retiredmartin

From the Gower to Redditch, from a sea of Spoons to the classic Worcestershire Private Members Club.  Only following the Good Beer Guide (and Mrs RM’s directions) can give you such a varied life.

It was raining in Redditch, so you’re not getting much of my usual gush about street art and surprising  C17th architecture, both of which are largely absent.  We stayed just north of town in Bordesley when it was a £19 Travelodge rather than a £70 Marston’s Inn; the Abbey grounds are superb.

The ACTUAL postcard for the town paints its own story;

You should see the one for Shirley I have tucked away somewhere.

Typically, having negotiated three days worth of roundabouts, we found we’d missed Worcestershire’s finest attraction.

You might remember them from Bromsgrove last year.

But still, this was a flying stop for “comfort”, huge bags of crisps, and my closest outstanding tick travelling west. Yes, 100 minutes from home.

Rocklands Social Club joins a growing list of restricted access places in Elgar country, following Belbroughton, Droitwich, Hartlebury and no doubt other famed towns.

Entering without any of the occasional security checks imposed on CAMRA members, it’s fairly clear why Rocklands is in the Guide.

Three more beers I’d never heard of and will, no doubt, never see again.  After recent encounters with XT on homeground I gave that a go, as clearly no-one else was actually going for the cask. It was cool and tasty, which is good enough (NBSS 3). A less than bargain £3.20 mind.

Pleasant enough, but not my venue of choice if I’m honest, though I did manage to pick up a giant handful of CAMRA newsletters, which I’m sure Mrs RM will attempt to dispose of at next blue bin collection.