Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Category: UK

  • Birmingham – Ibis Birmingham New Street Station

    Birmingham – Ibis Birmingham New Street Station

    My stay tonight is at the Ibis Birmingham New Street station hotel, part of the Accor chain. It’s centrally located and as its name suggests, is near to New Street railway station.

    There’s a modern feel to the bar area and reception, so first impressions were positive. The staff member at reception was friendly, engaging and helpful, with everything feeling like it was well run. I got my drinks voucher without needing to ask and the hotel said they weren’t going to collect the 98p that was owing (I paid for nearly all of this stay with Accor rewards points), although I suspect it might appear on my card statement as these things tend to be automated. Either way, all nicely done and I like the personable check-in process. The staff member also mentioned that she was looking forwards to seeing me again next week, I hadn’t realised their system showed future linked bookings. I had forgotten I had booked here next week for three nights, but she was quite right.

    The bar area is comfortable, not very busy at the moment and fits in with the attempts to modernise the Ibis brand. Nice.

    There were a few beer options, none of them decadent, but the Camden Pale Ale is perfectly acceptable to me as a welcome drink. It doesn’t take much effort to offer something like this, rather than just shove a few Bud and Corona in the fridge and claim that’s a beer offering. Another engaging member of staff at the bar, there’s a welcoming feel and atmosphere to this entire hotel. In an ideal world the bar could probably ramp up its drinks offerings to be a bit more creative, but there are no problems currently with the choice.

    The room is clearly a few years old and it’s slightly smaller than Ibis rooms usually are. However, it’s a central location and it has a desk, so I’m happy. There’s an air conditioning unit under the window which seems to be disconnected (although reviews suggest they are still going in some rooms), but the window opens and there’s a fan, so that’s fine with me. This attempt to sterilise rooms by sealing them up annoys me when hotels do it, it’s nice here to actually have a window open and to hear the world outside. There are no small number of reviews complaining about the noise from the street, but I quite like that and I’m not sure what a city centre hotel is realistically meant to do about city noise. I like that they’ve given me a top floor room as well, not too near the lift.

    I’m not tempted by the breakfast which is £10, requires pre-booking and seems to allow a limited amount of each items, so no more than two sausages and two rashers of bacon I think it mentioned. Customers also had to choose which hot drink they wanted, but Ibis usually offer endless amounts of any particular item. It’s much cheaper to just go around the corner to JD Wetherspoon or a local cafe, but I imagine that these Covid limitations will be swept away soon enough.

    Anyway, I’m very pleased with my £35 per night stay, especially as it’s funded by Accor points from previous stays. The rooms probably need a refurbishment in the next few years, but they are currently clean and entirely functional, so there’s perhaps no huge urgency. Reviews are mixed, but I think most of the problem is the room pushing the scores down, the staff and location rate highly.

  • Bilston – Women’s Work by Rose Garrard

    Bilston – Women’s Work by Rose Garrard

    This is quite a noticeable and sizeable sculpture in the middle of Bilston’s main street and was designed by Rose Garrard, beng unveiled in May 1998. Garrard notes:

    “It is located close to the site of a ‘fold’, a cluster of small hovels where families lived and the women repetitively forged tiny items such as nails, chain links and pulleys, selling them to merchants to survive. These items have been fused into the clothing of this metamorphic figure, whose head is the small anvil and her forearms the tongs used for holding the hot metal. Her feet are flat irons, while the back of her skirt is composed of stacked cooking pots. Local women were later employed in nearby factories making cast iron cooking pots and flat irons as well as in large laundries where they put the irons to use. The figure is stooped over to support her burden of coal, the constant position of a ‘pit-bank wench’ paid to work bowed down all day to reclaim any usable lumps of coal from the slag heaps at the pit head.”

    I suspect that this is one of the earlier sculptures which was designed to remind people of the contribution made by women to industry and over twenty years on it still has something of an impact visually.

    The artist wasn’t paid for this installation even by the time of its unveiling by Clare Short, the then Secretary of State for International Development. It took Short’s involvement for Rose Garrard to finally get her money from the local council who commissioned it.

    It’s hard to imagine these levels of poverty today, but these are the “pit bank wenches”.

  • Wolverhampton – First Traffic Lights

    Wolverhampton – First Traffic Lights

    I must admit, with some shame, to finding this quite interesting, namely that Wolverhampton had the first set of automated traffic lights in the country. They were strung across on wire, similar to how many are installed in the United States, at Princes Square in November 1927. It was done as a little bit of a trial, but the situation was made permanent in October 1928 as it was viewed to be a success.

