I knew that using “baps” rather than “cobs“ in that last post would cause wailing and gnashing of teeth in West Bromwich.
Actually, it was a baguette, a massive one. So massive that while I joined the B&PF throng on their fifth pint in the Eagle Vaults to cries of “Ah, HERE he is” and “Your round at the BrewDog” (joke), Charles spent another fifteen minutes standing by the Green Door like a Scottish Shakin’ Stevens.
The Vaults isn’t in the Guide, which mysteriously promotes “Good Beer” over sumptuous pub tiling, but it was the one that Charles and I felt miffed to miss out on our last trip.
Back in 2016 it shut at 7pm, though new landlords had changed all that.
Old Boys, Young Lads and a few Mudgies made for a heady pub mix, all of whom were dancing in their seats to “Into the Groove”, “Respectable” and whatever it was the Scissor Sisters sang about. Whatever happened to Mel & Kim, as Si would ask in all innocence.
It wasn’t packed at 3pm on Wednesday, which means you get that interior shot of a pub without people that some folk seem to prefer.
I feared the presence of a guest beer on the bar, but that was only the Weston’s.
Banks’s Bitter for me, Sunbeam for Charles (it had reached retirement age by the time Charles finally finished his baguette and joined us).
Sitting along bench seats with good company, this was a little bit of Proper Pub heaven, even if the Bitter was Good (NBSS 3) rather than the nectar at the factory gates.
40 minutes in a single pub ? Must have been good.
It felt like the crawl had started in earnest. But next came the fatal division in our ranks.
retiredmartin 
The Worcester theme continues to build – nice pubs, crap beer.
Lovin’ the hat pics BTW.
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Maybe distance is an excuse for the delay before “Ah, HERE he is” but, after two of Tim’s better ‘barns’, by then we had done three of Worcester’s properest pubs, the Paul Pry, Cricketers and Plough.
If anyone could find fault with the Eagle Vaults it might be seeing MITCHELLS & BUTLERS outside, going in and not finding their beloved Brew XI – a bit like Tim not turning his pumpclips round when the beer’s sold out.
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The Eagle Vaults was in thr 1978 GBG when it served M&B Brew XI and Mild and was described as “Friendly pub with unspoilt Victorian bar”.
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Do you have a GBG collection or is that impressive internet research ?
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I have every one since 1977 apart from one year in the early 90s which my Mum inadvertently threw away. Plus the facsimile of the 1974 “avoid like the plague” edition. 1978 often sounds like much more fun than 2018.
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I want to live in 1999 where Stockport is a suburb of Standish 😉
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Stockport is a suburb of everywhere.
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You’re banned.
PS How do I ban you ?
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Threaten with expulsion to Maidenhead. Unless that’s (deservedly) against the Geneva Convention.
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No, everywhere else is a suburb of Stockport 😛
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It was until Mr Protz took over the Beer Guide for the millennium edition !
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Dave and I liked the Eagle Vaults. We were even given a tour of the upstairs. Beautiful pub.
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New landlord really good. And beer was good, but been a bit spoilt in Wolves lately 😉
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“We were even given a tour of the upstairs. ”
That’s not a euphemism is it?
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Beautiful pub, the Sunbeam was average stuff though.
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If this was a Beer Guide pub I’d give it one tick (NBSS 3), and I’d certainly go back.
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Looks like a cracking boozer…that tiling….Banks’s is underrated if kept well…
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“Charles spent another fifteen minutes standing by the Green Door”
Good thing you didn’t say ‘behind the green door’. I’d have had to go lie down. 😉
“the Scissor Sisters”
No comment.
“But next came the fatal division in our ranks.”
Now I definitely need to go lie down… from sheer anticipation!
Cheers
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