As the home of Branston Pickle, Marmite, and Bovril, Burton-on-Trent is the greatest town in the UK

Many are oblivious to the existence of the Staffordshire town, Burton-on-Trent. When you tell someone you’re from there, you’ll constantly be explaining how you live “in-between Birmingham and Derby”. However, most people don’t realise how understated and unique Burton is…

The Marmite on your toast

Whether you love it or hate it, Marmite originates from Burton; along with Bass Beer, Branston Pickle and Bovril. A number of famous individuals also originate from Burton or have been associated with the town, such as the actor Paddy Considine, DJ Nathan Dawe and Anna Passey (the one from Hollyoaks). For many of the locals the name ‘Meatball’ also rings a bell.

The lingo

There are many words circulating around Burton that only Burtonions really understand. If you say “don’t make that bait” or “I have a free yard”, to someone outside Burton you’ll probably get a weird look. “Mardy” (meaning moody or miserable) is another word which Burtonions and anyone around the Midlands frequently uses. We also call our bread rolls “cobs”, greet people with the phrase “ay up duck”, and don’t pronounce the letter ‘t’ so often end up saying “bu-ar” instead of butter.

Dirty Thursday

The infamous “Dirty Thurs” is the highlight of a Burtonions week; pre-drinks at Lord Burton’s, followed by the free entry club Association (referred to as Assosh by the locals) and ending with a burger from the Splash Van – you can’t go wrong. You may even be lucky enough to make it to Branston Maccies. Either way, you’ll probably end up with about five key rings from 43 Taxi’s.

The area’s where you ‘played out’ as kids

Whether it was the Rec, Lane, or Toad Hole, you knew you were going to have a good time. After school in the week everyone “played out”. If you lived on Regents Park you’d know of all the good places to go such as Thornscroft and Pershore Park; the talk of the town was when the police once had to rush here after a fight broke out between some year sevens. When out, you’d never bother going home for tea, but instead end up going to Jacksons for their three-for-two sweets or Morrison’s for one of their classic salads and some Rainbow Drops.

Sweet Retreat

When you and your mates are hungry but you’ve already had dinner, Sweet Retreat is the place to be. A favourite amongst many, the cookie dough and ice cream there is definitely the best. You can even buy a Rubicon to wash it all down.

Hidden gems

The Riverside Restaurant and Hotel is one of Burton’s hidden gems, situated on the riverbank amongst miles of natural scenery. It’s a favourite amongst many Branston folk. Dog walkers often walk along the fields and stop for a drink at the Riverside, whilst the youngsters often use the carpark for a car meet up.

Branston Water Park, Stapenhill Gardens and Rosliston Forestry Centre are also some of Burton’s best areas. The huge white Swan statue and colourful flowerbeds are iconic sights as you cross the Tesc’ bridge into Stapenhill.

It has one of the most ugly train stations

Burton train station may have been dubbed as one of the ugliest, however, it is great for getting us Burtonions from A to B. There are direct trains to Birmingham and Nottingham which take half an hour, and there’s even a direct train to Cardiff. However, it’s easy to get confused about your stop when you reach Burton station, the big National Forest sign causes many people to miss their stop.

Spotted Burton

Whether you care about someone’s Corsa being scratched at ASDA or not, the Facebook page Spotted Burton is an essential page every Burtonion reads. We seem to use this as a search engine, asking questions on it like “does anyone know of good dentist in Burton?” However, this page can prove particularly useful at times when the latest traffic updates are shown and people create awareness of any crimes or drama which has occurred.

Football

After years of being in the Blue Square Premiership and finally working their way up, Burton Albion Football Club are currently in the Championship league. It’s amazing to see our local players now playing against the likes of Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge. The official England training ground, St George’s Park is also located in Burton. Due to this, famous footballers spend a lot of time around the area.

So, why don’t you give Burton a visit? You might even bump into a Premiership footballer.