    The local newspaper reported the unveiling and explained:

    “A device for traffic control by means of a lantern, known as the colour daylight signal, was demonstrated in Wolverhampton on Saturday. It is the first of its kind in this country, though a similar arrangement is used extensively in America and on the continent. The big claim made for the device is that it will eventually eliminate the point duty policeman. The apparatus consists of an aluminium lantern containing three lights, on each of the four sides are three coloured glass panels. The top light is red and is marked “stop”, the second yellow and is marked “caution” and the third is green and marked “go”. The beam of light is visible at a distance of 600 yards”.

    The traffic lights remained in place until the 1960s when a modern system was introduced. This is that junction today, still with a traffic light set-up.

  • Wolverhampton – Hogshead

    Wolverhampton – Hogshead

    This is the Hogshead in Wolverhampton, a Good Beer Guide listed pub which is operated by Stonegate. I hadn’t realised incidentally just what a range of beers, craft and keg, that Hogshead offer, something I wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t for CAMRA.

    The building dates from the late nineteenth century and as can be seen in brickwork above the door, this used to be The Vine pub before it was rebranded.

    There was an interesting and bright pub interior which was across a few different levels and there was a pool table area as well. I wasn’t sure whether customers were meant to wait for table service or to order at the bar. I decided to order at the bar so I could see what was available and a staff member was there immediately to help, so all very efficient.

    The range of drinks, much better than I had anticipated and the prices were reasonable. I had expected a more generic range of lagers from this brand, so I was impressed at what they were offering, it’s not what I had associated with Hogshead.

    I went for half a pint of the Pump Up the Jam from Tiny Rebel and half a pint of Common Grounds from Magic Rock Brewing, both very good beers and well kept.

    The pub also offers a £10 ‘work from the pub’ offer which gives anyone a lunch, unlimited soft or hot drinks as well as access to wi-fi and power. It’s the first time though that I’ve seen an offer like this which is time constrained, in this case to 2.5 hours. That’s perhaps not ideal (although I accept isn’t ungenerous), as by the time someone has had lunch, there isn’t a huge amount of time left. Anyway, the concept is great and it’s something that’s becoming much more common and that can only be good for the pub industry at getting more people in. When I’ve experienced things such as Brewdog’s Desk Dog, there has been no time limit.

    There were plenty of staff visible and the environment was clean and comfortable. They had a lot of reserved seating, I think because of a quiz being held later on in the evening, which meant that there wasn’t much choice of seating available for walk-ins. There’s a comprehensive food menu and there are a few meal deals and the like on there, so it seemed reasonable value for money. I think they also show sports and the like as well when they’re on and the reviews the pub gets are mostly favourable. I can imagine that this pub gets busier with a younger crowd at weekends, probably quite a lively environment.

    I’m very pleased that this pub was listed in the Good Beer Guide given that it has changed my perception of the brand, although this one might not be typical. Friendly service, excellent range of drinks and a comfortable environment. All very lovely.

  • Wolverhampton – The Posada

    Wolverhampton – The Posada

    I had a little time in Wolverhampton before getting the tram back, so I decided to pop into the Good Beer Guide listed Posada. There was particular note about the heritage of the pub’s interior as well, which always adds to a visit.

    I struggled a little bit to see what beers were available as this is a pub that locals perch themselves at the bar and block the view. Given that the pub was otherwise nearly empty, this wasn’t ideal and I know that some people get intimidated by a set-up like this. Anyway, the service was polite at the bar and the environment was welcoming after getting over that first step. I have to say though that I didn’t get the community feel that I usually get in pubs, but I’m sure that everything was fine. I suspect that the pub also offered more drinks than I could see though, but it seems to have a choice of generic beers and two real ales.

    The quirky rear room and there’s more about the history of this pub at https://pubheritage.camra.org.uk/pubs/10111. It doesn’t take much imagination to picture this pub in the late nineteenth century and I’d say it’s worth coming in just to experience the interior. I think that there’s a beer garden out the back of the pub as well, but I didn’t venture that far.

    I liked this little alcove, so I went in here and it seems that this was once part of the corridor to the rear room. The pub certainly didn’t disappoint with its heritage and it was clean and tidy throughout. Every table had a number and a phone number on it, although I’m not sure what customers are supposed to do with that if they want table service. They can perhaps WhatsApp an order or maybe text an order, but I don’t know which.

    The prices were low, although I only ordered half a pint of HPA from Wye Valley Brewery and a packet of crisps, so I’m not sure that I contributed much to the pub’s profits. The beer was better than I had expected, well-kept and had a nice citrus edge to it. Definitely a decent entry to the Good Beer Guide and a pub interior of some considerable note.

