• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Restaurants In Birmingham 1960s

The Tow Rope used to be open near enough 24 hrs a day and was often the haunt of the city's down and outs who would make a cup of tea last for many hours, so I believe. ::)
 
Colin - The Long Boat, is now the Flapper and Firkin.

It does indeed have a very dark room downstairs where I first went to see Mowglee play - the four lads from Handsworth, who have now released their second single
 
The Long Boat......... I spent most Friday evenings in there around the mid 70's. Great pub at the time, not sure what it's like now?
 
I remember Les's Cafe on Dollman Street too!!
Mum used to send me over sometimes for breakfast sandwiches etc.. Les used to make me a "Tomatoe Dip" to eat while I waited - it was doorstep bread dipped in bacon juices and then tomatoe juices Mmmm!! I loved it :smitten:

Isn't it amazing how bacon or sausages never smells the same and so appitising when you cook it yourself??
 
I am a "Brummie" - fed on tomatoe dips!! Yep that was "classy" for the 60s ha ha

Les must have thought I needed feeding up?? ha ha - he used to sit me in a corner while I waited for my order - I'd sit there all day waiting withour a word as long as I was being fed tomato dips!! ha ha he could take as long as he needed doing my order ha ha
 
"The Lights of Asia" a Chinese were I did all my courting was opposite the law courts
 
Di. Poppitt. How stupid of me, l somehow overlooked what you said but am now going to put that right. By the way you can call me Ernie.
l found the search button for my search for Kardoma.
Every day in every way l'm getting better and better.
 
I think the Bernie Inn in Tamworth was at the Peel Arms?
Brian :-[
 
YES WELL DONE POSTIE , THAT WAS VERY POPULAR WITH PEOPLE, OPEN ALNIGHT , DO YOU REMEMBER THE PINK ELEPHANT NIGHT CLUB IN BROMSCROVE ST,
 
BY THE WAY POSTIE, I FORGOT TO MENTION THE ONE BY THE GOOD OLD MITCHELLS AND BUTLERS, AT THE CAPE HILL , IT WAS NEXT TO THE BREWERY, IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BEFORE THE GOOD OLD TOW ROPE , IT WAS CALLED THE ACCAPOLKA, AND MOST EVENING OR SHOULD I SAY , THAT WHEN JULIE WALTERS WAS TREADING THE BOARDS AT THE B,HAM THEARTER, IN HER EARLY DAYS , ON HER WAY HOME SHE WOULD STOP OFF AN D CALL IN FOR A MEAL, SHE WAS A VERY SOCIALABLE LADY , AND SPOKE TO MOST PEOPLE THERE , AND I DON,T THINK SHE AS CHANGED,BUT SAYING THATB THE PLACE AS LONG GONE, AND NOW WE HARDLY EVER SEE HER EXCEPT ON THE BOX BEST WISHES ASTONIAN ,;;;;;
 
Brian thanks it was the Peel Arms O0 is it still there anyone :)
 
Oisin mentioned Fanny's resaurant opposite Snow Hill station. Here's a piccy of the future Mrs Frantic and me on our first date smitten
Aaaahh How Romantic.
 
You both look so young and innocent - you're right your wife did look like Mary Hopkins - Those were the days my friend .....
 
Hey Rowan.....your second name isn't Chips is it?......I think I know some of your relatives :2funny: :2funny:
 
Now Frank..THAT is funny!  :2funny: :2funny: :2funny:
I thought her last name was Boats
 
Chinese ? Indian ? Wimpy ? Lyons's ? Greasy Spoon cafes ???  Did noone ever sample the delights of a PROPER English restaurant ????  I refer of course to the wonderful and very upmarket Burlington Restaurant which was located just along the alleyway down the side of the Midland Hotel / Watches of Switzerland.  It was downstairs and very olde worlde with timbered walls / ceilings.  Properly attired waiters would cook dishes at your table and when the old Brandy went in the pan and burst into flames ....Ahhhhhh the aroma, AARGHHHHHHHH !!!! THE BILL !!!!!!!
 
