As the country melts under a magnificent heat wave and the possibility of England actually reaching the last eight of a major football tournament I thought I would keep up the temperature by recalling some classic Midlands ‘Spoons.
I’m a big fan of Tim Martin’s boozers and I don’t think anywhere else in the country encapsulates modern life as well as his pubs.
More often than not they are last man standing in some suburbs and perform a vital role, none more so than in Yardley, a suburb of Birmingham where it was packed to the rafters of a Friday lunchtime when I visited The WIlliam Tyler B25 8UT
If this was a down to earth no nonsense boozer then The Shoulder Of Mutton LE65 1AF hits a slightly different market but is still hugely effective.
Don’t get me wrong this still has all sections of society eating and drinking but this has a more family feel in the early evening and then a real party feeling as the night progresses with Ashby De La Zouch being a definite party town.
Solihull is my home town but arguably stocked with some of the blandest pubs in Britain for its size, so the The White Swan B91 3SB has been a welcome addition to the town centre.
https://lifeafterfootball839.wordpress.com/2017/09/10/flutes-and-spoons-in-solihull
It’s always busy and has a lot of polite OAPs queuing, well it is Solihull after all, but is hugely needed in this town.
The Square Peg B4 6PH in central Birmingham has one of the longest bars in Britain and is set in the old Lewis’ (not John Lewis) department store.
https://lifeafterfootball839.wordpress.com/2018/01/12/classic-chain-pubs-in-brum
It’s in one the last few parts of Brum to be fully redeveloped and was wonderfully chaotic on the Saturday night I visited and absolutely rammed. A cracking atmosphere and well worth a visit to see the real Birmingham.
Finally, the best building is without doubt The Standing Order DE1 3GL which is an absolutely stunning piece of architecture that has been revived by Wetherspoons.
I like the fact that they restore wonderful buildings and are flexible to use all kinds of old shops where there’s a market. The beer is invariably excellent and well-priced.
The pub industry would be a poorer place without Wetherspoons – top stuff.
“where it was packed to the rafters of a Friday lunchtime”
Not bad for a lunchtime; and I love the guy giving you a thumbs up in the photo. 🙂
“then The Shoulder Of Mutton LE65 1AF hits a slightly different market”
Agreed. The Mutton looks like a cracking place. 🙂
“and was wonderfully chaotic on the Saturday night I visited”
It’s bloody heaving!
“The pub industry would be a poorer place without Wetherspoons – top stuff.”
From the looks of them in various blogs I would have to agree.
Cheers
PS – “As the country melts under a magnificent heat wave ”
You can send a little bit of that my way. It was 15C for a high here all weekend; though, to be fair, my mother has been suffering from 45C (with the humidity) during the same period where she lives (about 5 miles north of Toronto’s airport).
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45 degrees!!! Bloody hell ☀️☀️ yes I enjoyed the traditional Yardley welcome 😉
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“Magnificent heatwave”?
Well, that’s one word for it 😦
…melts… …hides in dark corner… …prays for rain…
Agree that the “all human life is there” aspect of Spoons is great, though.
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Spoons is great! I’m sure it can’t be that hot in Stockport! 😀
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Wonderful stuff. Folk who criticise Spoons as “not pubby” haven’t got a clue what a pub is. A week of micros without youth or female customers reminds you how vital Spoons are.
I’m with Mudgie on the weather. Is there a country where we can have 15 degrees all year round with showers at night ?
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You can’t get more pubby than a spoons unless it isn’t serving food…try Ireland pal 😀
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“Is there a country where we can have 15 degrees all year round with showers at night ?”
Didn’t that used to be England? 😉
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I want that country back.
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Isn’t the nearest to that the West Coast of Ireland (although the showers can come at any time)?
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Global warming pal!
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Spot on Mudgie – you are a font!
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It is England’s green and pleasant land Martin….
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“and is set in the old Lewis’ (not John Lewis) department store.”
I should hope not – the old blue rinse ladies in their tweed two piece suits would be horrified…
The photo of the Square Peg looks remarkably like a Central Line tube train in the rush hour…
I originally thought that Spoons went for mainly unusual buildings with architectural merit – but it seems there might be more which are just the opposite – very bland and functional buildings.
I reckon those upstairs windows in the White Swan are desperately in need of some sort of pictures or murals to brighten it up a bit…
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I think The WHite Swan – or the pub next to it – used to be an Early Years Schoolwear Shop so it’s had a big transormation! The Square Peg was absolutely rammed but is always good fun in that area of town…
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