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The Grapes Hotel Hill Street

'Barry the Queer. There was a Barry who ran the Bamboo cafe on Springhill, Ladywood. He was areal character, blonde back-combed hair etc. He looked after us young motorbike kids with the odd free cup of coffee when we were broke. The year would be 1968. Barry would be given a lift on the back of a bike into town when the Bamboo closed for the night. He was a nice bloke. I think what made hi so likeable was because he knew what he was, didn't try to hide the fact he was gay and used it to his advantage by playing to the gallery.
 
Hi Bob;
i remember the bamboo very well indeed and we used to go in there and i lived right around the corner from it inking edwards rd just up the passage of spring hill passage and i can recall when it first openened up just trying to think what the premises was before it became the bamboo but any way getting on the subject of dear old sweetie barrie ; that was not the same barrie that we have been talking about its a different barrie from and used the tow rope ;
known as queer barrie ; which indeed he was a gay fellow andhe would openly tell you so but as we have said he was known in london and manchester ; for reasons we can not put a surname to him on here but what i can do if if helps you his surname began with the letter P SO ITS BARRIE - P ? And any other members on the forum whom knew him would
know his surname but i can not mention as i knew him very well;
best wishes astonian alan
 
The "grapes" I'm thinking of was perhaps older,"The Bunch Of Grapes" was on the junction of Hill St.And John Bright St. in the 1950s which is long gone.Across the road was laura Dixons Dance studio ( only tea was served ) so the "Grapes" was the closest port of call for the drinking classes,during intervals.Two weeks ago was the first time I had been in that area for 50 years,so I wouldn't have known the Sam Wellar pub.

That’s the one I Remember , also there was another pub a few doors up from Laura Dixon’s on Navigation street that we also used in the interval.
 
Hi this is a bit of the stab in the dark, but i'm trying to find out if The Grapes a pub that was on the corner of Hill Street and Severn Street ever had cellars? I think it must of but can't find any evidence of this....
 
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