutiny. The Victoria has a quirky Gin Palace air about it, standing three storeys tall and mostly deep green with gilded embellishments. A comedy evening begins at half past seven which explains why most of the punters suddenly disappear upstairs (it wasn't something Stephen said, honest!) then I shock everyone by having a low alcohol beer, namely Bristol Beer Factory's Clear Head. Sailor-inspired illustrations adorn the inner snug walls - think loveheart tattoos and mermaids - which is in contrast to the continental cafe vibe on show at nearby Cherry Reds. Homemade cakes and gourmet coffees mark this out as being far removed from your average boozer but the beer is good, Pale Brummie and Green Duck Space Lord meeting with our approval.

- Studious Scribbling in the Purecraft Bar -

Our Chip conclusion is the Purecraft Bar & Kitchen in the heart of town, within sight of the Floozy in the Jacuzzi. Purity’s Waterloo Street flagship seems almost deserted at first glance until we realise everybody is downstairs playing Warhammer (or whichever dice-based battle strategy game it happens to be) so initial appearances can be deceptive. I remember this bar launching as a high end concept from the environmentally-conscious Alcester based brewery, and Nick is always keen to support Warwickshire enterprises. Their core range is on full show from Gold to UBU to Mad Goose and the lesser-seen Jimbo, a pint of the latter getting the nod in this case. Notes are jotted, sporting deeds discussed and there's even a closing word from our Royal about a certain disgraced ex-prince, and with that we head home. Cheers!

The Warwick Wayfarers

Nick has made it his personal mission over the last few years to introduce me to a variety of Warwick watering holes, as well as showcasing the best of the county town's cultural offer. This is an ongoing task and he's got a few more discoveries lined up for me during this Saturday spectacular...

- A Great Day Out? We certainly hope so! -

Trip Log: 10th May 2025 with unbroken sunshine predicted so it should be a perfect spring day. The trains across from Wolverhampton and Birmingham Moor Street make a seamless connection, ensuring I'm readily in position for our intended 11:14 am rendezvous on Platform 2 of Warwick railway station. Construction work continues here to install a much-needed lift facility, meaning the pedestrian underpass is currently out of commission. We exit onto Lakin Road, confirming that the Wild Boar has transferred back into Everard's ownership and then discussing Nick's forthcoming holiday in the Lake District.

- Bridge 47, Grand Union Canal -

His Royal Majesty knows Warwick like the back of his hand and has picked out a suitable walk with which to get our investigations underway. Guy Street therefore leads to Coten End and onwards along Emscote Road, the main A445 towards Leamington. Pubs such as the Black Pug and the Elephant & Castle are familiar from previous adventures but we do cover newer territory courtesy of Charles Street, passing the Nelson Club function suite to briefly join the towpath of the Grand Union Canal. It may only be a short stretch between Bridges 48 and 46 but I still enjoy seeing it for the very first time, passing underneath All Saints Road to emerge alongside a large Tesco superstore. A quick peek at the River Avon - complete with a flotilla of Saturday morning paddleboarders - precedes our first drink of the day...

- Slaughterhouse Brewery Tap -

Nick can be a devious fellow on occasions and having teased me with the likelihood of the Nelson being our opening candidate, he casually has us stumbling upon the Slaughterhouse Brewery Tap as if by magic. I'd heard the local brewers had set up their own taphouse but had no idea as to its Bridge Street location, based in the very outhouse where they've done the vast majority of production since their 2003 inception. 'Poking the Bear' proves a refreshing golden appetiser while we get chatting to some chaps from Solihull who are similarly dropping by for their first visit. It's only a small venue, maybe room for three or four bench tables plus outdoor drinking, and the microbrewery plant comprises a four barrel operation with room upstairs for supporting the home brew community.

- The Obligatory Eastgate Picture -

Having poked the bear and lived to tell the tale, Nick makes good on his Nelson promise albeit this pub is certainly different now to how I remember it from our 2017 Festive Forage. Having seemingly dispensed with the 'Lord' bit of the title (along with any associated nautical themes), it has transformed into an Indian bar and grill with an extensive range of vegetarian dishes. Meat eaters are catered for too, hence we both partake of the chicken biryani as served in stove pots with burner clasps below. The food is very moreish, complete with a curried fried egg and just the right amount of spicing for my tastebuds. The meal sets us up nicely for seeing more of Warwick, including the ever-compulsory photo of the historic Eastgate.

