The Robin Hood in Willenhall won Walsall CAMRA’s Pub Of The Year in 2024, and retained the title this year. However this time they made it a double by winning the West Midlands County Pub Of The Year in the next round. Absolute fair play and I believe it’s the first time that this particular accolade has come to Walsall since The Black Country Arms won it in 2015. Even The Sheriff Of Nottingham would have his work cut out trying to quell this Robin Hood’s success.

I am something of a disciple to Salopian and was chuffed that when they moved to their new brewery, Walsall CAMRA were the first group to be invited and I got a free bottle of my favourite beer Lemon Dream on the way out. I’d already bought two as well.

Josh and I regularly pass the pub when we drop off his wife at work and he’s said numerous times how much he’d like to tick it off as he’d never been in. I told him about this award presentation and the entertainment being provided and that I’d really like to have a go at the Archery. He called me Fryer Tuck which is probably quite fitting. Despite this, because I’m such a dumb ass, it still took until 2 days after the presentation for me to make the link between the pub name and archery. Sometimes I need flashing neon lights to spell things out for me.

Last Sunday was presentation day. I was letting YouTube do its thing so song choices were random so my shirt ironing music on this occlusion was “Glory Of Love” by Peter Cetera, from the film The Karate Kid. Great song and always reminds me of my couple of karate lessons as a kid when my parents were trying to find anything that I was interested in or good at. They failed on both counts. I didn’t really take to karate and looking back it would have felt like a bit of a scam buying all those different coloured belts when I’d have been happiest in the white one.

I stopped off at McDonalds en route. Purely because I’d heard there is now a limited edition double Fillet O’Fish. A while ago I was told you could customise your double sausage and egg McMuffin on the selection machine and add an extra sausage. I tired this straight away. I tried to customise a Fillet O’Fish with double sea goodness next time I was in but the option wasn’t there, so I had to dive on this opportunity. It was amazing. The triple sausage and egg McMuffin on the other hand was too much and has not been repeated. I walked out bouncing with all that additional Omega 3 surging through me.

The 529 was on time and we were soon hurtling through Bentley. I knew my journey was nearly done when I head the announcement “next stop, Warwick Avenue.” I always start singing the Duffy hit of the same name at this point. I’d like to think that I’m not the only person who does this but I probably am.

If you’ve not been here before it is a Black Country Ales pub so plenty of hand pulls and amazing looking cobs. Ideal if you’ve not had a double fillet O’Fish on the way. It’s on The Crescent, that road from Darlaston to Willenhall that brings you out by the McDonalds. If you’re on the 529, get off by the Sikh Temple. You’ll just be getting to the chorus of Warwick Avenue by then.

Ambling down The Crescent. I heard “Evo.” Josh and his entourage where already there. I stopped to take pub photos whilst Josh, his wife Lyndsey and their 3 kids headed inside. Inside it was standing room only. Josh and co headed outside whilst I found the Walsall CAMRA Merry Men that were in attendance. They were in the new extension that wasn’t there the last time I blogged about this pub in 2023. The wonderful Wendy and Paul who I’ve not seen for a couple of years were also in. Nice to see you both again.

We were soon joined by CAMRA’s West Midlands Regional Director Shelly Bentley and two of her friends. There were sporting new badges proclaiming “I’m a nice CAMRA member.” I’d like one of those badges but I’m sure nice isn’t the adjective that would be used on mine.

The presentation went well with speeches from Shelly and Alex. They got a well deserved ovation.

It was also announced at this point that due to the totally rubbish weather forecast, that both the Archery and Morris Dancing displays had been cancelled. This was slightly disappointing. The last time I had encountered Morris Dancers was at Birmingham Beer Festival a few years ago and they’d asked for people to join in. My mate Daz did but I was too scared. This time though I was up for it. I’d worn my second baggiest shirt to stoop people seeing my moobs bouncing up and down whilst doing this. This shirt is also one of my smartest. I was, you know, hoping that there might be a Maid Marian in the pub hoping to find her erm Fryer Tuck.

I was also hoping to have a go at the Archery, even though my recent attempts at Darts have been hopeless. I’d been practising singing Bryan Adams’s hit “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” to really set the mood while this was going on. Lucky escape for everyone else then.

Presentation over and I headed outside to find Josh and co, and a dj/singer took over the entertainment. The first song he played was “So You Win Again” pointing out this nod to the pubs awards success. He then started his singing duties with the excellent “Out Of Time” by Chris Farlowe up first, which he nailed.

Josh departed soon afterwards so I joined all the CAMRA folk who had now also headed outside. The nice-ish weather appeared to have clocked off for the day. The singer was belting out “The Sun Aint Gonna Shine Anymore”which certainly seemed feasible, for that day at least, with a glance skywards. The singers best song of the day was “Have I The Right?” by Dead End Kids. I’ve not heard this sung live since my Corroy Products colleague Carl randomly burst into a rendition of it around 1998. The 90’s weren’t all about Brit Pop.

The garden was busy, with a hog roast van also in attendance. Several wasps had also turned up to celebrate the occasion. Dennis managed to catch one in his glass. It took a shine to the remnants of his pint of Golden Thread. “Oh it likes real ale. We ought to sign him up as a member.” Fair play to Dennis, he takes his role as Membership Secretary very seriously. Whilst he was saying that I was thinking how marvellous, making wasps drunk and more aggressive whilst ponder if they would get “Nice CAMRA Member” badges. I think not.

At 4.23pm the heavens opened, and then opened some more. It absolutely pissed down. The garden emptied quickly. I’d say 98% of people got up and ran. It reminded me of the end of the Travis “Driftwood” video. There was only us and a group on another table left. I tried to stand under the umbrella but rain poured down my back. Bloody baggy shirt. Dennis told me to sit on the table which I did. If I’d had a fishing rod I’d have looked like a gnome.

By 4.50 the rain had stopped and it was glorious sunshine. Best weather of the day. The singer had now resumed dj duties and a fair few folk were dancing. I popped to the loo. A sign in front of me advised of a Subbuteo night. I loved playing that as a kid. I was shit but could be tempted by another game. Further along was a sign for (I think) weekly archery sessions. By the time I’d washed my hands, a man had come in and stood next to the sign. I paused to have a quick look but he turned round. He must have thought I was trying to look at his willy but I was honestly trying to read the sign. I’ll have a proper look at the Subutteo night.

I grabbed one last pint. The dj was now playing “Cha Cha Slide”. I’m usually straight in for a bit of this but everyone had stopped dancing and as I approached the decks the “one hop this time” line came on and I wasn’t doing that with a full pint.

At 5.20 we had a big clap of thunder. These got nearer. Dennis offered to get us both a taxi and pay for it. I offered to go halves but he refused so I ceased offering and resumed drinking.

We were soon back in The Black Country Arms. Keeping it corporate with Black Country Ales. After a quick one I headed home.

Superb day and well done again to The Robin Hood. Big shout out to all the barmaids too who had a very busy shift and certainly earned their wages. Good luck in the regional round to you all.