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Films About The Bull Ring

R

Richie

Mr.Respectable
Bull Ring on Film!

i take it we all know about the regular feature the Evening Mail is doing on its website about the history of the Bull Ring? And the videos on-line? 4 of 'em??

The link is a million miles long so this is how you do it:
www.birminghammail.net Go to the "Video and Pics" click-on bar on the top line. The remainder of the series are in the "more videos" section.
 
Re: Bull Ring on Film!

Richie said:
i take it we all know about the regular feature the Evening Mail is doing on its website about the history of the Bull Ring? And the videos on-line? 4 of 'em??

The link is a million miles long so this is how you do it:
www.birminghammail.net Go to the "Video and Pics" click-on bar on the top line. The remainder of the series are in the "more videos" section.
Click to expand...

If its not too late in the day to remind everyone, but BBC Radio 4 tonight at 11.30 pm is repeating the documentary about Telly Savalas and his phantom visit to the Bull Ring in the 1970's.
 
Film of the Bull Ring marker area in the early 1980,s, if you have any information as to what was going on in the film can you let me know, I think it was some sort of Drum in, in Brum, but they had to stop early as the drumming got on the stall holders nerves

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVT0w9vmA30"]YouTube - Birmingham Bull Ring in the Early 1980,s[/ame]
 
If you would like to see the Bull Ring Shopping Ceter from the Times Furniture store in the late 1970,s the please go to

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Pf-C9_iwbI"]YouTube - Bull Ring Shopping Center from the Roof of the Times Furniture Store in the late 1970,s[/ame]
 
Not bad but the horsencart copyright didn't help make it any better.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Ha,ha! I'm sure you have immense style and sophistication Phil. Funny how the photo is trying to portray very 'with it' 1960s young people, in the Bullring, jumping out of the MG outside the Mayfair Suite ..... but somehow looking back it all seems a bit ... well ..... naff I suppose! Of course we're so much more cultured and above all that now ..... mmmm. Viv.
Click to expand...
It is possible to feel a little nostalgic for the old place, after all you could buy buy everything...
[video=youtube;_7X5zdWK6zc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_7X5zdWK6zc[/video]
 
Another cracker!, wish we still had the custard yellow and blue buses..
[video=youtube;llKqIC9VLtQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llKqIC9VLtQ[/video]
 
Thanks Brumgum. What an absolutely dreadful advert !! But I agree, there's a sort of weird nostalgia for the place. I think when you've grown up with something it can become comfortable and nostalgic. Did wonder if they'd misspelt the slogan. Maybe it should have been 'bye bye ...' etc. Viv.
 
brumgum said:
Another cracker!, wish we still had the custard yellow and blue buses..
[video=youtube;llKqIC9VLtQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llKqIC9VLtQ[/video]
Click to expand...

Good one Brumgum. And with original Radio 1 music too. Thanks for posting. Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Thanks Brumgum. What an absolutely dreadful advert !! But I agree, there's a sort of weird nostalgia for the place. I think when you grown up with something it can become comfortable and nostalgic. Did wonder if they'd misspelt the slogan. Maybe it should have been 'bye bye ...' etc. Viv.
Click to expand...
Agree, i grew up with it and didn't know the old one. I was at the opening in 1964 as a young child when the queen came and can just remember snippets of the day.
 
1990 News report about the new Bullring and some history and great footage at the end..
[video=youtube;w46XpwoHa0A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w46XpwoHa0A[/video]
 
Great film thanks Brumgum - totally opposite to Viv and like you Brumgum the Bullring meant home to me - although I lived in Tamworth - the markets were full of people to watch and the sounds and smells of the markets were enthralling, even the fish market, as I went through to get the bus home from the bus station. St Martins I always found comforting and often went in there for a quiet thought if work had been tough. Funny how it means different things to different people, I think the new Bullring is completely soulless and a bit intimidating with the gangs that roam round in there.
Sue
 
Enjoyed the footage Brumgum. Thanks for posting. This shot from the clip showing the start of the Rotunda building is interesting to me as the very old buildings are still there alongside. These must have been those around the old Market Hall area perhaps? Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1369347877.385154.jpg
 
Vivienne14 said:
Enjoyed the footage Brumgum. Thanks for posting. This shot from the clip showing the start of the Rotunda building is interesting to me as the very old buildings are still there alongside. These must have been those around the old Market Hall area perhaps? Viv.

View attachment 86600
Click to expand...
I think those were the buildings on Worcester Street, anyway it's amazing what you can find on this interweb thingy, cop this with a British Pathe Film thrown in for good measure...
https://www.bullringindoormarket.net/history.html
 
Just trawled back through this thread and I think maybe the buildings alongside the rising new Rotunda from the clip might have been these buildings in the pictures posted earlier on here by David Fowler (post # 422) and Phil (post # 430). Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1369348877.996158.jpg
 
Interesting. Don't recall ever having seen this group of buildings in a photo/picture before. Here's another clip from the film but of a front-on view of the buildings, this time near the old Market Hall, itself soon to be demolished. Viv.ImageUploadedByTapatalk1369393562.459246.jpg
 
Not sure if this video is on here anywhere but be warned! it's nearly thirty minutes long....
[video=youtube;ltwzI-NzQF0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltwzI-NzQF0[/video]
 
Fascinating video, they do make it sound the place to go. Did if ever work like that? And how long was it planned to last for?
 
