Hub Marketing 2022: Contemplating Cannock

A quirk of the beer festival calendar this year means that a number of ale-related events near the West Midlands have taken place within days of each other. Last week Nick and I attended Bridgnorth which overlapped with the equivalent happenings in Shrewsbury and Tamworth, and now there's the Cannock Chase counterpart to consider...

- All Aboard The 70 -

Mr D9 will be my accomplice this week so we decide to make a proper Hub Marketing day of it, starting with the Chaserider number 70 route from Wolverhampton. The bus arrives late but this actually works in our favour because the cheaper Duo group ticket is available after 9am, and the Chairman soon revs up his engines to make up for lost time. Fallings Park, Westcroft and Featherstone are all encountered before Cheslyn Hay ensures a full loading through into Cannock town centre. We alight at Longford so as to explore a little of Avon Road, playing our silly song selections in the process - these involve Lenny Henry performing a David Bellamy rap while 'Up Je T'aime' sees a snoring Frankie Howerd trying to fend off June Whitfield's amorous advances!

- Breakfast beckons for the Bald Spot -

Hub Marketing members are known to be partial to the occasional greasy spoon breakfast and boy do we have a treat in store this morning. The Truckers Rest is a classic transport cafe situated on the A5 trunk road near Four Crosses - it opens 24 hours a day and has the kind of churned-up car park that tells you it attracts considerable HGV patronage. Knowing we have an epic ale afternoon to come, we line our stomachs with a large Full English that includes fried bread, black pudding, mushrooms and probably the kitchen sink as well. The steady stream of lorry drivers gravitating here speaks for itself and the kitchen staff are kept busy barking out order numbers with metronomic regularity. 

- Hatherton Canal at Catsbridge Lane -

Eager for a little bit of exercise to offset that calorific indulgence, we have a nose around Hatherton by getting pictures of the Parish Rooms and the Four Crosses Inn - sadly the latter looks semi-abandoned and probably hasn't traded for several years. Catsbridge Lane acts as our link into Wedges Mills and makes for a pleasant walk, passing over part of the former Hatherton Canal branch which forms an important wildlife habitat as it increasingly reverts back to nature. The waterway used to link Calf Heath with Churchbridge Locks but only the western half of its old course is still traceable. 

- Wedges Mills Village Hall -

Wedges Mills is a small community based around the A4601 Wolverhampton Road just over a mile south-west of Cannock town centre. Mr D9 has vivid memories of visiting the area back in the late 80s/early 90s when the local boozer was called the Winking Frog, although he won't fully admit to what kind of illicit liaisons he may or may not have got up to there. These days the pub is called the Chase Gate and is part of the Hungry Horse chain, hence the risk of any romantic entanglements is relatively low. We spot the village hall and the Saredon Brook before gradually strolling back along Avon Road via busy Longford Island. 

- The Chairman Goes All Imperial -

This year's edition of the Cannock Beer Festival is actually the first to be held since 2019 and the Prince of Wales Theatre is resuming hosting duties after the Covid-enforced hiatus. Armed with our £10 token cards, we get straight into beer business care of Froth Blowers 'Cloudburst Porter' and Bristol Beer Factory's 'Around the World' respectively, solid starters both. As usual, Secretary WME seeks out his favoured darker ales (Ashover 'Coffin Lane Stout' among them) while Mr D9 earmarks the strongest stuff on the menu - East London Brewing's 'Imperial Stout' is a must for him in that case, a mere 9.5%-er which prompts a "that's powerful" exclamation. 

- A Very Pink Prize -

Sitting by the main stage next to a large speaker unit, we enjoy 1950s tunes from the likes of Fats Domino, Nat King Cole and Rosemary Clooney as the room exudes a very relaxed vibe. More ales are accounted for, the Secretary's favourite being 'Spingo Special' all the way from Cornwall - this would later be voted Beer of the Festival so it isn't just Mr WME who's partial to that one. The Chairman meanwhile has spotted a 10% brew in the programme and promptly furnishes himself with Wimbledon's 'XXXK Vintage Ale', a drop of liquid velvet apparently. We must try our collective luck on the tombola and come up trumps by winning a rugby shirt each, albeit mine is an XL-sized shocking pink specimen - strangely the volunteers don't seem to think Mr D9 will have any problems fitting inside his burgundy-toned example. 

