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Piccadilly Arcade (once Cinema)

Great photo Stich, would I be correct that the building on the right is the "Piccadilly Arcade"entrance and that they are advertising the New Cinema to be built on New St. was it the Forum? Looks like you needed your Welles on in those days. Keep it going very interesting and enjoyable.
 
Hello Bob, my thoughts about the cinema are similar to your own, but we need Mike or Lloyd or someone else with the maps and relevant data will know for certain.
 
My official history of the ABC Cinema circuit, published by the British Film Institute, marks the exact site of the Forum on top of what was originally the Regent Hall of the Masonic Society. That was converted in the 1929/1930 period and was located with a street corner (Ethel Street) on the LEFT when looking at it straight on from New Street.
 
I would not know Viv and it seems that those who do are not with us today.
 
It does now ask the Question's where was the cinema built inside or alongside and entered via the Arcade? What was the cinema called?
 
Yeah the Pickadilly Arcade was a cinema at one time and the old masonic building next to Ethel St. was remodelled to use as the Forum. It's funny but I never knew about either of these cinemas from forties onward and this is all news to me. I think the entrance to the Arcade was the entrance to the cinema. Maybe when you went downtown there was so much to see that you missed half of it.
 
Thanks for the link Jennyann.

Yes Rupert think the entrance was from New Street, as the arcade slopes down in line with the cinema layout. So the screen would have been at the Stephenson Street end. Surely this must be unique in itself, that a cinema was converted into a shopping arcade? Viv.

The 'back end' on Stephenson Street.

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Tha arcade was built through the cinema, effectively following the centre of the auditorium down towards the screen. I don't know if there was an entrance from Stephenson St when it was a cinema, but it is possible.
 
Thank you Lloyd and the rest who did a bit for sorting that out.
 
These pictures show the interior and exterior of The Piccadilly cinema.Moss
 

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These two pics today
 

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Please don't forget Rex Williams in the 60's had a snooker hall below New St ground level , it housed about 20 full sized tables , commonly known in those days by us boys around town "the ball hall"
 
I remember in the 60's there was a shop there on the left hand side as you approached from New St . It was a class shop it dealt in leather and suede, jackets coats etc , the man who appeared to be in charge very smart he had suit tie the lot. There was also a female there ,I couldn't say if there was a relationship between the two . One Thursday night after getting paid my mate went in to get a leather overcoat it was a maroon in colour , anyway this young lady sitting awkwardly on the chair fell apex over elbow onto the floor. The man in charge didn't look amused , me and my mate kept a straight face and carried on business. I'm sure Bob on here will remember that shop
 
Was it Fredericks Sartorial Outfitters? Though that was before the 60's. I also used the Piccadilly Snooker Club on occasion with a mate of mine called Steve only he was a bit of a hustler so we didn't go in there all that often.
 
Phil I cannot for the life of me remember it's name. I know that about six months later somebody broke the front window. Looking at the window before it was replaced , I think an automatic centre punch was used . Did you ever see that poser of a bloke called Perry , he was Asian always wore light coloured suits
 
No I can't say I recall the chap you mention but there again it's a long time since then and a lot of water has passed under the bridge in that time. I only mention Fredericks because I think that for most of the 60's the first shop on that side of the arcade was a travel agents.
 
Phil this shop was about three quarters of the way down on the left hand side from New St, possibly two more shops then the steps down to the ball hall
 
If that shop was known as 'Piccadilly Boutique', then i bought my satin shirts from there around 1966.

The assistant/manager/owner?, told me that his was the only shop in Birmingham where you could buy them
and that he had sourced them in London.

Not even Nelson House had got them at that time.
 
Badpenny I'm sure you're right there , do you remember the bloke fairish hair but very thin on top. The woman all legs miniskirt . I'm sure he thought she was a bit of a dope . Thanks for that
 
Williamstreeter,

This is why I'm a little mixed up I thought you were talking about the first shop on the left of the arcade that fronted New Street. I had a look in the trade directory and in 1964 number 11 in the arcade was the Piccadilly Mens Boutique. By the way Badpenny in 1964 I bought a black satin effect shirt from M & J's on Ladypool Road and later in the same year I bought a purple one from Nelson House Dale End I think the purple one also had a frilled fron't.
 
Phil said:
Williamstreeter,

This is why I'm a little mixed up I thought you were talking about the first shop on the left of the arcade that fronted New Street. I had a look in the trade directory and in 1964 number 11 in the arcade was the Piccadilly Mens Boutique. By the way Badpenny in 1964 I bought a black satin effect shirt from M & J's on Ladypool Road and later in the same year I bought a purple one from Nelson House Dale End I think the purple one also had a frilled fron't.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the confusion Phil
 
Saw these coat of arms in the Piccadilly Arcade on Sunday afternoon. Warwickshire and Birmingham - Forward, near the Stephenson Street exit / entrance.



Birmingham close up



Warwickshire close up



Must pre-date Birmingham leaving Warwickshire when the West Midlands county was set up.
 
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