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Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

  • Thread starter Thread starter mazbeth
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jennyann said:
Hi Barry: If you did see Leonard Cohen at Mother's it wold have to have been after August 9th, 1968. That's the date Mother's opened. Before that it was the Carlton Ballroom. I remember the first, to my knowledge, espresso coffee bar in Erdington High Street called the "El Toro" This opened in 1958. It was a few doors away from where the Carlton Ballroom was and I seemed to be there several times a week. The coffee was 9d per cup and that got you inside the door. The building had been a residence at one time and wasn't very big. I had left Erdington by 1964 so don't remember the Pop Inn coffee bar.
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Hi jennyann.
9d for a cup of coffe that's expensive. I remember in 1960 i could buy chips for 6d, we called that a sixer chips. Nice to read these memories.
 
Hi lizredmond
I went to Rebbeca's for the first time around about 1970. I found the women/girls in those days very stuck up and hard to get. Music was ok tho.
 
Hi Stitcher.
I lived on Holiday Road from 1958 until 1973. I remember the Revue Bar and that corner shop which i completly forgot all about until your photo.
Elmes was on the Soho Road and run by a nice man who wore specs Mr Elmes we called him.
I will send this on to my 2 sisters they wont believe it when they see this. Fantastic!
Thank you so much for putting this photo on. God bless you
 
Hi Bangles: Thanks for your message. The 9d covered your entrance fee as well as the coffee at El Toro back in the day. They had to restrict numbers also
due to the small size of the place and it's popularity. They had a juke box but there was no room to dance just stand around downstairs or go upstairs and sit down if you could ever find a seat. The coffee was from an espresso machine and they were quite rare in a place like Erdington back in the late 1950's.
 
Hi Stitcher
I really enjoy reading about your adventures in the nitelife of brum in that era. I was sadly to young to go to them so i had to hear it from people that were a few years older than i was.
It gives me a look into the lives of grown ups when i was a kid on the streets playing football. I used to see these guys dressed up to the nines and wonder where are they going to.
I found this site on sunday its now thursday 20-02-2014 and i have read up to 95 pages. A great site but not very user friendly it took me 6 times to register. Anyway i am here now.
Hope to hear more from you with photos if poss and more storys about the Fewtrells please.
Thanks
 
Hello Jennyan
Thanks for your reply. I joined this site on Sunday its now Thursday 20-02-2014 and i have read 95 pages, i cant get enough of it.
If you have anymore pics or storys please send them on.
I was to young to go to these places and my girlfriend told me her brother went to Mothers i emailed him a photo of Mothers and he found it wonderful saying a blast from the past.
Just loved reading about brum in those times. Because you were at the birth of it all, nightclubs, discoteques those names came about in your time and they still exist today.
By the way the music at Mothers we would call Underground or Progressive music. We knew only the pop charts with cliff richard and so on.
Ok bye for now and keep em comin.
ps my name is John
 
I lived off the Soho Rd and remember the Monte Carlo very well. I was to young to get in at the time. But my question is there was a coffe bar called The Elasona did Dinas and Zallus own it?
 
I used to go in the Elasona cafe on a Saturday sometimes, around 66/67 (I think there is mention of it on another thread).
I don't know who owned it though.
 
sheldontony said:
I met my ex wife Marion (MAZ) at the Rum Runner 40 years ago this month, she was working on the reception area, taking entrance money. I got to know lots of the doormen, Albert Chapman ( I found to be a real gentle giant and a true gentleman) the twins, Sid, Ernie and so on. Great memories. I remember walking down the drive one evening and there was Albert physically throwing someone out and he stopped and wished me good evening, and then carried on.
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Still see Albert, and he is still as fit as a Butcher's dog. We laugh about his adventures, when he was Road Manager for Black Sabbath. Still a big pal of Iommi's.
 