- Five Ways Inn, Heath Hayes -

Tokens pretty much spent save for a charitable donation, we proceed into our intended post-festival agenda by catching the number 60 bus to Heath Hayes, a village that grew out of the mining industry. Amenities on Hednesford Road include a post office, the Bourne Methodist Church and a local library plus there are two pubs vying for our attention. The Talbot proves very lively with an elderly pet pooch waddling about; one quick Carling later and we relocate to the Five Ways which is arguably the area's defining landmark, overlooking the roundabout where - surprise surprise - five roads converge. The M&B Mild here can't live up to the stellar stuff we'd drank at the festival but the pub does make a good impression, friendly and busy just the way community boozers should be. 

- Norton Canes Memorial -

Having tackled Heath Hayes it makes sense for us to carry on the mile or so along the B4154 into neighbouring Norton Canes, itself a place with a proud colliery heritage (and very handy for Chasewater Country Park). Passing the Millennium Garden with its memorial tablet, we nip into the Yew Tree on Jerome Road to partake of a refreshing Theakston's Lightfoot. This pub has a 1960s/1970s look about it whereas the Railway Tavern on Norton Green Lane feels older. A couple of legs of darts result in an honourable draw as we bring quaffing matters to a close, and a lengthy stroll via Norton Hall Lane and Blakeney Way ultimately gets us onto a Walsall-bound X51 by way of our bus ride home. The festival had been huge fun and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing more Cannock Chase localities too - cheers!

Bridgnorth Beer Festival 2022

It's fair to say that it has been an absolutely monumental week in the public life of the nation, for not only have we witnessed a change of Prime Minster but we've also sadly lost Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II after a remarkable 70 years of unstinting duty. It is against this backdrop of national mourning that Nick and I attend the Bridgnorth Beer Festival, the first time in eleven years that I'd sampled the town's real ale showcase...

- A Welcoming Sight -

I've visited Bridgnorth many times over the intervening years but not since 2011 had I been there on beer festival business, so Friday 9th September looks set to be quite an occasion. Nick joins me at Wolverhampton Bus Station ready to catch the 9 at 10:45, and after a steady journey via Compton, Wightwick and Worfield we alight near the Severn Valley Railway eager for our opening ales. The station has reclaimed its customary role as the festival's host venue and we're excited to see a large white marquee awaiting us as we stroll up the main driveway. Admission is free and we hand over £10 each for the requisite tokens, glass and programme.

- Duck Dastardly -

We'll consult the full listings in more detail shortly but for our first choices we take pot luck on whichever names happen to tickle our fancy. The Wacky Races fan in me means I've got to try 'Duck Dastardly', Green Duck Brewery's dandelion and burdock flavoured stout - I might not be sniggering like Muttley but it definitely brings a smile to my face! Nick meanwhile is drawn to North Cotswold's 'Millennium Monarch', a selection which seems highly appropriate for the circumstances. Little does he realise that he's gone straight in for the strongest beer on the entire lineup, just a mere 10%'s worth of brooding Belgian brownness. Needless to say he takes one sip and decides to proceed with the necessary caution. 

- The All-Important Beer Tent -

Even though it's still early on the Friday lunchtime, the event is proving very popular with many of the tables already claimed. We grab a perch under a Hobson's jumbrella and make that our base for the next couple of hours, gradually working our way through the programme and predominantly targeting the darker brews. 'Raspberry Ram Stout' from Kinver proves a particular favourite - there's no disguising the full fruit flavour in that one - while Beat's 'Metal Head Stout' rates similarly highly with its suggestions of vanilla, chocolate and blackcurrant. Admittedly I do break ranks at one point by picking a golden ale, in this case 'Birt's Bitter', brewed at the All Nations in Madeley as a tribute to their much-missed late landlord.

- 34027 Elizabeth II in Jubilee Purple -

While the beer takes star billing in our eyes, the wider station setting is an ideal location and we can't resist poking our heads onto the platforms to see what's happening. GWR locomotive 4930 Hagley Hall is attracting much attention having been returned to steam for the first time in 30 years, a major preservation achievement. We also note the unmistakable presence of Engine No. 34027 Taw Valley which was renamed Elizabeth II and painted in a very fetching shade of regal purple for the Diamond Jubilee - alas the Queen's recent passing means we should treasure those summertime celebrations all the more now.

