There was a lot of walking involved, the first clue being the rail station being in the middle of a housing estate and a sign telling me the centre was 1½ miles away.
But before hitting the centre, I walked SE on an unexciting route through the suburb of South Heath, aiming for an edge of town road junction with a pub on it.
This corner pub has had various other names and incarnations prior to being refurbished and reopened by Black Country Ales in 2020.
Thankfully 'refurbished', in the world of Black Country Ales, means giving it a trad pub makeover with a proper patterned pub carpet and not a lick of pastel-shade paint in sight.
The Hanbury Turn is a spacious place. There were the usual BCA beers on the bar, plus guest beers raising the choice to 10. Being out of town, I can't help but wonder where everyone comes from to drink these.
That said, my Heritage Brewing Company 'St Modwen' golden ale was in superb form - an exceptionally good pint.
I sat in a quiet corner, with the Eurythmics and Levellers, part of an 80's and 90's lunchtime mega mix, sound-tracking my pint and cob.
Leaving the Hanbury Turn, it was about time I found my way to the centre of Bromsgrove - more treading the pavements for a 1.6 mile walk.
Leaving the Hanbury Turn, it was about time I found my way to the centre of Bromsgrove - more treading the pavements for a 1.6 mile walk.
On the High Street, and looking rather splendid I thought, was Wetherspoon's...
It's not quite as authentic an old coaching inn as it appears, having been rebuilt in 1932. Inside it's unmistakably 'Spoons, with a wide open space on two levels, the bar along one side and booth seating along the other.
There was a table by a pillar set up with a display of malts and hops, old pump clips and a poster of real ale events, making their bid to maintain a place in the 2023 beer guide. The Golden Cross had recently hosted a tap takeover by Printworks Brewery, from Lye in the Black Country. (I say tap takeover, but I'm sure they didn't get to take over the Doom Bar and Ruddles taps). I did enjoy my Printworks 'Geneva', a fruity, dry hopped IPA.
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| All your favourites |
Backtracking on myself a little, I visited the town's micropub, which is rather a dull converted modern shop unit from the outside...
Inside, it's of the traditional micro variety, with elevated bench seating along the side wall.
Two real ales were on offer on my visit, a Wye Valley 'Butty Bach' and, my pick, a Mobberley Brew House 'Black Pear'.
I tried to get a picture of the interior of the Little Ale House, I really did. But there never seemed to be a moment when a suspicious local wasn't keeping a beady eye on me - checking that I wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary, like photographing stuff.
So, here's a picture a leaf blower in the corner instead...
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| It's not going to win pub photo of the year, is it? |
Just one more pint planned for the day, and this one involved another walk beyond the boundaries of Bromsgrove to the Cross at Finstall.
Black Country Ales - them again! (I will complete the whole chain eventually).
Which means another hefty beer list displayed on a screen above the bar. This time the digital list came in handy as there were a fair number of folk propping up the bar and getting in the way of the hand pumps.
In fact, it was doing a great trade for a weekday pre-5pm. Lots of punters making the most of the sunshine in the garden, plus a good number inside in this comfy, no-nonsense boozer, which regularly wins the local CAMRA branch pub of the year award.
I took a fine pint of Salopian ale to a seat by the side, the sunlight beaming in the windows.
And found the corner of the pub where they keep all the lost pub ticker mascots...
And found the corner of the pub where they keep all the lost pub ticker mascots...
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