For two years now, Simon Wright and Frank Williams have produced regular podcasts describing upcoming matches to a dedicated, hardy listenership on Radio Hereford FC. Firstly, via a Youtube Channel and the Talking Bull Website, but now, on the Official HerefordFC Website.
What started out as a fore-runner to our Wembley jaunt, it has since become a chatty, and admittedly fairly boozy collection of facts, jokes and anecdotes to entertain and inform.
We both live in Halesowen and with four real-ale pubs over a 600 yard stretch of The Stourbridge Road, what better venue than a local hostelry.
The drawback was always going to be background noise, so rather than a clinical, studio-based podcast, we decided to make the “Going down the pub” element a feature of our programme, and keep the background sounds in, using Sham 69’s “Hurry up Harry” as our theme tune.
Our first venue, and one we still use from time to time, is the famous Waggon & Horses, with its sloping floor and 17 beer pulls including our favourite, Bradley’s Finest Golden (BFG) from Black Country Ales. We don’t go back so often now, ever since Simon’s leg became an attraction to one of the regular’s dogs. Fearful that it may become a replacement lamppost for leg-lifting, Simon suggested we try another location.
We overlooked The Whitley, another Black Country Ales Pub as, although it touted BFG, its size would have limited our choice of seating away from other customers. Likewise, the Hawne Tavern, just off The Stourbridge Road, would have lacked space. A Pity as the small range of guest beers is outstanding but does mean it gets very crowded.
I had never considered The King Edward V11 as an option as, for some reason, I had rarely ventured inside. Well, what a revelation, not only Butty Bach and six other ales (The Butty is very popular so sometimes runs out), but it is open ’til 11.45pm, just in case we over-run (surely not).
So good are these locations that Keith Hall, and his Leominster friends, made these pubs a target for a Real-Ale Tour last year, and will surely come again.
So as Simon and I now settle into “The Eddy” at 7pm on our podcast nights, think of the effort that we are putting in on your behalf. There are many reasons for choosing this pub. I would say, The Beer and the ambience are the main ones, but for Simon – ITS ONLY 10 YARDS FROM HIS HOUSE.
If you want to hear our new podcasts, they are on Hereford FC’s Official site: http://www.herefordfc.co.uk/hereford_fc_podcasts/
Previous podcasts are archived on our YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6-uQdu2RSsuBDvFPDoBAnw
Details of all four of these pubs is easily found on the internet. They are summed up by “The Waggon’s” great slogan –
We put the “ales” in Halesowen
