Visited 17th October 2012.
The Rising Sun was a good deal bigger inside than it appeared from the outside and was also fairly empty so I had no problem getting a table. I did have a bit of a problem getting served though as it seemed to take quite a long time before I was noticed... and I'm not small! I ordered a hot chocolate and sausage and mash. When it eventually arrived I was a bit surprised to only get two sausages but it seemed it was due to the new menu which had only just been introduced. Only two as they were bigger and more flavoursome, at least that's what I was told. Sadly my sausages were a bit overdone so I was unable to appreciate the new flavour (and I still would have liked three). By the time I left the pub it was raining more heavily and I was quite wet by the time I reached the car. The rain continued to get heavier and heavier and I was pleased to get home without any mishaps. So all in all, although I managed to visit quite a few pubs I missed out on my night away. Maybe next time...
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Visited 17th October 2012.
I left Stourbridge and a little way out of town I pulled over in to a lay-by and fired up Google on the phone. How hard could it be to find somewhere cheap to stay the night? After downloading a couple of Apps, and calling several numbers it turned out that it was quite hard. I increased the amount I was willing to spend and tried again. I had set myself a hard limit of £40 as at that point I felt I might as well drive home. Another couple of calls and still no luck - so much for all these offers I was finding of cheap rooms for the night! As soon as I tried to book, the offers seemed to disappear and the B&Bs and hotels would try to charge full price which always seemed be at least £70. A new plan was made, I would visit two more pubs and then head for home, good ol' "Plan B". A bit more driving and I was in Redditch which according to my pub list had two 'spoons, "two birds with one stone". I parked up and headed in to 'The Royal Enfield', a converted cinema. I ordered a regular Pepsi and sat and took a look round. The pub was large and not very busy but it had a couple of nice features including a Royal Enfield in the corner. I had a brief, but friendly chat with the barman to get some directions to the next pub followed by a not so brief but still friendly chat with a native about motorcycles. The next pub was within easy walking distance so off I set. There were a couple of drops of rain in the air so it was quite a brisk walk but I made it relatively dry and ready for something eat.
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Visited 17th October 2012.
I still had a little time where my car was parked outside 'The Edward Rutland' before the space turned in to a taxi rank, so I walked up the road to 'The Chequers Inn'. It was busier than the previous pub and myself and several other people were kept waiting for a long time before we were served by the severely overworked barmaid. She did apologise for the long wait while she was pouring my small Pepsi. This was a nice looking pub, both inside and outside but as I had only a limited parking time and it had taken so long to get served in the two pubs it was all a bit of a rush and I had to leave a bit sharpish. As it was I made it back to the car slightly over time but appeared to have not incurred the wrath of any cabs drivers wanting to complain about my tardiness, mainly, I expect, due to fact that there were no cabs waiting for customers (or indeed any customers waiting for cabs). So, one day and eight more pubs to tick off my list, now it was time to find somewhere to stay for the night!
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Visited 17th October 2012.
By the time I got back to the car I was cold and windswept and ready for another coffee. A quick scan of my pub list and I'm off and heading to Stourbridge where the last two pub of the day were awaiting me. I made it to Stourbridge uneventfully and managed to find a parking space almost directly outside the 'The Edward Rutland' having already driven past my final pub of the day a few hundred yards up the road. It was quiet inside, definitely the least busy pub of the day. While I was waiting at the bar I had a look around the room and saw several tables still with dirty plates and glasses on them. Several minutes standing at the bar and I was still waiting to be served. I was listening to the manager who was on the phone telling someone how busy they were and how understaffed they were... Eventually I was served a large latte. The pub did hold one surprise for me though. I had sat drinking my coffee in a fairly traditional setting but when I walked through to the back of the pub I had to go down a short corridor and emerged in to a much more modern looking room complete with disco lights and another bar, although there was still nobody in there. Not a bad pub but a shame about the lack of service.
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Visited 17th October 2012.
'The Waterfront Inn' is, according to the Wetherspoon website about a third of a mile away from 'The Abraham Darby' but walking there it felt a lot further. Somehow it seemed to be all uphill and there was rather a brisk wind blowing. By the time I got to it I was cold, sweating, windswept and most deffinately ready for a drink. It seemed busy, although this could have just been because of the apparent smallness inside. I ordered an Apple and Mango J2O and sat drinking it while I recovered from my walk while comtemplating the walk back to the car. Two more pubs on my list to visit today and then I need to look for somewhere to stay for the night.
What can go wrong?
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Visited 17th October 2012.
