Gone for a Burton

The Satnav was set to our destination and we  headed off into the unknown.
What will we discover in today's town of choice - a place neither of us had visited previously?
All that we knew was that it was famous for beer!

We are not great watchers of TV. and lived in our current house for a year before we got the aerial sorted for the TV - it still isn't quite right for BBC1, but it will do... I tend to do most of my viewing on my laptop,  after everyone has gone to bed and therefore won't moan about my choice of viewing!
At the moment I am working my way through several years worth of episodes of Chanel Four's Eight Out Of Ten Cats Plays Countdown, as it appeals to my sense of humour. This programme is sponsored by Coors Light, so I was quite pleased to see a large chimney adjacent to the town centre parking bearing the name of this beverage. Alas, there were no mic dropping comediennes or denim-clad snow sledgers waiting to entertain us.

One of the first shops I noticed was a Bird's Bakery. I had never heard of this chain before this week, when I read an article about them bringing back old recipes. Now here was a shop right before my very eyes!

We found ourselves in the charity shop part of town, so popped in to see what was on sale and made a couple of minor purchases, before heading off in pursuit of Tourist Information, to find out more about this unfamiliar town.

The signs may still exist, but Tourist Information has long gone. The library was located in a building that looked like a factory unit. Inside, however, it was light bright and welcoming. One of the librarians directed us towards their information section, but most of the brochures were for tourist attractions across East Midlands and povided no further information about the town itself.

A party of school children arrived, so we moved on to admire the River Trent and the reflections of the parish church of St Modwen's. That would make a good name for a construction company...

Through the trees, we could see the church at Stapenhill. Later we saw the raised walkway from Stapenhill across the flood plain and into the town centre and thought that would make a pleasant walk on another occasion.


A couple of cafes that tempted us, but it was Helen's in the Market Place got our custom. It was a good choice. I could have had home made sausage roll, or quiche, but opted for cheese on toast.
"White or granary bread?" asked the assistant
"Oh, one of each!" I replied.

Later I could hear the bemused chef checking that was order was correct.
I didn't think it was that radical!
The food did not disappoint and was modestly priced.
As we left I purchased a coffee cake, reduced to £1. Bargain.

We investigated the Market Hall, which was a beautiful Victorian building.  The closed-in stalls had been removed, giving it a light and airy feel, but on a January Monday some of the stalls were closed. Despite this, it was still a popular place to eat.









On the corner of a street we spotted a large sculpture of a shovel, with a bottle shaped hole, large enough for people to walk through, which they did without a second glance.
Bizarre!















Why did we go?
We had never been. It came up in conversation that neither of us had visited Burton on Trent, even though it is not far from us, or other places we have visited, and as we had a free day we decided to go and explore.

What did we expect?
A post-industrial town centre.

What did we find?
A town transitioning, but the brewing industry was more evident than I anticipated.
It is nice to see that the town centre has not just been obliterated in the name of progress.
Yes, there are shopping arcades and supermarkets, but also plenty of small businesses.
I remember from my childhood holidays to Southwold, another brewing town, the overpowering smell of brewing that pervaded the town. Filtration techniques have improved, and the wind may have been in the wrong direction, but I didn't detect the same powerful pong in Burton. From the large silo structures and chimneys we saw, I assume beer is still manufacturered in the town.

Would we return?
Yes. Possibly in the autumn, though. There is undoubtedly more we haven't explored, particularly in a town so seeped in brewing.