Riddle me this Astonians
When I lived in Pugh Road in the 60s there was an incredibly expensive furniture shop on the corner of Lichfield Road and, I think, Catherine Street opposite Ansells Brewery.
It must have eventually dawned on them that Aston in the 60s wasn't really a good place to sell top of the range furniture and they moved, I believe, to Solihull
So then the property was converted into an incredibly expensive Italian Restaurant.
I kid you not, I was never inside the place but according to the menu in the window it would have cost you an average week's wages to have lunch there!
Not surprisingly the place only lasted a few months and now my question is does anyone remember the name of either the furniture shop or the restaurant?
And no peeking at Kelly's Mr Houghton ;)
 
The resturant was called Louigies ( forgive, dont know the propper spelling )
Mike
 
I think the furniture shop was Newberrys, I used to look in the window and drool at the furniture - oh if only we could afforded it.

I have just had a thought if it wasn't Newberry's it was Thomas Woolf's who also had a big store on Gosta Green.
 
Di...The Barn Is at Hockley Heath and you can see it on the link. It has been going for
40 years but isn't as nice now as it was years ago...time for a spruce up I think. https://gallery.virtualbrum.co.uk/colin
My friend Jeannie started her hotel career there and lived in. She worked in reception in the days when it was a hotel...early l960's. Ended up in several hotels in Vancouver until she retired. My cousin had her wedding reception there in l960 since they lived out that way.

The Royal Oak, a rather large place in that area also and another place long gone called the Beau Desert. Businessmen often went to the Plough and Harrow on Hagley Road
if they wanted to impress their clients.

I liked the description by Langydoodle of his special nights out at the Burlington. Sounds very romantic indeed. I can't remember how we got into the oak beams room when we
went mostly with groups of women but I think it might have had two entrances...one in the hotel and one from Burlington Passage.

On visits to Brum I used to go with my parents to the The Acorn( I think it was called that) which was on New Street close to the Odeon Cinema. You went down some steps to this place. It was silver service but the prices were very good. They had set meals with three or four choices. They were popular for lunch and I can't remember ever going there except for lunch. My father, in particular, liked his English style food.

There was a Civil Service restaurant that was supposed to be only for people who worked at the Town Hall and other civic offices in the late l950's. It was at the New Street Station end of Burlington Passage where you entered up a flight of stairs. The food was excellent and, of course, very very reasonable. I went with a friend a few times. You had to sign in but I don't think they ever checked anyone.

Lewis's and Greys had pretty good restaurants going way back for a day time
meal on a Saturday. Same with Rackham's but it got expensive and rather shabby
over the years.


Another couple, when a motor car was an option with a date for a special occasion...
The Belfry at Wishaw before it became a major golf centre. This would be in the
early l960's. I remember being serenaded by a guitar player who was singing
" Yellow Bird"...very embarrassing indeed. It was my birthday I think. The other was The Bear at Berkeswell, nice drive and good food.
 
RE: THE BARN AT HOCKLEY HEATH.

I went there in the early 60's. The Tee Bone Steak's were huge. I dont think Brummies had ever seen so much meat on a plate!!!  Happy days.--but you couldn't beat --fish and chips in newspapper---just thought--we used to get lovely fish and chips from a chippy just up from the Mermaid Pub and the and the Piccadilly  Picture House on Stratford Road.

Cheers
Ann Marie :)
 
We held my mother in laws 80th birthday at The Belfry, Jennyann. It was very shortly before she died in the early 90's. She was Queen for the day, the staff were wonderful. They gave us a room after l unch where all the family sat and yarned. The last of Brian's families get togethers.
 
Burlington Restaurant I used to clean the sign and mirrors in the sixties and Watches of Switzland as foreigners it was very dark in side the restaurant we had to clean it every day in those days they took pride in how the building looked
 
I only knew it as the Burlington The Midland was in New street but must  have been close there was Watches of Switzland between the two
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top