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Birmingham Cinemas

Maggs could you be thinking of the Odeon Warley and became a Bowling Alley in the early 1960s:)
 
Bless you Alf, that's the one. I used to go there most Saturday night's. How did I manage to forget that? Actually it was a nice cinema. We were down there a couple of years ago, went to Toby carvery at Quinton, but I didn't think to look exactly what it was.
 
Maggs it closed in 1961 then the Bowling Alley Closed in 1970 it was demolished a few years later. :(

Some of our friends here will know what's there now I'm sure
 
No wonder I wasn't aware of it then Alf, probably drove by and didn't realize then. Oh how sad! I need something to cheer me up now, I'll go and have a cup of tea!

Maggs:cry:
 
Hi Maggs and Alf

I remember the Warley Odeon in the early 1960s, in fact I used to live just down the hill from there on Hagley Road West opposite the Hollybush pub (I believe it is now something else, maybe Jeffersons?). My Mom and Dad had a cafe at that time (Empire Snack Bar & Creamery) and we live in the maisonette above. The Warley Odeon was a nice looking cinema, and I went there a few times.

Judy
 
Well how about that Judy, the times you and I have said our paths must have crossed so many times. I was up and down that road by bus all the time I worked in Brum. Must have known that cafe. There used to be a rental Limousine place along there too.
 
Judy what was the Public House near it, I'm not sure if is was opposite the Bowling Alley, by the way I never went in the Pub:)
 
Sorry Alf, I know the pub you mean but can't remember the name. By the way, I only ever went in there once :)

Judy
 
Thanks Judy at least I wasn't having a Senior Moment again could have had its 45 years ago:)
We used to play challenge matches at the Bowling Alley travelling from our home Alley at Villa Park.
 
Hello Ray I can find one at Lordswood Road & Harborne could it be one of those.:)
 
Lordswood Rd.sounds about right Alf,still can't remember the one opposite the Odeon though,only ever went in once.I do remember the Holly Bush,went in there xmas eve 1961,met an old schoolmate from Aston,he invited me into a game of 3 card and I won £19,and as I was a stranger they were very upset,so I bought everyone a drink,seemed the easy way out.
 
Ray, I've been trying to rack my brains thinking of the name of that pub by the Warley Odeon. Now I'm wondering if perhaps you were right after all. Perhaps someone has a directory that would give us the name.

Judy
 
The pub opposite is now the Ember Inn - can't for the life of me remember the previous name. The Odeon/Warley Bowl is now a block of offices, once owned by Albright and Wilson, but that firm's gone now! Times move quickly, it'll probably be something else next week!!!
 
I couldn't rememember a pub opposite that Odeon at Warley either. I seem to remember it was very residential. Nice houses too.
 
Judy,Alf was right The Old House at Home was Lordswood Rd.still is,which is rare,most have been renamed "The Dead Parrot And The Old Sock" or something equally stupid.:violin:
 
maggs said:
Alf, am I having a senior moment again? Did I miss something about Rock Hudson being married then? Was the there an Odeon cinema at Quinton? I remember going to an Odeon out that way, where the road divides to go to Wolverhampton and Dudley. Is there a pic of it somewhere?
Click to expand...

The ODEON WARLEY was at the juction with the Hagley and Wolverhampton Road, this was Oscar Deutsch' personal Odeon as he only lived a short distance away in Augustus Road Edgbaston, and when he had guests that fancied to see the film show Oscar would phone and ask the staff and manager to stay behind after the public performance and put on a private showing. The Cinema went to 10 pin bowling and then it was demolished and the usual boring office block was built
 
The Dead Parrot and the Old Sock eh Ray. We wonder at these names too. I can't tell you what my husband calls them (I'll try in a minute) In the meantime we see a lot of 'Slug and Lettuce' around this area. Well he say's something like 'The **** and shovel. I shall never train him will I?

Maggs
 
Picture from my stock of the Odeon, Warley. Have many others that I am getting round to include in a profile of this cinema as the West Midlands correspondent of "CinemaTreasures" if anyone would like to see more in due course?

On this photo, taken from Hagley Road, the traffic parked outside the cinema is facing towards Wolverhampton.

Richie
 
Actually Maggs (and everybody) there is a glimpse of the Odeon,Warley showing where it fitted geographically on the Hagley Road under the "Bearwood" heading in the 'South Birmingham Businesses' section on Mark Horton's website www.photobydjnorton.com

It may be a few weeks before I can assemble my profile of this-and other- Birmingham and the West Midlands cinemas on 'CinemaTreasures' if folks can hang on pleazse?

Richie.
 
Hello JUDY, the pub you are trying to remember was the BEECH TREE and now called the AMBER TAVERN. (allanbrum) Allan.
 
Hi All,

My memories of the Warley Odeon are the big band concerts they held every Sunday evening just after the war. They were extremely popular and you had to get there early or you would not get in. The top bands of the day performed.

Personally I travelled from Small Heath by public transport to get to them.

Old Boy
 
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