retiredmartin

July 2025. Blackheath. Rowley Regis.

Two hours is quite a long time to be waiting for pub opening in a Black Country town that isn’t Wolverhampton; I think I managed an hour in Stourbridge once, and 20 minutes in Halesowen.

So, after walking all the streets around the market, and pausing to consider a night with Kevin discussing the Little Nibble,

I opted for a coffee in the Spoons.

You might find this hard to credit, but Blackheath also has a Carluccio’s tucked in the giant Sainsbury’s. There’ll be a branch of the Ivy in Worksop next.

Frankly, the floral exteriors of The Britannia is more likely to attract in gentlefolk for breakfast than anywhere in town,

though it’s the vast,

vast, cask selection that keeps it in the Guide seven (7) years running.

Largest JDW cask choice I’ve seen in ages, and you know how much I like choice.

Bargain prices across the menu. Let’s compare them with Cambridge, shall we;

Cambridge Regal – Punk £4.92, Jaipur £3.99, Guinness £4.44

Blackheath Britannia – Punk £3.99, Jaipur £3.10, Guinness £3.60

Blimey, our lads would be impressed by those Guinness prices*. Just one thing;

Macclesfield Society Rooms – Punk £3.99, Jaipur £2.79, Guinness £3.30

Dynamic pricing, or the North/South divide.

It’s hot, I’ve a long day ahead, I need something isotonic, whatever that means.

“That’s the last bottle, in case you try to order another one” says the nice lady plonking down the glass. Has anyone drunk two bottles of Erdinger Alkoholfrei in the same sitting ?

*Guinness is £2.74 in Byker Spoons