Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

[Wendy]

Well yes I'm 55 friday......ugh! But your memories are the same as mine I used to go to The Beer Keller, Bogarts The Tavern. How would we have managed without "trevira" I had pink suede knee high platform boots and hot pants:shocked: with pink flowery see through earings to match. I will have to look for a photo.

 

[Dianne]

My most memorable outfit in those days was a yellow Baby doll dress worn with 4" platform shoes , I remember going to the top rank in them and all the other girls were admiring my shoes , came out the Rank at 2am , fell over and sprained my ankle, the doorman knew my dad and gave me a lift home, I was terrified that dad would tell me off for having slightly too much to drink but all dad said was "I told you - them shoes are too high" - never mind that my dress barely covered my legs , I was the worse for drink , and he was the one
who had to take me to the hospital to check my ankle out. Next day he gave me a lecture - not on wearing platform shoes but NOT to mix my drinks !!!

Happy days !

 

[beresford]

2 more forgotten clubs

anyone remember the castaways in bradford street or the Mayfair just above new street station area -- friend of mine ran the bars there and we saw and met the Beachboys there .

also worked for 2 1/2 years at the Mullberry Bush --not a club but a great pub at week ends -- a sad sad loss

 

[Dianne]

Hi Beresford,

Yes I remember the Castways but only went there once or twice, I remember the Mayfair Suite - used to go there regularly on a Sunday Night.


Dianne

 

[Dianne]

Tower Ballroom

Hi everyone,

A friend of mine has just told me that the Tower is re-opening its doors beginning of April , some good bands are on, Soul Survivors, Drifters (tribute) band and plenty others.

So ya all need to get your glitter out and your platform shoes out the closet ---the Ladies can dress up as well

 

[Mossy]

O M G The Tower plenty of wall flowers there lol

 

[Astonian]

TowerBallroom

MossyWas Right There Was PlentyOf Wall Flowers There When I Used
To Go There ,I Missed The Radio Interview When It Was On
I Only Found Out When My Lovely Sister In=law Told Me That It Was On
The Radio , Doe,s Any-body Know Whom The Backers Are ,?,
I,m Told It,s A Irish Consortam , And If It Is Whom I Think It Is
It Will Be Very Much Alive In One WayOr Another , Still Its Good News
I Have Got Alot Of Good Memories Of The Tower I Met Alot Of Nice Dooly Birds And Pulled Roll On April
Happy Easter Every -Body And Have A Nice Day ,
Best Wishes ASTONIAN ,;;;;;

 

[Dianne]

Hi Astonian,

I believe it an Irish Consurtium who have re-opened the tower, they own a couple/few bars in C. Centre and story goes they spent a couple of million into the revamp of the tower - probably exaggerated but then who knows !!

Anyroad up - I for one will be up there when Soul Survivors are on

 

[phillcotterill]

night clubs

I remember the opposite lock in gas st.

I met a girl in there once who only drank soda water...and that was free from a syphon off the bar.

Sadly we only met up once after that.

Also remember the night and day which i think was at 5 ways.

Who remembers the hen and chickens on wolverhampton road? Not really a night club but they did have a disco on a thursday night on till about 12 midnight. Good old days..sadly its a chinese restaurant now !!

Phill

 

[phillcotterill]

Well yes I'm 55 friday......ugh! But your memories are the same as mine I used to go to The Beer Keller, Bogarts The Tavern. How would we have managed without "trevira" I had pink suede knee high platform boots and hot pants:shocked: with pink flowery see through earings to match. I will have to look for a photo.

Hi Wendy
If thats the Beer keller in Needless alley i was a barman there for about 3 years

Phill

 

[Wendy]

Phil. Yes it was a brilliant night out you may have served my friends and I. The only problem I had is I didn't like beer!

