Cross Keys reopens, and other news.....

Hulloo,

    the first thing to tell you is I have been in hospital, for just over 4 weeks, following a serious hypo and fall. Suffice to say I was quite unwell, but now escaped am finding that things are getting better. It isn't something I want to go through again however, and am now checking my blood sugar more carefully and eating more healthily.

About three months ago I overheard a conversation in a pub, and another on the bus into town, suggesting that the recently closed Cross Keys on Handsworth was to reopen, as a pub selling real ales and kegs. I have been going there on and off for twenty years so I was interested to find out more, although I have to say I found it surprising, Handsworth has had some good pubs, and still has the Old Crown heading down the hill, but in all my time there I have never thought of it as a place to go out trying different beers.

I found a link on Faceache showing purchase or takeover of the pub by Chantry Brewery, a Rotherham based operation whose beers I first tried about four years ago at the Rutland Arms. Work was done sorting out the interior and Chantry beers were chosen and appeared to sell well when they opened a month or more ago. With this in mind I decided to pop in for one last night.

I first went in the Cross Keys in 1999. It was a tidy traditional pub selling two or three beers, one of which was Taylors Landlord and the other Stones, if memory serves. The pub closed in the noughties following a landlord being beaten up and the pub trashed, and then it was taken over by a bloke who may have been called Carl - he was there for a few years and reintroduced real ale before leaving, and another few couples have tried keeping the pub since, presumably with some success. Myself and Tash often went in on a Sunday and it was usually busy, and I also went in a few New Years Eves. What would the now named Chantry Inn do?

Arriving after 18.00 there were 4 or 5 real ales and 4 kegs including two lagers, Lawless Village IPA (gluten free methinks) and Tiny Rebel Tropicana IPA. I had a pint of Kaldo at 5.5% and £3.00 a pint and sat down in the room where the main bar is. The pub was not too busy, the beer was well kept, and there were people sat in all three rooms. The Kaldo was also easy to drink and didn't last long, so I went for half a tiny Rebel which is a fiver a pint on keg, and a packet of bacon fries.

I left after this short visit, but I intend on going back. This is the best selection of beers I have seen in Handsworth, and the prices are very reasonable. The pub looked clean and was welcoming and the whole visit was enjoyable - well done to Chantry for reopening and revitalising a traditional Handsworth Boozer....

The other thing to tell you is that I went out for a walk on Bank Holiday Monday with WK, and afterwards we picked WF up to take him for a meal. Knowing as we do the potential horrors of pub openings and treatment of whether bank holiday Monday is that, or a Sunday, or neither, we did not expect much success, and despite ringing the Old Poets Corner in Ashover (hopefully with the right number) a number of times we got no response. That said, I checked their website and they did seem to do food Mondays, so it seemed like the trek out there may be worth it - I am happy to confirm it very much was.

Arriving just after seven we parked in the back and I headed to the bar to enquire - alas, I accidentally trod on a dog's paw en route, so I was probably quite unpopular, but took more care coming back to the car to inform the food details, before coming back to order drinks for myself WK and WF and to grab a menu. Once WF had safely arrived we sat at a table near the front door and looked at the Monday menu before making our order. I was on Oakham Citra and it was fantastic, WF was on a Titanic porter and WK a single pint of the  Ashover. We ordered three as it turned out gigantic meals before I got another pint and a half an Ashover whilst WK transferred to soft drink.

Its fair to say that WF is a slow eater these days so even though he left through the front it was nearly 21.45 when we finally left, but this did not spoil our visit one bit. One thing that is also worth pointing out is that my dad approves of company, especially dogs and owners, and he was once again listened to and treated with respect by all those he encountered. We probably only go to the Poets twice or three times a year but this was yet another example of why we keep going back time and time again.

Well done to both venues for providing an excellent place to visit, eat, and supp in.

Cheers!

Wee Beefy