- Dough & Brew -

Keen to ensure I'm sampling hostelries I haven't previously frequented, Nick next suggests a couple of widely contrasting establishments. The Warwick Arms Hotel is a grand old coaching inn on High Street and has had some notable guests among its clientele down the years, such as a certain Mr Frank Sinatra. The current building replaced an earlier inn and presumably dates from 1717 if the lettering is to be believed; we partake of a relaxed half of Wainwright Gold whilst slumped in a very comfortable sofa before relocating to Brook Street for Dough & Brew, a trendy pizza emporium with something in the region of eight craft taps. Church Farm IPA is the Warwickshire offering from these drinks options whilst the pizzas are grouped into cultural pairs such as Rene and Yvette (for French flavourings),Lord and Lady Ponsonby (for any fans of asparagus) or Mork and Mindy (for zany American toppings) - intriguing!

- A Saintly Corner in the Old Post Office -

Our desire to uncover fresh haunts must not come at the expense of revisiting any favourites, and in Nick's case they don't come much more favoured than the Old Post Office. He's been a fan of this West Street micropub since it started trading in 2014, and we're pleased to report the place seems as good as ever. Mellow live music is underway today thanks to a bearded chap playing acoustic guitar, but there's space at the back for a quiet slurp of Liquid Light's Dark Hollow porter amongst the ecclesiastical portraits and prayer boards. We refrain from uttering the Magnificat in favour of chatting about politics, covering recent Presidential antics in America as well as the worrying developments between India and Pakistan. Scary times!

- Living la Vida in the Kings Head -

It's Race Day at Warwick Racecourse so we feel a tad underdressed compared to the fancy frocks and sharp suits flocking to study the equine formbooks. Vittle Drive prepares us for a Saltisford swansong whereby Nick has picked out a final couple of pubs we haven't been to for several years. The Antelope is close at hand for a cracking half of Theakston's Quencher, an ale I'll look out for again in future; there is a military association here with the fact that the Royal Warwickshire Regiment had an antelope called Bobby as their prized mascot. Further up the road is the Kings Head which seems to have switched allegiance portrait-wise from James I to Henry VIII. Old Golden Hen and the Bournemouth v Aston Villa evening kick off make for the notable aspects here, aside from some funky floral decorations.

- Scouting history at Priory Park -

After that most excellent crawl, all that remains is for us to steadily plot our way back to the railway station. The footpaths of Priory Park thus beckon, the grassy expanses having formed the grounds of the former Warwick Priory until it was dissolved during the monastic purges of the aforementioned King Henry VIII. Warwickshire County Records Office occupies part of the site and a plinth recalls the two times (in 1958 and 1979) when the park played host to Scout gatherings, hence a reference to Amikaro meaning 'welcome' in Esperanto. We pick our way through the trees to reach Platform One in plenty of time for our trains home, job done!

Alveston, Wellesbourne and Warwick

Looking back over my 2024 exploration diary, one glaring gap particularly stands out: strangely enough, I haven't set foot in Warwickshire all year. This situation may have been unintentional but is in urgent need of correcting - luckily I know just the chap to assist me in seeing a little more of Shakespeare's home county...

- Nick aboard his Stagecoach steed -

It's Friday 9th August 2024 and my tour guide for the day will be none other than the Hampton Magna Highwayman himself, our good friend Nick Turpin. A police incident affecting access to London Marylebone means Chiltern Train services are being disrupted, not that this impacts us getting to Warwick as such. The usual sighters of East Gate, the Market Square and Lord Leycester's Hospital come as standard before we await the tardy arrival of the number 15 bus, held up by surprisingly heavy traffic along Bowling Green Street. Once a Stagecoach double decker has graced us with its presence, we enjoy top deck views of Chase Meadow, Barford and Charlecote not to mention several lengthy loops of Wellesbourne's outlying estates.

- St James Church, Alveston -

Having already seen more of Wellesbourne Sainsbury's than is strictly desirable, we alight for the village of Alveston just before the route reaches Stratford-upon-Avon's district edges. Our top target here is the Ferry Inn, recalling bygone days when there used to be a hand-pulled craft crossing the River Avon. Alas the pub has recently closed, operators Stonegate having placed a notice on the window advising that they are seeking new tenants with no reopening date in mind. This is admittedly disappointing news but we console ourselves with a wander around the wider village, speculating as to how Kissing Tree Lane got its name and noting the presence of two interesting places of worship. The original St James's Chapel (now known as the Old Church) can be found along Mill Lane while its Victorian replacement is very imposing.