  • West Midlands Metro : Birmingham to Wolverhampton

    West Midlands Metro : Birmingham to Wolverhampton

    I rather like light rail and tram solutions to public transport difficulties and thought that I’d spend the day going on the West Midlands Metro line which goes from Birmingham to Wolverhampton. An off-peak day pass cost £4.80 and it was easy enough to buy it on-line using the Metro’s app. There’s only the one line at the moment, but construction has started on additional lines given the popularity of the service.

    The timetable at a stop in Birmingham, although the trams seemed to run to an erratic schedule throughout the day. Sometimes there were fifteen minutes between them, sometimes three minutes, although the boards at stations were clear and accurate. It takes 45 minutes to get from Birmingham to Wolverhampton, although I got on and off the service numerous times on my journey to explore the highlights of the urban settlements between the two cities.

    Quite a sleek looking operation and there are 21 of these trams shuttling up and down the network

    The tram’s interior. I was surprised to see that they’re using a conductor and driver on every service, which isn’t a set-up that I’ve seen often on tram or light rail. It’s possible to buy tickets on board using cash or card, but the set-up that I had to show my ticket several times over the day seemed a bit labour intensive compared to other systems. Having written that though, it makes the service feel safer to have staff always available and they were helpful and friendly. The tram stops along the route are though all unstaffed and have limited facilities at them.

    It’s very hot at the moment and there’s no air conditioning other than in the driver’s cab. I know this as a customer commented to the conductor about the heat and he said they rely on opening windows to keep passengers cool, although the driver has air conditioning in his cab. The customer amused me by saying “as long as the staff are comfortable” in a manner that didn’t seem too rude. I didn’t think that the temperature on board was too bad though and the trams were clean and tidy. There were free Metro newspapers for those who want them, which is a handy coincidence given the name. There’s not a huge amount of seating on board the tram, but there are numerous places to stand, and most passengers aren’t on the service for too long.

    As a transportation option, I thought that this was well used, easy to use and clearly popular, so I’m glad that it is being extended. I’m sure that there are many more similar projects that could be brought in across the country, especially if it allows for the re-opening of closed rail lines. There is sometimes talk, although unfortunately rarely serious, of a tram network in Norwich, which is something that I suspect would be very successful if the up-front cost could somehow be subsidised. Unfortunately, that up-front cost is huge and so I can’t imagine that it will ever happen.

    There’s more about the planned extensions at https://metroalliance.co.uk/.

  • Wednesbury – The Bellwether

    Wednesbury – The Bellwether

    Whilst meandering around the area, I noticed that this JD Wetherspoon outlet was listed in the Good Beer Guide, so I thought it sensible to pop in quickly. If I’m being honest the pub looked a complete dump when I entered it in terms of the cleanliness, although in all fairness, by the time I left the staff had cleaned it all so it looked much more presentable. The building has been used as a pub since the middle of the nineteenth century, when it was opened as the Bell Inn, but it closed in the late twentieth century before JD Wetherspoon renovated it.

    The real ale selection wasn’t hugely inspiring, there was only one to order really, the Backyard Blonde.

    And there it is, it’s from The Backyard Brewhouse in nearby Walsall, so credit to JD Wetherspoon for making an effort to purchase from local breweries. There was a slight citrus flavour, nothing exceptional, but still drinkable.

    I thought I’d get a quick snack whilst I was here, so here’s my standard southern fried chicken wrap option. The service was polite enough, nothing exactly to write home about, but nothing for me to comment negatively about either.

    And my go to drink when ordering the deli deal, this is the always reliable Brewdog Punk IPA.

    I didn’t experience any problems, although the reviews for the pub aren’t as high as they perhaps could be. Mostly about cleanliness, although I was impressed at how the staff had managed to let this be served…..

    As an aside, located opposite the pub is this former Gaumont cinema, built in 1938, which was meant to be being brought back into usage by the local independent chain Picturedrome Cinemas, but not much seems to have happened yet. Unfortunately, some irresponsible urban explorers have trashed the place over recent years and lots has been stolen, but apparently the renovation will still go ahead. An urban explorer report, which seems to have been from someone responsible, is at https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/the-odeon-cinema-aka-gaumount-wednesbury-march-2014.88794/. I think it’s a different cinema, but there’s an interesting article on Wikipedia about the Wednesbury Unreasonableness.

    Anyway, all rather perfectly acceptable, although for a Good Beer Guide listed pub, the beer choice was a little weak.

  • Birmingham – Tim Hortons

    Birmingham – Tim Hortons

    I’ve never been to a Tim Hortons outlet, or at least if I did when I was in Canada, then I’ve forgotten. And what I can’t remember doesn’t count, so I thought I’d experience this little piece of Canadian fast food. There are just shy of 5,000 locations around the world, with 25 or so of those in the UK, where the chain expanded to in 2017. They’re on an expansion plan to put a Tim Horton in every UK city, so there might be a fair few more of them soon.

    The chain is known for coffee and doughnuts, something similar to Dunkin Donuts, another chain from the American continent which has started to expand in the UK. There are self-service kiosks that customers can order from if they don’t want to order at the counter, which I decided to use as I didn’t know the menu options. The staff member compiling my order was friendly enough, making conversation whilst he was doing it, so no problems with the customer service.

    There’s plenty of seating upstairs and it was a little busier than I had expected. The photo shows the quiet bit of the upstairs as there was a group of older teens engaged in a prayer meeting, which I thought was something a little different. It was clean enough in the seating area and I liked that there were plenty of power points, as well as free wi-fi.

    I opted for the chicken strips, potato wedges and the mango & passionfruit cooler as a drink. Although it was after 21:00 when I visited, it was still too bloody hot in Birmingham, so that frozen drink was very delightful. The food was fine, although nothing overly exciting with the chicken strips not being that big and the potato wedges were slightly soggy. But it was still all pleasant enough, although at just over £7 it was a little more than some of their rivals.

    I might pop to another outlet at some point in the future to try the doughnuts and coffee, since that’s what the chain is better known for. Although this was something different, I’m not sure that it was sufficiently exciting for me to want to rush back. I was very pleased with the drink though, that was a refreshing and slightly decadent way to finish the meal off.

  • Birmingham – Craven Arms

    Birmingham – Craven Arms

    I am very reliant on the Good Beer Guide to find me decent pubs in areas that I don’t know and this was another excellent suggestion from the book (or app in my case) in central Birmingham. As is evident from the above signage, this was once a Holders pub and the building dates from the mid-nineteenth century. It’s now operated by Black Country Ales who have a small chain of pubs, most of which are located in the Midlands.

    There’s a mixture of old and new in terms of the decoration, with a traditional feel to the pub’s interior, but with a wide range of different beers on. You could never really design a new pub to look like this with that wallpaper and carpet combination, but I like it in this building.

    Service was friendly, engaging and warm, with the beers clearly visible on the front bar. There were also monitors in the pub which showed what beers were available and I noticed a couple of other options that I would have liked. It’s always good in my view to leave a pub thinking that there was more to try, it encourages me to want to go back.

    I went for two of the pub’s staple beers from Black Country Ales, the Pig on the Wall on the left and the Fireside Bitter on the right. Both were well-kept, at the appropriate temperature and had some flavours of note to them. I accidentally ordered some Mini Cheddars to go with them, which I felt complemented the taste of the beers perfectly.

    The pub gets very good reviews on-line and most are along the theme of this being a hidden gem that it’s worth the walk from the city centre to get to. I thought that this was a well-run pub which I had expected to be a little busier, but these are challenging times. The service was friendly, the pub was spotlessly clean, the environment was relaxing and there were plenty of beers to choose from. All rather lovely and I’m very definitely pleased that this is in the Good Beer Guide.

  • Birmingham – The Shakespeare

    Birmingham – The Shakespeare

    This Nicholson’s pub is located next to the Ibis Styles hotel that I’m staying in, so it seemed polite to pop in to see what it was like.

    There’s a selection of what I would consider to be quite generic beers, although the Mad Goose from Purity is something a little different. At least there’s a selection though, it’s be churlish not to acknowledge that.

    It’s a comfortable enough environment and it feels strange to order at the bar again. I could have ordered at the table and saved 25p by using the app, but that would have been a bit awkward given I was welcomed on arrival into the bar and asked what I would like. The service here was personable and friendly, so it was an inviting location to visit and my first impressions were positive. The pub serves food throughout the day and judging from the reviews, this is well delivered.

    I ordered the Mad Goose from Purity Brewing and it was, well, pretty tasteless. Slightly under-poured and lacking in any particular flavour, I couldn’t get the “zesty finish” that the brewery think this beer has.

    Anyway, this was a perfectly good pub for those who like Nicholson’s and it is well reviewed because of its friendly atmosphere. I also thought that the environment was clean and comfortable, with many of the customers clearly being regulars. For me, the beer range isn’t innovative enough to really make me want to visit again, there’s something unfortunately quite bland about the Nicholson’s offering in that regard. Incidentally, there is another pub with a similar name in Birmingham, with some customers merrily leaving reviews on-line for the wrong location….