In complete contrast to the previous pub I am now in 'The Abraham Darby'. It is on the edge of a shopping centre and I have just spent a considerable amount of time wandering around the lanes looking for it. For some reason there didn't seem to be any maps or signage for where the various shop were and I eventually had to resort to asking people. Nobody seemed to know until I asked a security guard who didn't know but did ask a cleaner who from somewhere on his cart produced a map which he kindly gave to me. Map in hand I then walked almost the entire length of the centre (again) to the pub. I treated myself to a large Pepsi, after all the walking I felt that I had earned it. Another moan here, if a pint of beer was pulled and there was 3/4 of an inch gap between the top of the beer and the top of the glass there would be a huge fuss created (as there was when Wetherspoons tried to introduce oversize glasses). So why do so many bar staff think it is OK to do the same with Pepsi?
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Visited 17th October 2012.
In contrast to the previous pub, 'The Moon Under Water' is more traditionally styled. It's long and narrow, darkly paneled and with a booths along the left hand side. As my regular reader will know this is very much in the style I like. It was not busy and and I had a pleasant chat with the very nice bar lady that served me my Pepsi.
I finish my drink and once again I'm quickly on my way.
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Visited 17th October 2012.
I had a plan, at least for the first eight pubs that I intended to visit today and the main part of that plan was that all the pubs would be reasonably close together. Obviously this was to save time and allow me to cover more pubs so I was kicking myself at spending far to long finding 'The Britannia'. I parked and turned left from the car park, walking in the general direction of the town and then proceeded to wander in circles looking for the pub. I finally hit upon the idea (following one of those 'Doh' moments) of looking for increasing door numbers to find the pub, being fairly sure I was in the correct road. I ended up walking only a few hundred yards past the car park I was using to find the pub bathed in glorious sunshine just waiting for me to enter. I did and on this occaision really felt that I had earned the large latte that I settled down with. The pub was fairly busy but had a nice relaxed atmosphere, helped I'm sure by the cool, greenish interior and the friendly barstaff. I didn't tarry as I knew I had a busy day still ahead of me so as soon as I had finished my coffee I was on my way back to the car and on to the next pub.
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Visited 17th October 2012.
After a few miles on the road I arrive in Halesowen where I start looking for 'The William Shenstone'. I end up driving past it and then have to find somewhere to park as all the (very) short stay places outside are taken, so I end up parking at Adsa's which is only a short walk away. This 'spoons is in a more traditional style and was pretty busy but I didn't have to wait to long to be served my Apple and Raspberry J20. The toilets were much nicer and after taking care of business it was back to the Asda car park and back on the road. Busy, busy, busy.
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Visited 17th October 2012.
Following my week away I have another week to go before I have to go back to work so I've decided to spend a day visiting a few 'spoons. Birmingham here I come!
The plan is to try and visit eight pubs on the first day, find a cheap hotel or B&B to stay over and then follow up with another six pubs on the second day. Everything starts well and I find myself at the first pub on my list in time for breakfast. From the outside 'The Black Horse' looks impressive and it is just as nice inside although I did trip over the step on the way in while looking at the sign that says to mind the step. I ordered the large breakfast and a large latte which arrived promptly and with the eggs cooked just the way I like them. The place even has its own car park where you can stay for up to three hours. The only downside were the toilets, they were in a bit of a state to the point where I was reluctant to use them. I tripped over the step again on the way out although I was a little preoccupied thinking about how far it was to the next pub on my list and would I be able to use the toilet when I got there.
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Visited 4th October 2012.
On the way to the boarding gate we have to pass a Wetherspoon Express. Not much to report on this one other than it was expensive. I stopped and asked for a glass of Pepsi (as I'm playing the game to my rules and my rules say that I have to buy something at each 'spoons visited or it doesn't count) but surprise, they did not sell Pepsi by the glass and I was forced to buy a bottle. I imagine they don't sell many as it was way more expensive than the same bottle of Pepsi on sale in the shop across the aisle!
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Visited 4th October 2012.
Something a little different today. I'm off on my hols with the family. The photo is of myself and Ms S. junior. The Red Lion is at Gatwick airport airside and was very busy. Which given the prices I was totally surprised at. Over £9 for a burger that did not include a beer. Between us we had three chicken burgers, three Pepsi', one cheese and ham panini and a pint of Abbot ale. The bill was well over £40 making this easily the most expensive 'spoons I've visited so far. The staff were friendly, chatty (as much as time would allow) and obviously hard working but I did leave feeling a lot lighter in the wallet!
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