MOTTO - nemorosa tamen non foliatus (Shady but not leafy)
RANT-ON
This is the only picture i could get off of the Internet. It was small only a few kbs, so i have had to stretch it so it will appear blurred. Mind you, that's how most of the punters will see it from mid-morning onwards!
To be fair there does'nt seem to be much hassle associated with this establishment - there have been issues to do with noise and the couple opposite have taken to leaving there hedge untrimmed in order to obscure the view of both the bar and a certain % of the punters queuing from 8.00 am onwards!
This place seems to have filled a 'niche' left vacant with the closure of The Chequers PH (formerly Chicago's and now reverted back to The Chequers, courtesy of Wetherspoons). The' niche' being a relaxed interpretation of 'opening' hours.
I am told that the staff are friendly -
That there is ample, suitable, seating -
There are pub games, smoking is still allowed and the odd 'celebrity' is snapped by the local 'papparazi' -
There was an 'incident' involving a young girl who was under 16 being served alcohol back in 2006 and the Licencee was fined accordingly.
Quote - A 16-year-old girl, who had been sent into the bar by officers, was served two bottles of WKD vodka mix.
Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley Council's cabinet member for the environment, said: "It's illegal to sell alcohol to children and all people who work in bars must be responsible to ensure they only sell to alcohol to people over 18.
"Underage drinking is a major contributor to anti-social behaviour across the country and I'm glad to see action being taken to curb the sales of alcohol to children. We are continuing to work with the police in further exercises and this should act as a warning to other bar owners across the borough." - Unquote
That was taken from the Stourbridge News -
I feel sorry for any Landlord trying to make a living in the drinking minefield that the previous government has sown - this was more an exercise in entrapment than sending out a message. If the lazy councillers and their fat, even lazier, plod friends care to leave the sanctuary of their offices and the safety of the Stourbridge ring-road they could have generated a shit-load of business for the Boys-In-Blue (this will not morph into a Police rant, i need a rainy weekend for that one).
You can visit any hostelry in Stourbridge on Friday and Saturday night and fill van after van with people breaking the law in Public Houses - take the sniffer dogs as well - let's give everybody something to do...If you really wanted to send out a message across the borough!
Anyway, back to Exclusives - or as it is known locally - Excludeds or The ASBO Arms!
The clientale (below) are many and varied but they all have a couple of things in common. They like to drink...Preferably early and until the early afternoon before leaving to sleep it off before an evening session either back there or possibly at The Red Lion PH or The 'Spoons or all three! and most are unemployed (most, not all). But where does the money come from you might ask and well you might as your taxes will be paying for it.
Most await the arrival of what is know locally as "The Green Goddess" - the humble dole-cheque, so-named due to its' overall colour and the reverance in which it is held! Duly cashed at great speed (fuck the disability allowance, where's the beer?).
(below) The Green Goddess and a real one.
Then it's hotfoot up the Hagley Road ASAP to convert the ill-gotten gain.
To see some of them you would think it was a new "Olympic discipline"!
Usain Bolt struggles to keep up withTeam Excluded........
Sometimes you can walk by and even hear a rousing chorus of "I bought Whiskey with my Giro" to this classic tune.