Excellent video Brumgum. Love it or hate it, it's a great insight into how the Bullring worked as a whole structure. Viv.
 
Many of the links no longer work on this thread so I've put together several below. Happy viewing! Viv.

Reposted some of the lost film links on this thread

"Opening of the new Bull Ring 1960s"

"Bull Ring Then & Now"

"1960s Bull Ring Part 1"

"1960s Bull Ring Part 2"


Promotional film of 1965 Bull Ring Shopping Centre
From British Film Institute collection

https://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-bull-ring-shopping-centre-1965/
 
I went to the Bull Ring one Sunday morning in 2000 with my (slow focusing) analogue video camera to capture the dismantling of the old market. I went again in 2001 and 2002 then added a news item at the end to make a complete video. I've now edited it down to 14 minutes.

 
Last edited:
Very grateful Banjo for posting this. An important record of another phase of Bull Ring history. For me it brought about various feelings and memories like:

Hiking up and down those ramps and pedestrian underpasses, usually rushing from one place to the next, but using the very familiar map in my head to negotiate the quickest route. If most of the route could be achieved without being out in the open, all the better.

Being sidetracked by the little stalls and shops in the underpasses, especially at Christmas. Added to his there was always something to grab your attention whether it was on the outside stalls, the indoor market or in Woolworths.

The crowds of shoppers, loaded with carrier bags sometimes making it difficult to get from A to B. I’m surprised at how busy it always seemed looking back.

A vivid memory is of the smell of food cooking on the air; chips usually. Sometimes the smell was vegetables going off on the ground from the open air stalls. For some reason I remember popcorn, but can’t put my finger on where that came from.

Getting onto one of the outdoor or undercover escalators and wishing some pedestrians would move over so that I could walk down it. Thinking how it would be better if they’d put steps in instead of escalators, less hindrances if you were a fast walker !

When I was young I thought the new (1960s) Bull Ring was the ‘future’ and was a very positive part of Birmingham as a city. I only vaguely remember the pre-1960s Bull Ring so in my mind growing up with the ‘modern’ Brum was a good phase. As a youngster in the 50s/60s to me the dirty, and old polluted Victorian buildings of the past seemed awful and often an eyesore in the City (sorry folks).

But as I got older I started to realise what a mess all this modern development had become, particularly as it aged. It then struck me that ‘town’ was turning into a cold and soulless place to work and shop in. The film has reminded me of all that.

So conflicting emotions for me having watched Banjo’s video. Thanks for posting it Banjo, it’s brought back many memories and feelings.

Viv
 
Last edited:
Vivienne14 said:
Very grateful Banjo for posting this. An important record of another phase of Bull Ring history. For me it brought about various feelings and memories like:

Hiking up and down those ramps and pedestrian underpasses, usually rushing from one place to the next, but using the very familiar map in my head to negotiate the quickest route. If most of the route could be achieved without being out in the open, all the better.

Being sidetracked by the little stalls and shops in the underpasses, especially at Christmas. Added to his there was always something to grab your attention whether it was on the outside stalls, the indoor market or in Woolworths.

The crowds of shoppers, loaded with carrier bags sometimes making it difficult to get from A to B. I’m surprised at how busy it always seemed looking back.

A vivid memory is of the smell of food cooking on the air; chips usually. Sometimes the smell was vegetables going off on the ground from the open air stalls. For some reason I remember popcorn, but can’t put my finger on where that came from.

Getting onto one of the outdoor or undercover escalators and wishing some pedestrians would move over so that I could walk down it. Thinking how it would be better if they’d put steps in instead of escalators, less hindrances if you were a fast walker !

When I was young I thought the new (1960s) Bull Ring was the ‘future’ and was a very positive part of Birmingham as a city. I only vaguely remember the pre-1960s Bull Ring so in my mind growing up Modern was good a good phase. As a youngster in the 50s/60s to me the dirty, and old polluted Victorian buildings of the past seemed awful and often an eyesore in the City (sorry folks).

But as I got older I started to realise what a mess all this modern development had become, particularly as it aged. It then struck me that ‘town’ was turning into a cold and soulless place to work and shop is. The film has reminded me of all that.

So conflicting emotions for me having watched Banjo’s video. Thanks for posting it Banjo, it’s brought back many memories and feelings.

Viv
Click to expand...
smashing memories viv... just my opinion but i agree with your comment about town now being cold and soulless..the new buildings bland and clinical looking also for me no atmosphere at all due to the lack of people around..viv you would have no problem at all now getting from a to b on foot...

lyn
 
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