- Bell & Talbot Artwork -

As Nick drains every last drop of 'Jaipur' from his glass, we bid the festival goodbye and see what the rest of Bridgnorth has to offer ale-wise. A short uphill walk to Salop Street brings us happily to the Bell & Talbot, a lovely old free house that's about as traditional as they come. A courtyard mural and bulging barrel beams are part of the appeal as we settle in the small front bar to imbibe of faultless Ludlow Gold. Shropshire is a county blessed with a sleepy character where the pace of life seems to slow right down, and here in the Bell & Talbot you could easily lose yourself in timeless conversations and good-natured banter. 

- Our Royal in The Royle -

We need to make sure we catch the 16:50 bus home so we've an hour with which to avoid the sudden sharp downpours and collect a couple more halves. To that end, we scamper to the Bear, a Northgate hostelry just through the arch from the town museum. As a Craft Union establishment this proves (relatively) cheap and cheerful with good quality Timothy Taylor's Landlord that passes our taste test. Our ultimate destination then simply has to be the Royle (formerly Bailey's Bistro), if only so that Nick can parade his Charles-like facial features. Wye Valley HPA meets Ludlow Stairway for our closing tipples, and it has been a most successful afternoon. Cheers, and God Save The King!

Meanwhile over in Walsall...

You'll be pleased to know I've just about exhausted my Shakespearean inspirations for the time being and things will get back on a more even keel as I return to the West Midlands beat. Of the four boroughs that make up my beloved Black Country, Walsall doesn't tend to register as many WME trips as the others do, thus giving me ample justification for this September session...

- Hayward the Hippo -

It's Saturday 3rd September 2022 as I anticipate catching the 529 at Wolverhampton Bus Station, my wait being punctuated by pictures of Hayward the Hippo as part of the 'Wild in Wolves' trail that has been running during the school holidays. Ten wildlife-related sculptures have been dotted around the city centre, including Garrick the Gorilla at Queen Square and Zak Zebra in St Peter's Gardens. Hayward is a fragile beast so kiddies are advised not to clamber all over him when posing for the required selfies. The bus journey passes without incident and gives me an indication of progress with the M6 Junction 10 remodelling works - I'm sure local motorists will be delighted once this particular project is finally completed!

- Chamberlin & Hill Castings Ltd -

Upon arrival in Walsall, my first challenge is to collect pictures around The Chuckery. Holtshill Lane sets the ball rolling with the optimistically-named 'Happiness House' which acts as the base for Swinnertons Balloon and Party Emporium. One could probably have all manner of fun in there but I'll stick to the photography, noting the Spring Cottage (with hints of Butlers Brewery heritage), Chuckery Primary School and Chamberlin & Hill's Castings foundry - the latter is a well-known Walsall firm having been operating since 1890. St Luke's Church is a community place of worship tucked away on Selbourne Street while the Walsall Arms sits in the shadow of the Walsall Box Company and the Paddock Estate flats. 

- The Black Country Arms -

I'm inching ever closer to pub o'clock but before any pints I need a handful of snaps near Caldmore, principally of St Michael's Church (now known as the Victory Centre, retaining a worship function after C of E congregation numbers dwindled) and the Old Foundry/Bath Street Works (apparently established in 1800). Photos gathered, I've earned myself a Black Country Arms visit to partake of Ernest George, Welbeck Abbey's deep ruby ale. This hostelry always has an extensive selection of fine beers and ciders, not to mention a well-stocked cob cabinet, so it has been a firm WME favourite for many years. This particular visit is also notable for watching Old Firm derby action and admiring some bountiful floral displays, backing up @BritainBeermat's theory that top notch hanging baskets = excellent pub. 

- Something tigerish in the Fountain -

The Black Country Arms can be a serious crawlwrecker so it takes considerable discipline to prise myself away in search of more beer elsewhere. Such a painful task is however made easier by the knowledge that my next intended target is the Fountain, Backyard Brewery's Walsall taphouse on Lower Forster Street. Hadfield's Bridleworks and The Tanyard offer reminders as to Walsall's historic saddlemaking trade before I get to grips with The Hoard, Backyard's 3.9% golden nectar which references a major archaeological discovery of Anglo Saxon artefacts in 2009. Quite what the resident tiger model makes of it all I don't know but I trust he approves of the Beowulf Chocolate Porter, a divine drop that gets a big thumbs up from me - absolutely lovely stuff that means at least one of us is purring. 

