Pub auctions final Banks's pump clips for charity
Terry ColeA pub which poured the final pint of a classic ale is offering people the chance to get their hands on a piece of the drink's history.
The Royal Oak pub in Chapel Ash, Wolverhampton, sold its final pint of Banks's Mild at the end of January, after Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company decided to cut a number of their beers.
Terry Cole, the pub's landlord, has decided to put his last three Banks's pump clips up for auction and raise money for a blood bike charity, Midlands Freewheelers.
"Lots of people were saying 'I want that', so I thought the fairest way to decide was a silent auction for our good friends", Mr Cole said.
The clips on offer are Banks's Mild, Banks's Sunbeam and Marston's Old Empire, which are three of the eleven beers affected.
The iconic pump clips had overseen the delivery of more than 100,000 pints over 18 years, Mr Cole added.
'A little bit of history'
The pub had also started selling the Banks's glasses to raise some extra cash for charity.
"It gives people the chance to have a little bit of history and own their own Banks's clip or glass", he said.
The pub had hoped to raise £200 for the charity, but bids have already reached nearly double that.
Lorraine Gough, chairperson of the charity, said the free service operates 24 hours a day and transports, blood, chemotherapy drugs, medication, breast milk and "anything they can transport safely" between hospitals on behalf of the NHS.
"We pass their pub regularly on the way to West Park Hospital, their customers continue to support us and Terry even works as a coordinator for the charity, taking calls from the hospitals and dispatching riders," Ms Gough added.
"It would be amazing to donate as much money as we can, they are a great bunch and it would help them massively," Mr Cole said.
He added that previous charity events hosted by the pub had raised enough money to buy the charity a new motorbike.
The auction ends on Saturday at 17:00 GMT.
Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.