A few places in and around Oldbury that I've
had in my mind's eye when I've been writing .
No SILLY BOY BOOKS tour bus as yet, but you never know...
Left - Hackwood House on Lion Farm Estate. Our first home together in 1990 and the inspiration for Derek Robinson House.
Below Left & Centre - The Navigation and The Bridge (now demolished!) combined to become the New Inn.
Below Right - Sainsbury's in Oldbury town centre that's still known as 'Sava' or 'Savacentre' to those old enough to remember its first incarnation as the new shopping mecca. The upstairs caff is long gone, and I don't think it ever did a halloumi breakfast, but if it did, you would have lowered your voice to order it.
Top Left - Martin worked at B&Q on Mucklow Hill in Halesowen.
Top Centre - The Bear Hotel in Bearwood hosted the stand-up comedy night that Debbie performed at.
Top Right - Musical Exchanges in Birmingham who supplied Martin and Craig's keyboards. I spent a lot of time reading their noticeboard in the 1990s, but never managed to find my big break!
Above Left - Martin and Debbie had their first date at The Standard Tandoori in Bearwood, a frequent haunt of ours when I could still eat curry at 11pm without requiring an ambulance.
Above Right - The Stag and Three Horseshoes at the top of Mucklow Hill masqueraded as the Struggling Man for Martin and Craig's reunion dinner.
Top Left - St Hubert's Catholic Church in Oldbury became St Mildred's.
Top Right - This lovely old house next to St. Mary Magdalene church in Bridgnorth's High Town was the maximum security retirement home.
Left - Bridgnorth's famous cliff railway that Father Pat rode during his reconnaissance mission.
Top Left - The Hannafore Point Hotel in Looe where Joe made a panic booking while Sharon did Tai Chi in the car park.
Top Right - The road where Joe and Sharon live at Volty Towers.
Left - The ruins of Penderleath Mine at St Ives which gave me the idea for the Bendyaback Tin Mines. (We even did a re-enactment for authenticity - nothing heavy, just a strangling!)
Far Left - Cheswicks Coffee Shop where Charlie gets cornered by Brenda the travel agent.
Left - WUMPTY - The character that inspired Richard's safe word
Bottom Left - A bus in the West Midland Passenger Transport Executive livery that Richard might have driven.
Bottom Right - Hotel Nicoletta in Sardinia which played host to the hapless gang of four as Hotel Bernadetta .
Far Left - The Frozen Shoulder in all its glory.
Left - 'Papa's Pizza Palace' about 1/2 a mile from my home which got transplanted to North London to suit my own ends.
Left - The New Camden Cross was actually the Queens Head pub in Smethwick. I spent many a happy hour in here as a teenager, but now it's a vets.