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Blackwell Street, KIDDERMINSTER, DY10 2EL

This street to the north of the town centre, outside the Ringway, looks somewhat run down but does have Mr Tee Records, a mecca for any collector of vinyl records.

A few weeks ago this popular local pub was repainted. It is a great improvement to how it looked when photographed six months earlier Image, though the dull weather on New Year's Day does not do it full justice.

One of the dozens of public houses still surviving in Kidderminster, the Old Peacock looks out onto Horsefair but has side frontages to Blackwell Street and Dudley Street. This area generally is currently quite run-down with many boarded up buildings. Though definitely not a tourist area, the pub continues to attract a local following. It has had its moments having been closed down in 2004, following a series of incidents, including a fight involving 30 people. But the pub was allowed to re-open following a change of licensee. The building itself, though badly needing a repaint of the exterior, is quite attractive and dates from the late 18th century. It is notable for its castellated parapet & the frosted glass gas lamps on each side of the main entrance door. Apparently it was at one time used as a post office. Currently the pub is applying to turn part of its yard into a smoking area. It seems this project could involve some exterior redecoration. These steps should help secure the pub's future.

Tucked away in what is now a back street, in the Horsefair area of Kidderminster, is this Kwik-Fit centre which replaces tyres, exhausts, brakes etc. It is also a MOT test centre.

The roads on the left and in the immediate foreground are two of the three sides of Horsefair Image The closed public convenience can be seen in the foreground and behind are a row of closed and boarded up shops etc. The street ahead in the distance is Churchfields, which has a lot of industrial premises fronting it; many still in use. The road going off to the right is Broad Street, which is partly industrial then residential.

Horsefair (sometimes spelt Horse Fair) is a triangular area of three roads with some waste land in the middle. The latter currently consists of a closed public convenience, a car parking area and the bus stop and shelter visible in this view. The name indicates that long ago this is the area horse fairs were held in. Today the area is very run down but is being regenerated, although not at a very fast pace. The large three storey building in this view is home to "Bargain Booze" which is an off-licence and a convenience store. The post office on the left is accessed through the store and officially has the address 29/30 Horsefair. It was spared in the recent round of closures.

The three sides of Horsefair can be glimpsed in this view, giving some idea of how run down this part of Kidderminster has become. The car on the left is passing the post office and Bargain Booze Image In the far distance the whitish building is The Old Peacock pub Image The redbrick buildings in the middle and the closed public convenience in front of them seem likely to be demolished. On the right are new three storey residential units but immediately next to these are abandoned residences and a closed fish and chip shop Image

Much of this building looks in rather a sad state, although at least part of it is still occupied. The shopfront on the corner of Churchfields has not been used as a shop for some years.