MY LAST PINT OF BANKS’S FROM WOLVERHAMPTON. THE OLD SWAN, ATHERSTONE.

August 2025. Atherstone.

First things first, or thereabouts.

It’s great to have Russ back on the blog, after a Lost Weekend that went on for two years, and not just as my unpaid spellceker.

And for the delight of another North American reader, news that I’ve found King Dick’s Hole,

just north of Atherstone near Ratcliffe Culey.

The Southworths would enjoy these unsung pubs along Long Lane, particularly the Old Swan, my own pick of the crop.

On the corner of Welcome Street, and with a quality welcome from a chatty landlady recently arrived from a GBG pub in Swindon and a stint in Sussex.

A tough choice for the Sheffield Hatter at the pumps,

but with Banks’s about to brew its last batch in Wolves (boo !) there’s only one option.

Plenty of seating options in this multi-roomed gem,

we chose the front room with the big window,

and got into discussing those vital CAMRA issues like,

er, the colour of the little sticker that tells you a pub is in the GBG. Or not.

The Old Swan isn’t in the Guide, but my last proper Banks’s here was a cool, crisp, gem (NBSS 4).

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

10 thoughts on “MY LAST PINT OF BANKS’S FROM WOLVERHAMPTON. THE OLD SWAN, ATHERSTONE.”

  1. My last pint of Banks’s from Wolverhampton might have been in Brocton’s Chetwynd Arms on Saturday afternoon after my wife suggested I stop off at a pub on being driven home from the hospital. I can’t be sure though as some Amber Bitter might have been brewed in Burton before the Park Brewery actually closed.
    With Hand Clinic, blood test and Fracture Clinic appointments over the next five days, I’m currently seeing more of a hospital than pubs but not enjoying good health is what can happen the wrong side of three score years and ten.
    I shall return to Atherstone a week tomorrow if at all possible.

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      1. Thanks Martin,
        Making as good a recovery as might be expected for my age means that I’ve managed four hours in Stone this afternoon with my local branch, intend getting to Atherstone late morning on Thursday and have organised two days in Manchester before the clocks go back.

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      3. Thanks Martin.
        The Proper Days Out can be the highlight of my year.
        I have a lovely memory of my Pedigree drinking well outside the Blue Boar which was closed for a Mancetter power cut but it’s not the pub it was two years ago.

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    2. I feel for you, Paul. I’m sure you’ll come out better the other side.

      A year ago I was spending more time in hospital than out with Mum’s 3 admissions, and that pint after I left Addenbrookes was much needed.

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  3. “It’s great to have Russ back on the blog, after a Lost Weekend that went on for two years, and not just as my unpaid spellceker.”

    (blush), you are ‘two’ kind, as I’m sure it was a bit longer than two years.

    Part of that is due to my having a predilection of being too embarrassed to return, the longer I’ve been away; also, I was working enough hours to cause chest pains sufficient to require a battery of tests, the result of which was work was too stressful!

    But, the main reason for the past year, was due to our eldest being diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer last June. Neither my wife or I could seem to focus too well during these past 14 odd months. I am happy to say that he has been given a clean bill of health, albeit with regular testing and blood work still required. He’s back to work, and Rose and I are slowly getting back to our old selves. 🙂

    “I’ve found King Dick’s Hole”

    I suppose my initial guess of the Grand Canyon is incorrect?

    “just north of Atherstone near Ratcliffe Culey”

    Ah. If I’m ever in the area I won’t be walking around there in the dark!

    “A tough choice for the Sheffield Hatter at the pumps,”

    Was he checking his wallet to see which one he could afford?

    “there’s only one option.”

    Ouch!

    “Plenty of seating options in this multi-roomed gem,”

    Is that a nod to the variety or the sparse crowd?

    “we chose the front room with the big window,”

    The pic below looks a bit like the room in the first pic.

    “er, the colour of the little sticker that tells you a pub is in the GBG. Or not.”

    But only as a warmup, right? I would’ve steered the conversation to that big hole thingy you mentioned. 😉

    Cheers!

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    1. Truth is, Russ, I’d have spent five hours with these folk (typically half a dozen) on a day out and can’t remember anything we talked about afterwards, so the point I’d be making is that we probably didn’t talk about CAMRA stickers !

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