Boozin' & Cruisin' through the East Midlands (Part 1)

 It's been a while since my last post and a few weeks since we returned from our most recent canal trip, which compared to recent years, was relatively uneventful!

Day 1 - Saturday

We left Wigrams Turn Marina at Napton just before noon and arrived at our designated lunch stop, The Boathouse at Braunston in plenty of time.

It's a pub we've visited many times in the past and it is still a solid Marstons pub that majors on food. It delivered again!

The canal had been very busy on the trip to Braunston and we were unsure how long it would take us to negotiate the six locks that lead to the tunnel - especially as there is a hire base nearby!

We struck very lucky, two boats exited the bottom lock just as we were approaching and only one of the hire boats was ready to depart, so they shared the lock with us. There was little drama in ascending the lock flight and I even had time to take a photo of the Admiral Nelson which stands by the third lock up.

Sadly, there was no time for a pint, but in the past we've managed to squeeze in a swift half (or more) whilst queueing for this lock. So, it was onward and upwards through the rest of the locks and a busy Braunston Tunnel to our evening destination of the New Inn at Long Buckby.

It is a pub I've reported on before and, whilst it is a lovely pub it has been seriously let down by it's management in the past - #192 - again it didn't disappoint on that front. It was 6:45pm, the pub was virtually deserted and yet, they were fully booked for food! After a brief discussion, we called a cab and went into Daventry...for the first time in many years!

The taxi driver dropped us off in the town centre and we went into the first pub we found.

The Plume of Feathers was a lively proper town centre boozer that did have cask ale available. However, we were getting a bit peckish by now so strolled along the High Street until we found our saviour!

Where else is there to eat on a Saturday night in small town England apart from the local 'Spoons! The Saracen's Head was also quite busy and they were still operating table service for food.

After our sumptuous repast, we popped across the road to a pub that I did remember from a previous excursion to Daventry.

Last time we were here, the Dun Cow was a fairly standard boozer; a far cry from the modern day, upmarket gin palace that it has become! All too soon it was time to call the taxi firm again and return to the canal.

 

Day 2 - Sunday

 

Sundays are rapidly becoming the most difficult days on the canal for finding food and drink at civilised times!

 

Our first obstacle was Watford Locks which have restricted opening times and there was a queue. Fortunately, there was a full complement of volunteer lock keepers so the whole process flowed smoothly and efficiently. However, it still meant that we were quite late arriving at Crick, not getting to the pub until 1:45pm.

Fortunately, The Wheatsheaf was still serving food and a very pleasant Sunday roast it was too.

 

At this stage we knew that there would be no food available at our evening stop in North Kilworth so we acquired supplies from the village Co-op over the road from the pub.

 

It is quite a stroll to the pub in North Kilworth from the canal, but after our Chicken Carbonara we were ready for a few pints to wash away the taste it down and the pub website said that they were open until 11pm.

We arrived at the White Lion just after 8pm only to find that they were closing! They did serve us a pint each and after chatting to the bar staff we understood what had happened. Apparently, the gaffer had been making a really good go of it and the pub was doing very well. But the pandemic came along which knocked the stuffing out of him and he'd lost interest! (A not uncommon tale I suspect!) Hence the 'To Let' sign outside!

 After another pint and a vain attempt to get a taxi to anywhere nearby for less than £25, we bought some wine and beer to take out and shuffled back to the boat for a quiet night in!

 

After promising you that this trip was relatively uneventful, it was quite a 'difficult' first couple of evenings...it does get better!

 

(To Be Continued)

Stirchley in The Time of Coronavirus - Part 2

As part of my (semi) regular exercise around the not-so-mean streets of Stirchley here are some more of my pictures comparing the Stirchley of today with the place it was seven years ago.

Stirchley in The Time of Coronavirus - Part 2

We start at the junction of Bournville Lane and my old home Oxford Street.

Oxford Street/Bournville Lane - 27th March 2020

Oxford Street/Bournville Lane - 18th January 2013

Not much to see apart from the new lamp post on Bournville Lane and the now ubiquitous 20 mph reminder sign on Oxford Street!

Moving down the lane towards Pershore Road.

Regent Street/Bournville Lane - 27th March 2020

Regent Street/Bournville Lane - 14th January 2013

Again, not much change, except for the new signage on Hugh's Barbers - my go-to for haircuts, which I managed to visit just before the lockdown, so I shouldn't be too shaggy by the end of it!

When I first moved into the area in late 1983, all of that row consisted of shops (as did the next row), but it was only recently that I discovered a bit more of the history.

Bournville Market was built in 1899 by Cadbury's so that their workers could have somewhere to shop locally, especially for those who came up from the Peshore Road. Now that was a company that cared about their workers!

Bond Street/Bournville Lane - 27th March 2020

Bond Street/Bournville Lane - 11th January 2013

This hasn't changed as much as I'd thought, but it is the other part of Bournville Market and has much more commercial occupation, but Bournville Fish Bar is the only retail outlet left (and is staying open for longer through the lock down...even on Sundays!)

Moving down onto Pershore Road/Hazelwell Street we come to the Co-op...or what was the Co-op and soon (not sure exactly when) to become Morrison's.

Stirchley Co-op/Morrison's - 27th March 2020

Stirchley Co-op - 13th January 2013

With remarkably poor timing the Co-op closed its doors for the final time in early 2020 after almost 150 years on the site. (More here). It was never my go-to supermarket, although it was very useful on many occasions. The old saying about not appreciating what you have until it's gone is very apt here and now!

And finally, from one supermarket to another...errrrm.....!

Stirchley Lidl(?) - 27th March 2020

Stirchley Bowl/Fitness First - 13th January 2013

Over recent years, Stirchley has been a bit of a battleground for supermarkets. The longest running battle was between Tesco's and the Co-op which raged for over 20 years with Co-op blocking at almost every turn. Finally, Tesco's won and started demolishing buildings ready to build a brand new superstore...and then they changed course and decided against building one. That land is now empty and awaiting Seven Capital to develop it.

In 2017, Lidl obtained permission to demolish Strichley Bowl and Fitness first with a view to building one of their supermarkets here. This is the result. Almost three years have passed since the demolition and still nothing!

Imagine...if things had gone to plan, Stirchley would now have three supermarkets to choose from, but instead, in such a crisis, we have none!

More to follow as I re-discover Stirchley in the Time of Coronavirus.