 

[polly kettle]

Night clubs in birmingham

my favourite club was the Rum Runner I had a gold pass for it.My boy friend was abutcher at Walter Smiths in the bull ring .His mates all worked onthe fish or meat stalls and the girls would meet them after work in one of the pubs.Needless to say at the end of the night the smell of the meat and fish on their trousers was quite strong..When we,d had enough of the club we,d go for a curry at the Manzel in Digbeth and sometimes a punch up at the taxi rank.oh those were the days .

 

[phillcotterill]

Wendy
Ha trust you to go to a beer keller then...
I was there twice actually once to save to get married and then again to save to get divorced.

Still the atmosphere was good.
Phill

 

[Wendy]

I see the Tower Ballroom re opened tonight.

 

[Dolphie]

I've just re-read the whole of this thread & its brought back sooooooo many memories. I wasn't a great one for 'clubbing' (too strict a father & mother!) but I do remember many of the ones named here, Bloomers, Beer Keller etc (& the Custard House postie!!) & of course the Gary Owen Club which was just down the bottom of our street (think I mentioned somewhere else I was never allowed near that place for fear of being 'eaten alive' as my mother said).
When I was about 15 or 16, we used to go to the Rio at Yardley which was an absolute dive but wonderful at the same time!!
I think I'm about the same age as you Dianne.

 

[Jayell]

I'll bet there's not many of you remember dancing The Creep at the Tower Ballroom

 

[Catkin]

Hello Judy, i've never had a creep but i have met quite a few...Cat

 

[Jayell]

There's no answer to that Cat :grinsmile:

 

[Bardolph]

Colin nice to see you posting again, I'm pretty sure the La Dolce Vita was opposite the Locarno, perhaps someone can confirm.

Er, yes. The Dolce Vita was indeed facing the Locarno. When it first opened it had a seperate casino on the ground floor, and the only place you could play craps (American dice).

 

[Bardolph]

My mistake - The Firebird was in Carrs Lane - I have just found a card for it. I wonder if the Firebird became the Stagedoor as it was in the same area. There were lots of coffee bars and clubs in firetrap cellars which would never be allowed today would they?

No Firebird was in Carrs Lane, the Stagedoor was in the next road.

 

[Astonian]

HI THERE BARDOLPH
You Are Right The Fire bird Was IN Carrs Lane
And The Stage Door Was In The Next Little Street To It
It Was An Little Narrow Road I Cannot Recall The Excact Name Of The Passage ,In Fact It Was A Passage Through That Took You Through TO And Down To New Cannal St And Bordesly Street In My Latter Part Of My Life I Use To Go There With A Band After Dark And Discuss Music
A Band Called The Solinights , We Would Disguss Giggs
Eric Burden n ,And His Cousin Used To Go Out Spencer Davies ,When Playing At The Kings Head ,Bear wood Tony IOMIE Spent Many An Hour Drinking
Coffee Also Steven Duffy , [ Alias Tin, Tin Duffy ] Still Doing The London
Cuircuit In The Clubs, But Prior To That In My Boy Hood Days I Used To Walk
Grand Parents Dog UpAnd Down There And Back To New Cannal St, Every Sunday When I Visted Them AT The All Night Transport Coffee Shop
For Lorry Driver And The Cattle Lorry Drivers Deliverying Cattlle
To The Hide And Skin Yard Next Door To Be Slaughtered ,
My Grand Parents Was Ernest Jelf And Bertha Victoria Hinton , And They
Kept A Big White Dog With A Big Patch Over HIS Eye ,And His Name Was
Butch,A Powerful Dog , But Getting Back To The Fire Bird You Are Right ,
Have A Nice Day And Keep Safe , Best Wishes ASTONIAN ,''''

 

[Phil]

Colin nice to see you posting again, I'm pretty sure the La Dolce Vita was opposite the Locarno, perhaps someone can confirm.

Er, yes. The Dolce Vita was indeed facing the Locarno. When it first opened it had a seperate casino on the ground floor, and the only place you could play craps (American dice).