I recently purchased a box set of the series "Gangsters" (BBC 1976).
50 seconds into this clip they park their car in the entrance driveway to the Rum Runner... Just beyond the Range Rover the club entrance can be seen with the stairs to the office on the right.... 7:56 into the clip, a woman enters the fictional 'Del Rio' cafe which later became the Duran Fan Club Office in Broad Street!
[h=5]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVF03nRXwQY[/h]Runner Gateway 1976 02.jpg

From 3:57 to 8:02 - Great interior shot of the club in 70's trim (pre mirror-flex-palace).
He walks from the toilets up to the dancefloor, the barrels are covered in stagecloth to disguise the location!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59uFhKiCuzc
 
Oh that's a real shame... I haven't checked that link for a while as I now own the DVDs
So try this one... Fast forward to the 9 Minute marker... The last 24 seconds of this video clip show thw Austin Allegro driving into Broad Street and turning into the Rum Runner entrance drive!.... Hope this still works!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT-uKkAQ3EY

Runner Gateway 1976 01.jpg

 
Jayell said:
My mistake - The Firebird was in Carrs Lane - I have just found a card for it. I wonder if the Firebird became the Stagedoor as it was in the same area. There were lots of coffee bars and clubs in firetrap cellars which would never be allowed today would they?
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Talking of fire-trap cellars does anybody recall the Alhambra pub under the Savoy Hotel ? that place used to get rammed .
 
Hi Raymond froggatt
Is now in Ireland touring the country and western venues and performing there all over Ireland for the next generation to come
There is a country and western music show showing there nights of the week. On the late night held and he is also mentionoinedthere as well
Travelling and appearing on these venues good old ray froggatt best wishes astonian
 
Bill123 said:
Anyone remember the DJ at the Alhambra called Dave Terrry?
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Someone asked that before, either in another thread or earlier in this one.

I remember the DJ Dave Terry, not from the Alhambra though (can't quite think where) Always seemed a really nice guy.
 
A lot of the old places were rammed as I'm sure clubs are still today.
Cant think why we liked that ... but if it was empty then there was no atmosphere - funny really.
 
BilboC said:
I remember the last song played at the Alhambra was always Eddie Holman, 'Hey There Lonely Girl'!
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I remember many happy nights at the Alhambra and 'Hey There Lonely Girl' is still one of my favourite songs - I'd forgotten they used to play it.
 
Anyone remember Laura Dixon's? I will always remember the Ritz in Kings Heath. I was waiting to get a drink when some clattered into the back of me. I turned round to see Billy Fury gold suit and all stood there. I absolutely idolised the guy and all I could say was hello. Plonker!!
 
I am surprised nobody has mentioned the Le Metro in Livery Street, the girls always out numbered the men. It had a spiral staircase that lead to a bar and a sette, that was always there to sit if you pulled a bird. You could look down on the dance floor, I think it was open on about 4 days a week, it was enjoyable there, no fights, If I remember right they had a number of young ladies dancing there as well. Its downfall was it closed before 00.00. Sloopys opened up and most of the clientel went there because it was open till 02.00. any one remember the bouncer at Sloopys called Graham?
 
About The Rainbow Suit, Always enjoyed going there on a Saturday night, paying to put my coat in the cloakroom and then off to have a beer and go on the dance floor. I believe two brothers use to run it, unfortunately one of the brothers was killed, working on his Stacker Truck. One of the brothers had two good looking daughters and one of the daughters went out with Steve Phillips who played for BCFC then. If you came in to the dance floor there would be a couple of rows of seats stretching around the floor.
Good to relive it.
 
About The Rainbow Suit, any body remember Micky Field the bouncer, who played in goal for The Hare and Hounds on the Kingstanding Road, I think.
 
Roger

Are you talking about The Porsche Club in Regents Park Rd Small Heath? I know it was used by mainly West Indians.
 
No Phil it was before that one. The one I ask about was owned by Bunny Johnson as I said. I remember the Porsche and knew the owner of that as well. Chap called Von Reid.
 
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