- Stratford Youth Hostel -

Having missed out on our intended Ferry tipple, we're open to wildcard refreshment options. Cue Stratford-upon-Avon Youth Hostel, based within the Georgian splendour of the Grade II listed Hemmingford House which has been under Youth Hostel Association ownership since 1947. Their licensed bar means we won't leave Alveston empty-handed drinkswise after all, hence a lovely half of Appleshed Premium Cider can be sipped whilst we explore the lawns and a Pod Village enclave of hobbit-like chalets. Although unexpected, our visit is allowing Nick to wallow in a bit of personal nostalgia after he once stayed here in the mid-1970s not long after completing his A Levels. No communal singing in the trees today mind!

- The Stags Head -

The route 15 bus timetable is creaking a little in terms of punctuality but we are able to catch our next ride back into Wellesbourne, hopping off at Chestnut Square where a Festive Forage favourite awaits. The Stags Head may have made an excellent impression in December 2015 but looks even more enchanting in the summer sunshine, its thatched roof chocolate box look having stood the test of time. It's perhaps not quite as rustic inside (even if the outhouse loos are an experience) but nevertheless a very agreeable setting for a Westons Rosie's Pig cider and a chat about which Olympic sports might suit us. Something tells me Nick wouldn't make a good wrestler but I could imagine him fencing, or maybe even hurling a javelin?

- Wellesbourne Quaintness -

Tapping into His Majesty's local knowledge, we take a sedate stroll along Church Walk which reveals more of Wellesbourne's cottagey charms. Chedham's Yard sounds most intriguing as a restored blacksmiths workshop; being as it mainly opens on Saturdays we have to content ourselves with peering through the gate. A meadow path leads us over the River Dene and on through the churchyard of St Peter's, the tower of which enjoys some dappled leafy shade. By and by we reach the back door of the Kings Head, our second Wellesbourne hostelry, which duly supplies handy halves of Aspalls Cider to be consumed within green throne armchairs. This pub has much more of a restaurant focus than the Stags Head but is pleasant enough to keep us out of mischief for the best part of an hour. 

- A rather large lampshade -

Flagging down another number 15 bus, we backtrack to Chase Meadow which has - along with the adjacent Tournament Fields Business Park - largely sprung up over the last twenty to thirty years. The estate centres around a landscaped pool and has numerous amenities such as a community centre, Tesco Extra shopping parade and two possible pub pickings. We've time to do them both, starting with the Unicorn which falls under the auspices of Marston's 'Generous George' concept with a firm emphasis on family dining. A half of Wainwright Gold each ensures we stay lubricated although Nick nearly gets entangled in a huge lampshade.

- Approaching the home straight -

Our other Chase Meadow calling point is the Ale Hub, occupying one of the aforementioned shopping units very close to the Unicorn. I've done a number of these identikit micropubs now (Dickens Heath, Mere Green, Kingswinford, Perton) and always find them very agreeable with a commitment to quality cask ales. Wadworth Amarillo Gold is certainly up to spec here with gins, cocktails and cider also available if you're that way inclined. This particular Ale Hub even hosts a Thursday evening Running Club whereby regular participants can earn themselves a t-shirt, although its far too warm for anything so energetic from us. Instead we'll flank the Gog Brook and enjoy fine vistas across Warwick Racecourse, homing in on the grandstand. 

- 'Putting' a pint away at Warwick Golf Centre -

If you had told me when we started out this morning that I'd be quaffing beverages in both a youth hostel and a golf club I wouldn't have believed you, but that cunning Nick has a further surprise up his sleeve. Warwick Golf Centre is effectively situated inside the expanses of the racecourse, comprising nine holes and a driving range squeezed onto the field inside the rails. The clubhouse bar is open to the public so we stop by for a steady slurp of Theakston's keg bitter, noting a liking for lilac-toned furniture. With His Highness happy to have satisfied that regal curiosity, we finish off at the refurbished Railway over Timothy Taylor's Golden Best when watching the conclusion to the Olympic heptathlon competition. Buoyed by Katarina Johnson-Thompson's silver success, we head up to the platform and catch our trains home safe in the knowledge that Warwickshire has joined my 2024 exploration party. Cheers!