A Brewery Tied Pub with no Cask from the Brewery
Ever get the feeling you've started something by mistake? 😅
Having walked from all the Bathams pubs, I thought I would attempt the same from their Black Country competitor, Holdens. To be fair, walk 1 to the Shrubbery Cottage was fine.
The White House is their only tied pub in Birmingham. I've completed many a pub crawl in the Jewellery Quarter and had never heard of it.
WhatPub - a resource that never lies - has it down as an 11am opener. A rainy summer's day, has me heading off to discover it.
It's a survivor. Town planners have seemingly tried to separate it from anything else through road building. Like those farms you see in the central reservations of northern motorways, it's left on its own little island.
 |
| Splendid Isolation |
It's 11:02. No sign of lights or life. Finding the entrance requires two full circuits. Barred windows and closed doors lead to head scratching before a couple of workies are exiting. My "What Time Does it Open?" request is met with "It is open".
I quickly get my bearings - pop music from a commercial radio station, a vague Irish theme and a single hand pull on the bar. I've never had Holden's Mild before and it would appear that this record will last at least until I complete walk 3.
My super friendly server - who does a great job of managing the two other patrons - informs me that it's not on. My two other fellow drinkers poison of choice? Carling. But in an unexpected and previously unexperienced twist.... from the can.
I'm in for a penny now - so Guinness - the go-to when in unusual situations - is ordered. WiFi password obtained, but alas, no indication of which of the 18 available signals it belongs to.
I'll concentrate on eavesdropping conversations. Not to replayed here but I was amused when one of the jobs was vitriolic on why he wasn't going to vote today. It is the 4th, just not of July.
 |
| Inside the White House |
An hour spent pondering if a brewery can give up on their own tied house? It would appear so - a couple of Holdens Pub I have on my list are already marked as "permanently closed" on Google Maps.
Onwards with the walk - the usual streets of light industry and a dip into the catacombs.
 |
| Chamberlain Clock Tower means you are close to the Rose Villa Tavern |
 |
| The Catacombs. From Above. |
Lunch? Well, the 1000 Trades was closed for a private event. The Button Factory was a mistake that only a pub ticker can make by thinking "I've never been in there".
Black Country Ales it is.
And there are too many of those pubs to complete a walking list from.
 |
| The Jewellers Arms - Handy for the Station.... |
 |
| .... and a perfect Black Country Lunch |
Walk Details
Distance - 2 Miles
No comments:
Post a Comment