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Towers Buildings, Blackwell Street, KIDDERMINSTER, DY10 2DY

In recent years there has been a fashion for "Irish" bars & pubs in the UK, though they sometimes have nothing Irish about them other than the name. Here on the edge of Kidderminster's town centre in Blackwell Street is this Irish bar. It offers live music and Caffrey's Irish ale brewed apparently by Bass. Update March 2019:- This bar closed several years ago and the address is no longer licensed premises.

The Big Print Shop, a local printing firm, relocated here from their previous premises in Coventry Street in September 2014. Image Casino Slots at Mercian House, 18 Coventry Street, describes itself as providing "amusement park facilities", i.e. various slot machines, gaming machines etc. Above them is Beryl Guitars, a guitar and music shop, which has an online ordering service and also offers repairs and instruction.

One of Kidderminster's older public houses, The Red Man is in Blackwell Street on the edge of the town centre. This street has been split into two parts by Kidderminster's "ring road". This pub is in the more salubrious half of the street. At one time this pub was known as "The Fortunes of War". Update: This public house was acquired by the Birmingham brewery Davenports and is due to re-open on the 15th December 2022. It has also been renamed The Post House, as Sir Rowland Hill, who reformed the postal service and introduced the first postage stamps in 1840, was a resident of Blackwell Street.

At one time this old pub was known as "The Fortunes of War". According to Bill Gwilliam in his book "Worcestershire's Hidden Past", its old sign had a soldier dressed in the red uniform of the Crimean War period but with only one leg. But on the other side was a soldier with a gold chain and medals and with both legs. There was a motto which said "The fortunes of War - I'll tell you plain; Is a wooden leg - or a golden chain." Today the sign is more conventional but the solder appears to be from an earlier period than that of the Crimean War.

One of Kidderminster's oldest pubs, which was at one time called "The Fortunes of War". Some people might feel its appearance has been rather spoilt by the large signs on this side of the building but at least it's easy to spot.

It claims to be Kidderminster's oldest pub; if so it is highly unlikely that it was originally called "Ye Olde" anything. Be that as it may, the pub is a popular town centre venue, re-opening in the summer of 2007 as a non-food pub. But unusually you may take your own food with you, or the pub will order it from a take-away for you. They even provide the plates etc and wash them for you afterwards. http://www.yeoldesevenstars.co.uk/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

This popular town centre pub is claimed to be the oldest pub in Kidderminster. It is promoted as a "bring your own grub pub". Unusually that's what you are encouraged to do as the pub doesn't provide meals. It has its own web site http://www.yeoldesevenstars.co.uk/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

The unit on the left was occupied by Tamsin's Bridal Boutique, but the business moved to Oxford Street in January 2015. Unit 2 is occupied by Pappa John's, a pizza takeaway which also offers a delivery service. A view from December 2008:- Image