Bostin' ideas suggested for a Black Country Day
Free pigs pudding, grey paes and bacon served up in every pub, a live concert and flags flying – here are just some of the ways Express & Star readers have suggested the region could celebrate all that is good about the Black Country.
The suggestions come after it was revealed a Black Country flag flew in front of a government office on a supposed Black Country Day – only no-one in the area knew anything about it.
Now, West Bromwich East MP Tom Watson has asked for opinions on whether the Black Country should have an annual celebration, like people in the north celebrate Yorkshire Day.
The day has been suggested as July 14 to coincide with the anniversary of the invention of the Newcomen Engine in 1712, the first steam engine in the world.
Video journalist Nicky Butler asked the people of Dudley about a possible Black Country Day:
But the Express & Star has been asking for suggestions of what we should celebrate.
Ideas have included music stars like Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant or Noddy Holder and Slade as well as beers and breweries such as Batham's, Holden's, Davenports or Banks's. Writing on the E&S Facebook page, Steve O'Brien said he'd want 'free pigs pudding, grey paes and bacon in every Banks's pub'.
Alan Stanfield agreed with serving up grey paes while adding another reason to celebrate would be 'seeing a great Black Country group, live'.
Members of the St John's Church Preservation Group said: "We have purchased our flag and will be flying it from next week.
"We missed the first annual Black Country day but won't let that happen again now we know there is such a thing."
The Black Country flag depicts a chain link on a black, white and red background and was designed last year as part of a competition. The winning entry was by Gracie Sheppard, from Redhill Primary School, in Stourbridge, and recalls the famous description of the Black Country by Elihu Burrit that it was 'black by day and red by night' owing to the smoke and fires of the region's industry.
It was flown on July 14 by local government secretary Eric Pickles at his office in London. Chris Kelly, Tory MP for Dudley South, was involved with the flag-raising event and said: "I'd like to see Black Country Day repeated next year.
"I think this, as the first celebration, was deliberately low key with the first flag unfurled above the Department for Local Communities and Government in Whitehall.
"Also, there was no need for substantial public expenditure in launching Black Country Day, with its new flag."
Leave your suggestions for a Black Country Day in the comments below:
