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Smallbrook Ringway

I remember the Smallbrook Ringway very well indeed , I was relieved of my National Health glasses that made me look like John Lennon , before we knew who he was . My mother god bless her with very little money with no husband behind her , managed to, due to her heavy work load pay for a pair of glasses that took me from being a Beatle lookalike to , wait for it Hank Marvin . Yes folks a pair of bins that resembled that guitar legend all for the cost of £14.10 shillings . Then of course I grew up and during the 60's walked along the ringway regularly going to that holy of holy for mods The Wandering Minstrel PH such joy discussing music , fashion , and girls , in those days . After the mod movement disappeared a few years later I got to using the Viking PH that was a decent pub got very friendly on the evening with a gentleman I found out later was nickname Half pint Joe , who if you asked if he wanted a drink would have a half. a little further up was Australia House . A friend of mine was due to go to OZ but after watching a Roving Report TV programme decided against it . And my final recollection of which I'm very proud there was a music shop there that sold not only instruments but sheet music . One of my sons passed his grade 8 practical and grade 5 theory on the piano , his sister achieved grade three but was distracted . I will always look fondly on the memories of the ringway , mainly for my my teenage years , and how the music and fashion and possibly the world was changing at that time . I can only say to people who were older or younger at that time , You really do not know what you have missed , perhaps the greatest decade in history . We Are The Mods
 
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Stokkie said:
The high rise green space no car vision was planned before three years ago and economic changes. But the planners and developers seem unable to respond to new conditions in an agile way. I am in favour of green space and few cars in the city centre. There is plenty of expensive office space and residential accommodation available for rent at the moment. Perhaps an excess given the outlook.
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I'm not sure why they are building office space as you say there is plenty available in most developed countries. The new conditions are that much will be MT and costs for rent will be higher. at least be smart enough to hit the pause key!
We have a senator from Louisiana who is very well educated and smart, has a saying: "genius has limitations, however stupidity (and greed) does not."
 
Mark Tooze said:
In Sutton Coldfield round by us the only new housing that EVER goes up now is retirement apartments...... another 98 going up behind the Odeon / Empire cinema on what was the car park.
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6,000 new houses planned at Peddimore. And people moving into retirement apartments releases family homes.
 
I'd vote for apartments. I agree with Richard, there's no longer the same demand for office space. (Personally I'd make the uplighters energy efficient - in my opinion a great feature of the building and a striking uplift to that part of town).
 
lets hope that if they do become yet more apartments no doubt aimed at the better off folk (city is full of these blocks) that they are used because the 10 or so new blocks down perry barr (meant for use during the commonwealth games but never were) are still lying unoccupied after 2 years...just seems a waste of money to me when people are crying out for a place of their own as an example a friend of my daughters has a 7 year old son shes a single parent and works hard for the NHS..over the past 5 years through no fault of their own they have been forced to live in hostels and shared accomodation moved from one place to the other then 2 days before christmas she was offered a 1 bedroomed 1st floor flat in a decent area fairly new block and not a high rise...what a christmas present that was so it was all systems go to move in before christmas day to make it special and the hunt was on to get their own whites (ie washing machine..cooker and fridge).my daughter looked after the son for the day while moving took place and when i popped round to see the little lad he said to me how happy he was that he and mommy had a place to call their very own with their own front door (sad isnt it)..ok so its still only a 1 bedroomed and mom and son will still have to share but its a step in the right direction to get a 2 bedroomed place..so when we hear of stories like this lets take off our rose coloured tinted glasses and understand the reality of the struggles some people have..this is the real world and this is why i cant get excited about whats to become of smallbrook ringway.. ...come on bcc start looking after the people who help to keep this city running

lyn
 
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Same problem everywhere Lyn where there's no social housing policy. But as its politics, moving on, ....
 
It was problematic right from the start. Have to admit I never considered going to any of the shops along there and it certainly never seemed like the hoped for shopping centre to me. (Source below : Birmingham Daily Post 23/5/1961 British Newspaper Archive)
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A brutal end for a "brutalist icon". :(

"The planning committee went on to approve the development and there was a cry of “shame” as frustrated campaigners left the room". Shame indeed, in my opinion. The Council were determined to have their way.
 
John L said:
A brutal end for a "brutalist icon". :(

"The planning committee went on to approve the development and there was a cry of “shame” as frustrated campaigners left the room". Shame indeed, in my opinion. The Council were determined to have their way.
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Looking from a distance, it does not appear that there is very much in the way of PLANNING going on in Birmigham! 60 years in not a long time for a city center building! The residents will pay one way or another, they always do! The incompetence is so disappointing. As Mike and Lyn said earlier, “ no more building until vacant spaces are occupied and being paid for”!
 
I grew up with the original design, but it had deteriorated to a shocking state. As new buildings are constructed there should be a mechanism for ensuring they are kept clean and in good repair. Brummies warmed to our Rotunda as an icon of the city, but the Ringway Centre never saw the same affection.
 
“A previous council officer’s report said the proposed development would make a “meaningful contribution towards Birmingham’s housing shortfall” and help regenerate that part of the city centre.”

Social Housing ?
 
The problem is that when planning officers/ architects/ property developers (unfortunately these all follow the same tune like rats after the pied piper) use the term regenerate they usually mean expensive (because thats all the developers are interested in) flats and possibly offices, with a large selection of wine bars (probably no pubs), "artisan" coffee houses and shops selling high end items
 
mikejee said:
The problem is that when planning officers/ architects/ property developers (unfortunately these all follow the same tune like rats after the pied piper) use the term regenerate they usually mean expensive (because thats all the developers are interested in) flats and possibly offices, with a large selection of wine bars (probably no pubs), "artisan" coffee houses and shops selling high end items
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If office space is anything like the US which has an occupancy rate of 50 to 60% even with hybrid back to work. Building offices would be another boondoggle for the developers at tax payer and renters expense!
 
How can a bankrupt council afford such a massive project. They demolished our shopping centre at Poolway nearly six years ago and promised new shops and what have got? Not a thing. No butchers, no barbers, no Post Office, no hardware shop, no cake shop, no newsagent, no chip shop, no fruit shop. The council are a waste of time and money.
 
Lumpammer said:
How can a bankrupt council afford such a massive project. They demolished our shopping centre at Poolway nearly six years ago and promised new shops and what have got? Not a thing. No butchers, no barbers, no Post Office, no hardware shop, no cake shop, no newsagent, no chip shop, no fruit shop. The council are a waste of time and money.
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Take care of it at the voting booth! That is the only way they will understand.
 
Stokkie said:
I grew up with the original design, but it had deteriorated to a shocking state. As new buildings are constructed there should be a mechanism for ensuring they are kept clean and in good repair. Brummies warmed to our Rotunda as an icon of the city, but the Ringway Centre never saw the same affection.
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As they say “follow the money” they should maintain and if it’s a private (non government) party they should be subject to loosing ownership. We live in a gated community, our second and if you do not maintain your property which includedes the building, the ARB, architectural review board will do it and you will pay. We are all advised going in and we live in a beautiful neighborhood. BTW the ARB is made up of homeowners like us. Not paid.
 
thanks sparks...however i doubt if this building will survive..over the years there has been many campaigns to save buildings that were 200/300 years old which has failed..my own feeling is its a bit late in the day now to start thinking about saving our heritage buildings and although we all have our own thoughts about what great architecture is i really do not rate this building...pretty easy to design...quite boring and thrown up in no time not like the buildings they have destroyed over the years that took years to build due to all the hand carvings..moan over :rolleyes:

lyn
 
Astoness said:
thanks sparks...however i doubt if this building will survive..over the years there has been many campaigns to save buildings that were 200/300 years old which has failed..my own feeling is its a bit late in the day now to start thinking about saving our heritage buildings and although we all have our own thoughts about what great architecture is i really do not rate this building...pretty easy to design...quite boring and thrown up in no time not like the buildings they have destroyed over the years that took years to build due to all the hand carvings..moan over :rolleyes:

lyn
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Yes, I totally get what you're saying!
I can't see them succeeding, I only really posted it for interest.
 
thanks sparks i am only really keeping an eye on it to see if this building is rated more highly than the far more deserving buildings that have been demolished over the years...time will tell but just to put it into context everything you see in this wonderful photo has been destroyed...most will recognise the magnificent josiah mason college and the original library so sad...for me there is no contest between saving the building on this photo and what should have been saved in photo 2
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lyn

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Astoness said:
thanks sparks...however i doubt if this building will survive..over the years there has been many campaigns to save buildings that were 200/300 years old which has failed..my own feeling is its a bit late in the day now to start thinking about saving our heritage buildings and although we all have our own thoughts about what great architecture is i really do not rate this building...pretty easy to design...quite boring and thrown up in no time not like the buildings they have destroyed over the years that took years to build due to all the hand carvings..moan over :rolleyes:

lyn
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Very well said!
 
Astoness said:
thanks sparks i am only really keeping an eye on it to see if this building is rated more highly than the far more deserving buildings that have been demolished over the years...time will tell but just to put it into context everything you see in this wonderful photo has been destroyed...most will recognise the magnificent josiah mason college and the original library so sad...for me there is no contest between saving the building on this photo and what should have been saved in photo 2
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lyn

View attachment 196132
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Yes indeed, I can remember going into the old Victorian library!
 
I remember the Ringway well back in the 60’s & 70’s, I used to work in Blucher street up the hill towards HP sauce. From the photos on the post it’s obvious we knew how to build stuff with character compared with the non descript monstrosities we’re stuck with now , I remember the 59 bike club based at Alex’s hotdog stand opposite the Albany , happy days long gone, god I feel old ☹️
 
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