I visit hidden gem Dudley neighbourhood full of community spirit and leafy spaces

The borough of Dudley has grown steadily over the years, building up estates and new areas of the borough on former areas of industry.

This has seen plenty of new-build communities around formerly isolated areas of land set near established and historic towns like Sedgley, bringing more people into the area and building the population of the borough.

One of the areas which has emerged over the last 50 years of building has been Milking Bank, a residential area built up in 1984 with the construction of new houses in an isolated area more than a mile to the west of Dudley town centre.

The new build, which is near the border with Sedgley and Gornalwood, used for grazing and dairy farming, but had laid dormant for years before becoming Milking Bank, with the name originating from a mid-19th century historical meadow and pasture field in the West Midlands.

A drive down Dibdale Road takes you into the centre of Milking Bank, with a shop sitting opposite the Meadowlark Pub, a popular setting for people to meet and share a drink and meal.

Take a step off the road, however, and you’ll find plenty of green and leafy areas, with lots of trees and pathways leading through parkland, as well as stunning views down towards Shropshire in one direction and towards Merry Hill in another.

One of the main parks is Milking Bank Park, which is ideally situated for recreation activities, with a wide selection of managed tarmac paths that lead down to a large pond, which is home to an abundance of wildlife, birds and bulrushes.

It’s an area which has drawn a faithful following of people who live there and people who visit it to see family or spend time in the Meadowlark Pub.

Amanda Warriner is assistant manager at the Meadowlark and said that she had grown very fond of the area because of the people and being in the vicinity of other parts of Dudley.

She said: “It’s a lovely area with lovely people, nicely built up and with lots of things to do, especially being near the zoo and shopping centres.

“It’s easily accessible because Wolverhampton train station isn’t far away, all the buses run down here and everything is on your doorstep.

“We do get a lot of regulars in here who live here and they say they love living here because everybody’s so friendly and everything is on your doorstep.”

Among those enjoying a drink and meal at the Meadowlark was Sandra Waterfield, with the 73-year-old saying she loved her neighbours.

She said: “It’s so friendly around here and everyone helps one another, so it’s a proper community.

“I moved here to live nearer my daughter because of my health and since I’ve moved here, I’ve really loved it because everyone is so nice.”

The friendliness of the community was something Tracey Thompson said she agreed with, as well as really nice views.

She said: “It’s got everything, from the views to the people and I think it’s really lovely for the kids.

“The schools are also really good and there’s some really nice parkland, plus we’re near to Merry Hill if you need to go shopping.”

Other people living in the area praised Milking Bank for the homely feeling around the community, with one woman saying she and her family had chosen to move down years ago because they had heard good things about the community.

She said: “Even the local school has that family feeling, as corny as it sounds, and I would say to people to try it as you won’t be disappointed because we’ve got lovely neighbours and it’s a great area that’s always looked after.”

For Mary and Bill Bates, the area was one that they enjoyed visiting, going to the Meadowlark regularly for a meal.

Bill, 86, said: “It’s got a nice atmosphere inside the pub and it’s always welcoming, plus I’ve lived in Dudley all my life and we enjoy spending our time down here.”

Mary, 88, said: “The meals in the pub are always really good and we find that it’s a really good and nice community around here, plus the views are really good.”