The Entrance to La Dolce Vita was on the Smallbrook Ringway in the subway on the corner of Hurst St, quite close to the Locarno. I had many a happy night there and saw many world famous entertainers. I think Birmingham is in sad need of such a place again for us oldies.

pmc1947

 

[bibb27]

quote=mazbeth;8903]Anyone got any memories and information aboutBrum, from any time last century?

Some names of ones that I remember and went to...

Samanthas (was over Silver Blades ice skating rink in Hurst? St)

Pollyannas (Newhall? St.)

The Locarno (definitely Hurst St. with the Bali Hai one at the back)
I remember this band..
John Kerton fronted the successful U.K. function band Red Sun who were the resident band at the Birmingham Locarno for eight years. https://www.brumbeat.net/andicaps.htm

Just found this out
The Tower Ballroom closes its doors at the end of 2005 after more than 50 years https://www.saga.co.uk/1057fm/pages/lisEvent.asp?id=5373
went there once...

Snobs (didn't like that one much)

There was one in the same road where Bingley Hall was (can't remember what it was called..brain's not working too good lately.‚.. ) saw Herbie Hancock there...and Deaf School, and AC/DC (not my choice...just a crowd I was with at the time)

Any more? ...or any memories?.‚.. [/quote]
the tower ballroom hes now back open

 

[Wendy]

The club above Silver Blades was also The Heart Beat before it became Samantha's.

 

[Dianne]

Hi everyone,

Tower re-opened its doors only a couple of weeks ago, I didn't go cos I can't boogie with a pair of crutches supporting one leg,, and lets face it .. you can only go to the Tower if you are prepared to boogie and disco dance !!!! However three of my "friends" (and I now use the word "friends" rather loosley) went there without me :cry::cry: and had a brill time, ... they went there again weekend gone and had another brill time :redface::redface::redface:... but they have now taken pity on me and I have been cordially invited to see .... the one and only...... Soul Survivors on Friday Night .. I cannot wait,,,, I am 52 yrs going on 18years all over again,,,, I am even going to put some glitter on my plastered ankle/leg, so If any of you go on Friday 25th April look out for me .... I will be the one propping up the bar (literally !!)

Dianne

 

[Joanio]

I remember going to a club called the Castaways, I think it was in Bradford Street, or somewhere in Digbeth and spent many happy evenings in King's in Hamstead, chicken and chips in a basket, live entertainment for just a few quid.

 

[PattiW]

Hi there.

You mention The Siver Blades Ice Rink. There was a club near there called The Heartbeat. You had to have a card with a passport photo in to get in there.

Round the corner from there - I don't remember the name of the street - around 1965 there was a little place club/coffee bar called The Grotto. I think it was near a pub called the Market Inn??? and there was a cafe maybe called the Midland Cafe?? - real greasy spoon. The club/coffee bar had folk one night, jazz another and rock bands on another night. The music was in a basement - we liked to think it was a bit like the Cavern but was probably nothing like it. It was owned/run by two dubious characters called, if I remember rightly, Gary and Gerry - one was big and fat the other was skinny. This place attracted some interesting characters. My friends and I thought it was really cool and we thought we were really cool but on reflection I don't think we were!! Preferred drink of the time was 'rough and black'.

Anyone remember it?

 

[J Edwards]

One of the first clubs was the Moat House in Moat row owned by the 'Banana King' Robbie Pryke

 

[Jayell]

I remember going to the Moat House Club in the early 1960's - probably 1960/62. We used to go on to there sometimes from the Tudor Bar in the Locarno. Lots of footballers used the Moat House, both Aston Villa and Birmingham City, but I can't remember the layout much. I think it was upstairs.

The first club I remember going to was the Bermuda in Navigation Street - again this was probably about 1960ish... Judy

 

[WestMidlandsPoliceMuseum]

Dont forget the Castaways at the bottom of Bradford Street.
The cast of Crossroads The original yoused to reherse there.

Then there was the Dolls Club in Camp Hill but that is another story!!!!