Bank Holiday often means a busy day of sport and there have been some big events today.
England smashed Afghanistan in their final one-day World Cup warm up at The Oval whilst Mo Farah won the London Vitality 10,000 metres men’s race.
(a nice bit of greenery in Brum suburb)
British Number one Johanna Konta reached the second round of the French Open Tennis Grand Slam for the first time and Bronte Law won her first title on the LPGA Tour with a two-shot victory at the Pure Silk Championship in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Uzbekistan’s Olympic champion Ruslan Nurudinov has been found guilty of doping at London 2012 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport whilst Kieran Trippier was omitted from the England squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.
(classic ‘supermarket trolley in car park’ pic)
A group of disgruntled Bury fans turned up outside club owner Steve Dale’s home to protest as they face a winding-up petition from HMRC and Blackpool closed in on the signing of Solihull Moors striker Adi Yussuf.
Greg Kaziboni has left Evo-Stik South League side Banbury United and I think that’s it in terms of important football stories today…
Oh alright then, if only to appease Brum Beer Girl AKA Rachel, I understand Villa did beat Derby and therefore return to the Premier League in other news.
You could certainly tell there was a game on in Shirley town centre today as the streets seemed a little quieter than usual albeit just after midday.
It was one of those days whereby, if you run a boozer, it seemed like a good time to invest in Sky Sports.
Boozers such as The Red Lion or The Plume of Feathers would definitely have been showing the £170m pound game between Villa and Derby whilst The Saracen’s Head, also on the A34 and a big M&B sizzler, would had it on.
I reckon the boozers would have been split between Blues fans rooting for Derby and Villa fans wanting to return to the Premier League but Prince William, Tom Hanks and David Cameron would have probably popped into either of these pubs for a pint if they were in town (not necessarily true).
No such issues for 405 – Craft Inn Shirley B90 3AU which is on the main A34 (Stratford Road) through this suburb of Solihull/Brum.
It’s been on the scene since September last year and is the second boozer in this little chain after one opened in Sutton Coldfield previously.
The A34 could always do with shop units being used so this is a fillip and relies purely on the beer as opposed to football on the box (apparently there was a game on today) and I was the only punter at just after midday.
The barman clearly knew what I was after and stuck on a bit of UB40 and told me he’d only been there for a week and that there were a lot of beers on.
I thought I’d stay local and had 2/3 of a pint of Optimo from Dig Brew Company who are based in Digbeth and it was quality craft keg that would have dragged Rich here all the way from Leeds.
It’s got a bottle shop feel to it with seats, but it’s definitely a welcome addition to Shirley and directly over the road from Wetherspoons, but not in the same market as its prices are higher.
However, there are quite a few boozers surviving on the A34 nowadays and it’s almost worth jumping on the Number 6 bus from Solihull to stop off at the 7 options now available…
Anyway, The Royal Family will be happy tonight so expect extensive Daily Express coverage on the Villa win tomorrow…along with a few weather stories of course.
Craft Inn Shirley #Drinkoutsidethebox will be open once again and expect a few more punters now that normality has returned to this Solihull suburb.
I think there was also a Forfar Sunday League game held over to today that Duncan went to.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Drat I knew I’d missed one!!
LikeLike
“champion Ruslan Nurudinov”
No relation. 😉
“(classic ‘supermarket trolley in car park’ pic)”
Same over here; except for one large store that requires you to put in a ‘loonie’ (i.e. dollar coin) to get a trolley, but you get your money back when you put the trolley back in line with the others.
“It was one of those days whereby, if you run a boozer, it seemed like a good time to invest in Sky Sports.”
(chuckle)
“but Prince William, Tom Hanks and David Cameron would have probably popped into either of these pubs for a pint if they were in town”
That sounds like the start of a joke.
“It’s been on the scene since September last year”
And in the photo above they have a surfboard from a brewery in Hawaii it seems.
“and that there were a lot of beers on.”
Blimey.
“it’s almost worth jumping on the Number 6 bus from Solihull to stop off at the 7 options now available…”
Pub crawl!
“now that normality has returned to this Solihull suburb.”
