City Centre pubs

[Godber]

If I drank “Up Town” as it were, it was usually after work on my way home. I worked in Hockley and later Digbeth so they tended to be pubs I passed on the way to getting a bus in the city centre. Some of these I only visited once and others fairly regularly. I recall the Brown Derby on Colmore Circus, Sara Moons and also The Costermonger in Dale End, and in Digbeth The Bull Ring Tavern (I thought my beer was so bad I couldn’t finish it) The Barrel Organ, The Fox and Grapes, the Spotted Dog on New Canal Street, The Old Wharf (lovely Banks’s Mild there), Billy’s Bar, The Forge Tavern and a pub whos name escapes me but is now called The Ruin on the corner of Floodgate Street and Little Ann Street. I used to love some of those old Digbeth pubs.

 

[Time Traveller 66]

If I drank “Up Town” as it were, it was usually after work on my way home. I worked in Hockley and later Digbeth so they tended to be pubs I passed on the way to getting a bus in the city centre. Some of these I only visited once and others fairly regularly. I recall the Brown Derby on Colmore Circus, Sara Moons and also The Costermonger in Dale End, and in Digbeth The Bull Ring Tavern (I thought my beer was so bad I couldn’t finish it) The Barrel Organ, The Fox and Grapes, the Spotted Dog on New Canal Street, The Old Wharf (lovely Banks’s Mild there), Billy’s Bar, The Forge Tavern and a pub whos name escapes me but is now called The Ruin on the corner of Floodgate Street and Little Ann Street. I used to love some of those old Digbeth pubs.

Happy times popping in for a pint or wo on the way home .

 

[brondrange]

Haven't seen this photograph before of The Ship Ashore. It became The Outrigger, anyone know when and the reason for the name change? Those stairs kept going up and up...

Used to be a part-time barman for a short time there in the seventies, with my more experienced part-time bar maid and girl friend, later wife. She was upstairs in the cocktail bar, I was just drawing pints in the down below bar.

 

[brondrange]

The Post Office Vaults, which the last time I was in Brum was a great real ale pub was around under another name when I frequented the city centre in the late 60s/early 70s. Layout wise it was still exactly the same, a classic "cellar pub". I just can't remember what it was called back in the day.

The pub used by many, many Post Office staff (including my father-in-law) was situated at the rear of the GPO on Hill St/Paradise St, the 'Golden Eagle', and partially sat over the nuclear war shelters/bunker complex which is located well below this area and for the use of surviving designated admin staff.

 

[JohnJames]

The pub used by many, many Post Office staff (including my father-in-law) was situated at the rear of the GPO on Hill St/Paradise St, the 'Golden Eagle', and partially sat over the nuclear war shelters/bunker complex which is located well below this area and for the use of surviving designated admin staff.View attachment 187283

I got to know this pub as a friend worked in the sorting office opposite. I'm amazed at what you say about a nuclear bunker underneath this area. I presume that it's still there but is sealed up?

 

[JohnJames]

If I drank “Up Town” as it were, it was usually after work on my way home. I worked in Hockley and later Digbeth so they tended to be pubs I passed on the way to getting a bus in the city centre. Some of these I only visited once and others fairly regularly. I recall the Brown Derby on Colmore Circus, Sara Moons and also The Costermonger in Dale End, and in Digbeth The Bull Ring Tavern (I thought my beer was so bad I couldn’t finish it) The Barrel Organ, The Fox and Grapes, the Spotted Dog on New Canal Street, The Old Wharf (lovely Banks’s Mild there), Billy’s Bar, The Forge Tavern and a pub whos name escapes me but is now called The Ruin on the corner of Floodgate Street and Little Ann Street. I used to love some of those old Digbeth pubs.

The Old Wharf brings back a few memories. Not exactly in town but we'll situated n a back street in Digneth. Often had a pint there when as a fifteen year old I and my mates wandered down from Small Heath. We were big for our age and were readily served. It seemed to be a local boozer then, although most of the area seemed to be made up of small factories. Every time I hear the song " Those were the days my friend" by

If I drank “Up Town” as it were, it was usually after work on my way home. I worked in Hockley and later Digbeth so they tended to be pubs I passed on the way to getting a bus in the city centre. Some of these I only visited once and others fairly regularly. I recall the Brown Derby on Colmore Circus, Sara Moons and also The Costermonger in Dale End, and in Digbeth The Bull Ring Tavern (I thought my beer was so bad I couldn’t finish it) The Barrel Organ, The Fox and Grapes, the Spotted Dog on New Canal Street, The Old Wharf (lovely Banks’s Mild there), Billy’s Bar, The Forge Tavern and a pub whos name escapes me but is now called The Ruin on the corner of Floodgate Street and Little Ann Street. I used to love some of those old Digbeth pubs.

I often drank in the Old Wharf. My mates and I came down from Small Heath as fourteen and fifteen year olds, as they were happy to serve us. We were big lads, by the way! It seemed to be a local's pub despite being in the middle of an area that was all small factories. It had a great juke box. However, when we went there the song most played was Mary Hopkin's "Those were the days my friends" There was some reggae and soul on the jukebox which cost us a few shillings. Locals didn't always approve.

 

[Time Traveller 66]

Used to be a part-time barman for a short time there in the seventies, with my more experienced part-time bar maid and girl friend, later wife. She was upstairs in the cocktail bar, I was just drawing pints in the down below bar.

Remember the Outrigger because of the Ship on the outside never went in though. Drank in the Cabin and the Boat a couple of times. Drank in the Railway Curzon Street and a couple of other pubs within a few hundred yards of each other i will have to jog my memory..

 

[Godber]

I got to know this pub as a friend worked in the sorting office opposite. I'm amazed at what you say about a nuclear bunker underneath this area. I presume that it's still there but is sealed up?If you search “Birmingham Anchor Exchange“ online you can find out more. I believe there were a handful of hardened

If you search “Birmingham Anchor Exchange“ online you can find out more. I believe it was one of a handful of hardened telephone exchanges built across Britain at the dawn of the Atomic Age but later more powerful weapons rendered them too vulnerable. It makes you wonder what other unknown, secret things lie below our towns, cities and countryside.

 

[brondrange]

I got to know this pub as a friend worked in the sorting office opposite. I'm amazed at what you say about a nuclear bunker underneath this area. I presume that it's still there but is sealed up?

Regarding the complex sitated under the GPO etc, this was related to me by my late uncle who was a sub-officer at Birmingham Central Fire Station, and he and other fire officers inspected and 'signed-off' the installed pipework and fire control etc required. Unfortunately I cannot expand on these conversations with my uncle, who died in 2017, as there was a big falling out at my mothers funeral (1983) and much of the large family did not, and do not, and cannot communicate, so any expansion on this from him or them is sadly gone. I'm sure that others will have knowledge regarding the installation.