- The Pretty Bricks -

Again I could easily have stayed in the Fountain a lot longer but my innate sense of fairness means I simply must give the Pretty Bricks its chance in the spotlight. John Street isn't the most attractive of locations but the pub building does have a pleasing traditional frontage which gives rise to its colloquial name (the actual title being the New Inn). This is another establishment from the Black Country Ales stable and proves very approachable, sitting a becalmed front bar supping Beowulf's 'Wergild'. I'm led to believe that wergild is a heinous  Anglo Saxon crime that involved the killing of a brother or fellow tribe member although I'm very relieved to report that there was nothing remotely criminal about the beer quality!

- The Cleveland Arms -

My sojourn in Walsall ends as I avail myself of the return 529 but I do permit myself a pit stop on the way home. My choice is the Cleveland Arms on the corner of Willenhall Road and Stowheath Lane, narrowly edging out the Merry Boys which is directly opposite. Ordinarily whichever place had cask ale would get the nod but in this case the Cleveland's enviable reputation for sports had me intrigued - they regularly host pool and darts exhibitions plus various football and speedway nights involving personalities from yesteryear. A quickfire Carling allows me to establish that Wolves are actually winning for a change (1-0 against Southampton) and that knowledge buoys me on the final leg home. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - August 2022

Photostream, photostream, wherefore art thou photostream? Alas dear friends the Shakespearean references aren't merely limited to last week's Stratford spectacular for now I have photographic pageantry to tell you about. The cast is assembled, the stage directions are set and its time for a pictorial performance...

In common with recent shows, our opening act features WME Staffordshire which keeps the audience enthralled thanks to Stone soliloquies and Tamworth-based oratory. Indeed, Stone is particularly prominent with railway station renditions (lettering and a heritage plaque), pub portions (the Star and the Red Lion) plus a look at Lock 28 on the Trent and Mersey Canal. Tamworth meanwhile pronounces upon the inclusion of Sir Robert Peel's statue and the existence of the town's Arriva bus depot. 

WME Wolverhampton is never a gallery to be overshadowed and our long-time hero enters the fray with a tragicomic tour of Tettenhall. Here the local horticultural society and the former railway goods shed feature alongside more mundane musings about Cornwall Road, College Road and Northdale; not to be outdone, Tettenhall Wood tries to steal some of the limelight with a School Road snippet. The bus stops album then throws in a plot twist care of Three Tuns Lane before Merry Hill delivers a brief piece of Strathfield Walk discourse - hurrah!

Every good drama needs a villain and in this case we have three potential scoundrels, not that any of them have done anything especially reprehensible. WME Birmingham stakes its caddish claims with reference to Stockland Green's Gala Bingo, Sutton Coldfield Cottage Hospital and Trittiford Mill Park while WME Dudley is deceptively devilish with regard to Wallbrook (Fountain Lane) and Stourbridge (the Duke William). Even the normally sedate WME Sandwell releases its rapscallion tendencies upon Tipton, hence the Noah's Ark pub and Hurst Lane earn themselves a mischief-making airing. 

A setting that William Shakespeare himself might well have recognised is Warwick Castle which adds some background scenery to the WME Warwickshire cause. Nursemaids and guardsmen are among the extras vying for our attention, and there's even an armoured horse ready to stride into battle. Stratford-upon-Avon sneaks quietly into contention with signage for the Rose & Crown and the Stratford Sports Club, the latter photo being an archive extract rather than something plucked from last week's Chip Foundation procession. 

Two remaining galleries round off the acting credits, these being WME Walsall and WME Worcestershire. Walsall summons forth a town centre trio recalling an ex-college site and the Fitters Arms before Worcs wades in with Stourport-on-Severn (the Wharf, the Rising Sun and Staffs & Worcs Lock 3 to be exact). All of this jolly entertainment ends as the final curtain comes down and you'll have to wait until September for any encore. In the meantime I'll exit stage left, with or without a bear. Exeunt!