April 29th – To my surprise, I noted on my way home that local real ale Mecca the Four Crosses in Shelfield had closed, and was boarded up. With a planning application granted in 2012 to build a nursing home attached to it, despite the best efforts of the community, I guess it was always living on borrowed time.
With the Spring Cottage and Four Seasons gone, I don’t think there are any pubs now left in Shelfield, are there? A great sadness.
February 14th – Down in Stonnall, it was a wet and murky night, and the lights of the two pubs in the village shone out like homely beacons as I rode past. The Royal Oak is quite different in character and clientele to the Old Swan which is I guess the reason the two survive, although both have felt the cold wind of commercial pressure in recent years.
Tonight, glancing in as I freewheeled past, both seemed reasonably full, which can only be good news. Decent pubs make for good communities.
January 9th – A long day at work, and a blustery commute there and back – but at least it blew me home. Had to nip down to Stonnall on the way back, and noted that the Old Swan Pub seemed busy. A pub that’s changed hands a few times, I think in this day and age it must be hard work to make it pay.
It looks well loved and cared for at the moment, and it looked to be humming inside.
It also looks brilliant at night.
December 23rd – Shooting down the A5 after a lousy, stormy day, it was oddly settled, clear and warm. I enjoyed the speed and warmth, and reflected on how the weather had changed so markedly in less than an hour.
Passing the Chase Inn in Newtown, I noted it’s up for sale again, which is a shame; it’s a good house and deserves stable, committed ownership. I’ve had a few good beers in there over the years – hope it finds a new owner soon.
November 8th – Nipping down into Stonnall on my way home, I noted The Old Swan was in darkness. I know it had been up for let for a while, and do hope this apparent closure isn’t terminal – after all, housebuilding land in Stonnall is at a premium, and the pub stands on what would be a large site.
It’s always been a fairly popular, community pub, one of two in the village. But for those, it’s a long walk for a beer anywhere else – either Mill Green, Lazy Hill, Shenstone or Shire Oak; none short walks.
I hope The Old Swan finds a new lease of life, I really do.
February 18th – In Lower Forster Street, Walsall, there’s a quiet revolution firing up. The Backyard Brewhouse – one of two microbreweries in Brownhills – has bought this closed pub, The Fountain, and reopened it again. By all accounts, it’s a fine house.
It’s an interesting, old-style back-street boozer, sadly surrounded by the remnants of the Jabez-Cliff building, but none the less lovely for that. There are few enough real ale houses left these days, so it’s a real pleasure to see a new one – especially when it’s selling good, local, Brownhills-brewed ale.
I wish the folks behind TheBackyard Brewhouse the best of luck in their venture.
December 9th – Brownhills still has some good pubs, even if they are somewhat thinner on the ground than they used to be. At the one end of the scale, there’s the large, family chain pub as exemplified by the Hussey Arms, Smithy’s Forge and Crown. At the other end, there are still a few traditional back-street boozers, like The Prince of Wales. On a dark, cold Sunday night in december, they all look very bright and welcoming…
October 17th – The Boatman’s Rest pub, in Walsall Wood High Street is an old building, and has been a pub for many years. Originally called The Red Lion, it changed it’s name in the 90s for reasons unspecified. The last remaining old building on the north side of the High Street (other than the church), we’re lucky it survived. It’s not been without controversy, however, and several attempts by the pub to expand onto the nearby land have been stymied by the local authority and objections by nearby residents, who tried (and failed) to get the adjacent grass verge designated officially a ‘Village Green’. I think that’s rather sad, really. Successful pubs are few and far between these days…
September 13th – On my way home tonight, I popped to Asda in Walsall for a change. On my way out, I noticed that the old Highgate Brewery Stores, on the corner of George Street was still derelict. I find this very sad; it must have been vacant for at least 4 years now. In my youth, I used to attend gigs here and had some great nights; back then, it was called the ‘Punch and Judy’. It’s a crying shame, because with the right ownership, I think it could be special again.
August 19th – It’s too late now, it’s gone. The Pear Tree Inn, on the corner of Pear Tree Lane, Albutts Road and Hednesford Road in Brownhills West will be fondly remembered by many, me included. At various times in its life this pub was a fine house; I drank here several Christmas lunchtimes and often took a walk up from town to get a decent pint. Derelict for 4 or 5 years now, the owners sought permission to demolish, citing the building as being beyond repair. An application to build a store here has been refused, but rumours abound of a new express-style store opening.
It’s sad the pub could not live on. Another part of my past gone under the bulldozer’s tracks.
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