On Thursday the Butts Tavern closed. This absolute Good Beer Guide regular was a much loved community pub but having been up for sale for a good while it’s now been purchased and the current rumours are it will be turned into flats or care home.

I’ve not been a regular since the Hatherton Arms closed as that left The Butts a bit isolated for someone from the other side of town and a bit of a walk for one pub. However back in the 00’s I was there all the time. It would be regularly included in mine and Woza’s crawls which would always start and end at The Fitters. When my mate Gareth lived on Mellish Road for a couple of years mid noughties the visiting figures went though the roof.

Whilst being good for an ale and a natter it’s also held some good events. My great mates Alan and Kim had their wedding reception there and the delightful couple Mase and Beth had the reception there after their daughter Ellie’s Christening. The pub was also included in the legendary Walsall CAMRA 50th anniversary crawl which drew visitors from across the region to the venue. Myself and Billy (from the Shrewsbury branch) bonded on the outside terrace whilst discussing the excellent tv show Early Doors.

Owner Richard has sold the pub and is moving down South to retire. We wish him well in his new life. There wasn’t much notice of it’s closure from what I gather, I only found out 2 days before but when Thursday came around a final visit after work had to be done. There was a slight set back as the chip shop on Butts Road that I planned to review was closed. Plan B, the shop over the road for egg and cress bap (and Euro Millions super draw ticket) came into effect.

As I munched I saw a couple leave with a framed picture. Unfortunately it was turned towards the man so I couldn’t see which one it was but it bought back memories of the legendary scene in Airplane where reporters grab pictures off the wall.

The pub was busy which was good to see. They had already run out of Madri. I opted for a Strongbow Dark Fruit and settled in the corner. My mate Chris arrived and he opted for what he called “the Mastermind chair”. No point in me going in that. I was rubbish at school and I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you my name after a pint or two.

Friends Of Highgate Brewery top man Bob Newton joined us, and then my mate Goughy came along for one last pint in the place. I moved onto the Holden’s Golden Glow as you have to have a real ale in a GBG pub.

I’d heard that they were shutting the doors at 9 so opted to leave before then. Chris was very proud to buy me my last pint in the place (back on the Dark Fruit). I used the facilities for the final time whilst awaiting my taxi. A man came up alongside and announced “my last piss in the place. I’ve been coming here since I was 17”. I didn’t look round to gauge his age but I reckon between us we’ve had a fair few wees in there between us.

My taxi arrived and I had a Madri in the Walsall Arms to round off the night.

So we say farewell to The Butts but we’ve had some good times in there over the years. Here are a couple or so memories. The Butts was where I met my ex. I pointed her out to Woza mentioning that I fancied her. He said that he knew her and would call her over. I panicked. “Don’t geez, I’m crap at chatting up the women” I said. “Don’t worry, I’ll chat her up for you”. The chatting up consisted of “my mate fancies you. Do you want to take him on a date?” She said “yes”. He followed up with “he’s my best friend so look after him, and on the date can you wear a white bra?” She pulled the top of her shirt off her shoulder to reveal a white bra strap, then snogged my face off.

The last big group outing that we had there before Ellie’s Christening was back in February 2020. A group of us Walsall fans had set off early to go to Stevenage away, only for the match to be called off so we had a pub crawl of Bedford instead which was legendary. We’d heard that there was an 80’s disco in The Butts on the night so we planned to go there and we’d all bought 80’s style wigs to wear. We got there and it wasn’t an 80’s disco and nobody was dressed in that attire. To further confuse the locals, in the final pub in Bedford we were opposite a charity shop and Swill was giving people money to go in there and buy clothing. Someone bought a very fetching pink hat, I can’t remember who but it was certainly me wearing it on entry to The Butts. It was still in there the following evening when I went to do a GBG survey.

One evening an elderly lady took a liking to me and asked for a dance. I never get asked to dance so I thought this was a wind up. Woza kept on. “Go on geez, giver her a dance”. Still not convinced I agreed. “What’s your name?” she asked. “Mikee” I replied. “Is that Welsh?”. Now I was confused as well as dubious. My surname Evans certainly has a Welsh ring to it but Mikee? We had the dance. She liked it. We didn’t swap numbers.

So we lose another pub. I feel for the people of Butts as that area used to be a night out in it’s own right but now the locals will have to walk to The Fountain one way or The Bricks in the other. Both splendid pubs but the loss of The Butts will be felt for years.

Mine and Sean’s new podcast The Long And Shot Of It launched yesterday. Here is episode 1.