Is there such a thing as normality these days? 😉
Cheers
LikeLiked by 1 person
Any line involving Villa is usually good value for a joke! But they were a better team yesterday and deserved it so fair play to them 👍 it’s a big board isn’t it but seems to somehow suit this place…are you sure he’s no relation? 😉
LikeLike
“are you sure he’s no relation? ”
If there is it’s down to Russian collusion… by my ancestors. (LOL)
Cheers
LikeLiked by 1 person
Say no more!!!
LikeLike
Looks good. I prefer somewhere that does qualify cask ale as well as decent keg beer #bestofbothworlds.
Having watched the play offs, i wouldn’t fancy either teams chances in the premier league. If anyone has the potential to sustain, it’s Villa. Derby could never do it on 26k supporters a week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bournemouth manage it on 11,000… However villa look a better team than Derby so I’d agree with you (through gritted teeth 😄) makes a good contrast with spoons red lion and Saracens head all in close proximity.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s a difference between competing and just making the numbers up though?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Apart from top three or four they are all just making up the numbers
LikeLiked by 1 person
Falls into roughly 3 or 4 leagues within leagues which actually came out like this, this season – Top 2 contenders. Next 4 competing for top4/Europa league. Next 3, maybe 4 are wannabees but really are neverbees so actually fall into the same category as the next 7 who are just filling out the fixture list and the bottom 3 who have been the bottom 3 since before a ball was ever kicked.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Which makes attendances, history etc completely redundant…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mmmm … top teams are the ones with the top stadia and top attendances. History irrelevant, in anything, these days; nice to remember but like investments, past performance is no guarantee of future gains.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haven’t been there. Loved the sports round up, especially the Banbury bit. No mention of St Mirren’s Lazarus-like recovery though! John McGinn is an ex-Buddie and his two brothers play for Saints. A real all action player who Celtic were too mean to pay £2.75m for.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Remiss of me not to mention the Buddies! McGinn is an excellent player and Villa the better team so fair play to them. Celtic must be kicking themselves as he’ll cost three times that now I reckon! Yes it’s a good addition to that area of Shirley
LikeLiked by 1 person
Apology accepted- will drop legal action! Yes, especially as the McGinns are from a Celtic-supporting family and grandsons of a former Celtic chairman. All 3 play are on field leaders. Look forward to your next cricketing exploits featuring in a future blog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He’s a good player at championship level…will be intrigued to see how he does in top flight…I think it might be annual event!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I see Bernies is still going strong in Shirley, scene of many a takeout when apprenticed at the BT training college across the road. It’s a wonder they haven’t jumped on yhe micropub/taphouse bandwagon, but maybe they know their business after 20 years.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I bet you were a Jefferson’s or calendars regular on the Stratford road 😉😄 yes there’s not many boozers in Cranmore so I’m surprised they haven’t…but still surviving so why change a winning formula I guess? Did you frequent any other local boozers back in the day?
LikeLike
Mad dash home at the weekends, and the training college had its own subsidised bar so not really. We was poor impoverished apprentices back then…
LikeLiked by 1 person
A subsidised bar! That’s terrific 👍
LikeLike
There was a similarly subsidised bar at the massive training college in Yarnfield near Stone. A soulless place though, and I took my bike along in the van for cycles to the excellent Railway at Norton Bridge for great Bass, now closed needless to say…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember that big place…I lived in Stone for three years and some good pubs
LikeLike
The Star on the canal always seemed to be the… erm… star of Stone, but that was 20 years or more ago. The Ecclesall brewery had just started up last time I was at Yarnfield, a welcome change from the ubiquitous M&B etc.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can imagine although Brew XI never a bad thing! 🍻
LikeLike
Congratulations to all you villa fans, that will now see half your team go back to their parent clubs and smash several thousand goals past you next season. Not that I’m bitter in the slightest…
This place looks good, will have to give it a whirl next time I’m home!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha! There’s also a new place called the shaking hand on the big parkgate development that’s worth a look too….I’m more concerned about our finances next year as could be a long season 🙄
LikeLike
Yes it’s going to be another frugal one I think. Although the groundshare may help bring in some useful top up money
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good point ⚽👍 monk is a good fit for us so optimistic of at least a top half finish
LikeLike
4th. In Monk we trust…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m liking your optimism!!!
LikeLike