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Mecca Ballrooms/Mayfair Suite

I have an odd memory of the Mayfair Suite as I sat a Civil Service exam in there during the daytime.

The ballroom wasn't the best of places for an exam - the lighting was quite dim even when the lights were full on and there were no windows, obviously.

The worst thing about it was a phone somewhere that was frequently and continuously ringing with no one to answer it!
Despite all that, I did manage to pass.
 
I used to go to the Mayfair suite every Saturday night in the 70s .. Irish night was so much fun. I saw the Miami Showband there before they were killed in Ireland . My favourite's were the Indians. Its a real pity the Mayfair closed down.
 
As a professional Musician I was playing in the band (Ramble Tamble), at the Locarno on the night of the Birmingham bombing. That night the Locarno was packed out. The following night we played to an almost empty dance floor. Very sad for everyone.
 
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Thank you for theses. Re The Mayfair, there are two photos, are they two separate entrances to the same place? The one on the bridge link is very familiar but not the other one. Cheers.
 
After the Argentine v West Germany world cup match at Villa Park 1966 went into the Casino in the Mayfair suite and virtually the whole Argentine team were playing the tables
 
Hi everyone

A friend of mine and I are actually currently working on an art project for Friction Arts about the area, talking to and recording people who have interesting memories of buildings in the Bullring and markets area that are no longer there and hopefully creating a kind of walking tour out of it.

If anyone would be interested in sharing memories of the mayfair suite in person, however crazy, wierd or blue, please let me know. Beverage on us!

Thanks all!
Ben
 
Currently researching locations in early 1970s Birmingham for my new crime novel set in that period. I'm especially interested in memories of the Kinetic Circus that used to happen in the Mayfair suite. I'm trying to recall access points and layout. it was close to New street station but I'm sure it also used the bridge over the old Queensway. Google not too helpful at present. Any memories or guidance gratefully received. I currently live in North Yorkshire but I saw most of the gigs put on there - Johnny Winter, Zeppelin, Mountain, Faces, Hawkwind, Uriah Keep etc.
 
I only went in the Mayfair Suite once - to do an exam as I mentioned earlier in the thread!

As far as I can remember, it was accessed by a staircase from the outside area under the start of the bridge, just round the corner from New Street station. I just had a look on google maps and it's changed round there now - TK Max has absorbed all the outside access of the bridge link.

I can still picture the main room but I can't remember any other areas, where the bar was etc.
 
I only went in the Mayfair Suite once - to do an exam as I mentioned earlier in the thread!

As far as I can remember, it was accessed by a staircase from the outside area under the start of the bridge, just round the corner from New Street station. I just had a look on google maps and it's changed round there now - TK Max has absorbed all the outside access of the bridge link.

I can still picture the main room but I can't remember any other areas, where the bar was etc.
Ah, TK Max, my wife could live in those stores! Sorry off toppic.
 
thanks for the reply. yes, I think I recall the entrance close to New Street station ramp but am sure there was also access via the covered walkway from the old midland red bus depot. although the book is fiction, I want to try to capture the sense of the place. As I said, as an 18 year old hippie from Erdington I was hazy when attending the gigs at the best of times. trying to look back from fifty years later it gets conflated with other spaces. also trying to think of the name of the old late night cafe that was under the underpass close to Henry's - seem to think it was something garden (China??) but can't find any confirmation anywhere.
 
Yes, there was a Chinese restaurant called the China Garden - it's mentioned on this old thread...

Did you mean Henry's Blues House aka The Crown?
 
Sorry, should have been clearer. I meant the old department store, Henrys that used to be on the corner of union street and corporation street opposite Oasis. I think its now used by the civil courts. there was a small almost circular underpass with a door into Henrys and a small newspaper and cigarette kiosk in the centre. there was a cafe there too that stayed open late nights which is the one I'm thinking of. BTW was a regular at Henry's blusehouse at the Old Crown. actually saw the early Who there as well as a few other bands like the early Ten Years After and a version of John Mayall's blues breakers . Mayall was regular in Brum at Mothers' in Erdington and the Metro under Snow Hill arches. Memories....
 
Sorry, should have been clearer. I meant the old department store, Henrys that used to be on the corner of union street and corporation street opposite Oasis. I think its now used by the civil courts. there was a small almost circular underpass with a door into Henrys and a small newspaper and cigarette kiosk in the centre. there was a cafe there too that stayed open late nights which is the one I'm thinking of. BTW was a regular at Henry's blusehouse at the Old Crown. actually saw the early Who there as well as a few other bands like the early Ten Years After and a version of John Mayall's blues breakers . Mayall was regular in Brum at Mothers' in Erdington and the Metro under Snow Hill arches. Memories...
The Oasis was a great place to go with the coffee bar inside.
Unfortunately, Mother's was closed by the time I looked old enuf to get in.
 
The Oasis was a great place to go with the coffee bar inside.
Unfortunately, Mother's was closed by the time I looked old enuf to get in.
I have stumbled onto this thread by pure luck. I managed to see John Mayall twice at Mother's. I paid 2shillings and 6pence to see Jethro Tull there.
In much later years I saw Rory Gallagher and Nazareth at Kinetic Circus.
Henry's Blues House was a starting point for many a good band but best of all was the Railway in Curzon Street. Bliss.
 
Currently researching locations in early 1970s Birmingham for my new crime novel set in that period. I'm especially interested in memories of the Kinetic Circus that used to happen in the Mayfair suite. I'm trying to recall access points and layout. it was close to New street station but I'm sure it also used the bridge over the old Queensway. Google not too helpful at present. Any memories or guidance gratefully received. I currently live in North Yorkshire but I saw most of the gigs put on there - Johnny Winter, Zeppelin, Mountain, Faces, Hawkwind, Uriah Keep etc.
Yes you are right about your information. I used the bridge over the walkway about to thirds down from the old palisade shops as they were called then, then at the other end it was the old bullring indoor shops with escalators going down. Yes I saw black sabbath, hawkwind, Uriah heep, ( you must have seen the their tribute band Uriah keep, only joking) we must have been at the same gigs for heep and hawk wind or were they on the same show. I also saw canned heat and atomic rooster as well. it is now fronted by shops now
but I think the space behind is still there but only a few of us oldies know that. What great times indeed.
 
I only went in the Mayfair Suite once - to do an exam as I mentioned earlier in the thread!

As far as I can remember, it was accessed by a staircase from the outside area under the start of the bridge, just round the corner from New Street station. I just had a look on google maps and it's changed round there now - TK Max has absorbed all the outside access of the bridge link.

I can still picture the main room but I can't remember any other areas, where the bar was etc.
That's a change , if that was me I'd remember where the bar was and forget everywhere else
 
Yes you are right about your information. I used the bridge over the walkway about to thirds down from the old palisade shops as they were called then, then at the other end it was the old bullring indoor shops with escalators going down. Yes I saw black sabbath, hawkwind, Uriah heep, ( you must have seen the their tribute band Uriah keep, only joking) we must have been at the same gigs for heep and hawk wind or were they on the same show. I also saw canned heat and atomic rooster as well. it is now fronted by shops now
but I think the space behind is still there but only a few of us oldies know that. What great times indeed.
This is entrance from the walkway.
 

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