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Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

  • Thread starter Thread starter mazbeth
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Sugar said:
We use to go to the locarno in the 70s it was the main club to go to .I remember calling it grab a granny night as I was only 17 and anyone over 25 was classed as old ! Those were the times when men or boys came over and ask you for the last dance nearly everyone was guaranteed a dance and a snog at the end of the night .how times have changed ! I also remember going to the la dolce a vita in Hurst street on the corner it then changed to romeo,s and juliette then it changed to pagoda park .I dont know what it has changed to now or even if it is still there.yes they were good times !
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Sugar welcome 1969 my mate and I used to go there on a Friday night , that all changed in 1970 I got married I've got my own personal granny which I grab very often Ha Ha
 
mazbeth said:
Anyone got any memories and information about nighclubs in Brum, from any time last century?

Some names of ones that I remember and went to...

Samanthas (was over Silver Blades ice skating rink in Hurst? St)

Pollyannas (Newhall? St.)

The Locarno (definitely Hurst St. with the Bali Hai one at the back)
I remember this band..
John Kerton fronted the successful U.K. function band Red Sun who were the resident band at the Birmingham Locarno for eight years. https://www.brumbeat.net/andicaps.htm

Just found this out
The Tower Ballroom closes its doors at the end of 2005 after more than 50 years https://www.saga.co.uk/1057fm/pages/lisEvent.asp?id=5373
went there once...

Snobs (didn't like that one much)

There was one in the same road where Bingley Hall was (can't remember what it was called..brain's not working too good lately :D) saw Herbie Hancock there...and Deaf School, and AC/DC :eek: (not my choice...just a crowd I was with at the time)

Any more? ...or any memories? :)
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Any one remember the Rum Runner, I think it was on Hurst st or around that area.
 
astonboy said:
Any one remember the Rum Runner, I think it was on Hurst st or around that area.
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The Rum Runner was on Broad Street, I would imagine it has plenty of mentions on this thread. If not then try typing it into the search box.
 
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bobsummers said:
The answer to your question Roger is WOODEN! You had to go up very steep wooden stairs to three levels above the famous shop Chetwyns. The door and only entrance was in Navigation Street opposite the British Rail Signal house thats still there I think. each floor was WOODEN, which we danced and slept on. If there had ever been a fire their we would have been in serious trouble.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN OR FOUND A PICTURE OF THE WHISKEY ENTRANCE, HAS ANYONE GOT A PHOTO?
We used to hang around outside the Whiskey it was a meeting point for everyone, no bouncers just Sean MaHoney looking over the WOODEN type balcony. If your face did not fit or you where an unknown, Sean would not let you in as the pay box was three steps up from the pavement.
You had to make your mark and associations on that path before you stood any chance to enjoy the all nighters at the Whiskey a go go. sometimes it took weeks to get in otherwise it was the dreaded MaHoney KNOCK BACK!!:coolcheesy:
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What do you mean by WOODEN type balcony. Was it part of the first floor?
 
What a lovely wander down memory lane!! I worked at The Rainbow Casino, The Midland Wheel and Stakis in the late 70s and early 80s. I loved the nightclubbing in Birmingham, nowhere quite like it. I don't drink so I rarely went round the pubs, just went out about 9pm to a club for the night.
I remember Libertys, Peppermint Place and Boogies. So many more but I'm old and the memory has gone!!
 
Lesley Stephenson said:
What a lovely wander down memory lane!! I worked at The Rainbow Casino, The Midland Wheel and Stakis in the late 70s and early 80s. I loved the nightclubbing in Birmingham, nowhere quite like it. I don't drink so I rarely went round the pubs, just went out about 9pm to a club for the night.
I remember Libertys, Peppermint Place and Boogies. So many more but I'm old and the memory has gone!!
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I used to take the Rainbow day and night duty managers home back in 1967 when I was a private hire driver, quite handy as they lived in Brownhills and were married to each other.
 
Barr_Beacon said:
The name of the club by the Central TV studios (they were still broadcasting from Birmingham then) was 'Mr Moons'. I remember an actor who played the mechanic on 'Crossroads' getting very drunk and groping women on the dance floor one Friday night. I could never keep a straight face when he appeared on the television after that.
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carl stennett?
 
I can now reveal it was, Ann George.
I'm joking, it was actually John Forgeham, who played Jim Baines, who I think was a mechanic in the soap. He was quite an accomplished actor; he was one of Michael Caine's gang in The Italian Job and he was in one of the scariest play's ever shown (it was to me, any way) on British television, The Stone Tape. Sadly he died after breaking his collar bone in 2017.
The Guardian obituary link is very informative:

www.theguardian.com

John Forgeham obituary

Veteran character actor who appeared in The Italian Job, Prime Suspect and Footballers Wives
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Barr_Beacon said:
I can now reveal it was, Ann George.
I'm joking, it was actually John Forgeham, who played Jim Baines, who I think was a mechanic in the soap. He was quite an accomplished actor; he was one of Michael Caine's gang in The Italian Job and he was in one of the scariest play's ever shown (it was to me, any way) on British television, The Stone Tape. Sadly he died after breaking his collar bone in 2017.
The Guardian obituary link is very informative:

www.theguardian.com

John Forgeham obituary

Veteran character actor who appeared in The Italian Job, Prime Suspect and Footballers Wives
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
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Thanks for that info. I didn't realise he was brought up in Birmingham, I always thought his accent was a little bit "forced". I also didn't realise he was a talented footballer and on Aston Villa's books in his youth.
 
mazbeth said:
Anyone got any memories and information about nighclubs in Brum, from any time last century?

Some names of ones that I remember and went to...

Samanthas (was over Silver Blades ice skating rink in Hurst? St)

Pollyannas (Newhall? St.)

The Locarno (definitely Hurst St. with the Bali Hai one at the back)
I remember this band..
John Kerton fronted the successful U.K. function band Red Sun who were the resident band at the Birmingham Locarno for eight years. https://www.brumbeat.net/andicaps.htm

Just found this out
The Tower Ballroom closes its doors at the end of 2005 after more than 50 years https://www.saga.co.uk/1057fm/pages/lisEvent.asp?id=5373
went there once...

Snobs (didn't like that one much)

There was one in the same road where Bingley Hall was (can't remember what it was called..brain's not working too good lately :D) saw Herbie Hancock there...and Deaf School, and AC/DC :eek: (not my choice...just a crowd I was with at the time)

Any more? ...or any memories? :)
Click to expand...
 
I remember seeing The Move at the Belfry. We were at the back and decided to stand on a table in order to see them. Alright for 5 minutes then the weight of half a dozen teenagers became too much for it and the legs gave way. We were unceremoniously dumped in a huge heap on the floor and covered in spilt beer! :oops: :oops: :)
 
jmadone said:
I remember seeing The Move at the Belfry. We were at the back and decided to stand on a table in order to see them. Alright for 5 minutes then the weight of half a dozen teenagers became too much for it and the legs gave way. We were unceremoniously dumped in a huge heap on the floor and covered in spilt beer! :oops: :oops: :)
Click to expand...

Hi jmadone,

Check out you tube there's a lot of film re: Birmingham Pubs & Nightclubs of the 70's & 80's, last time I looked there were 3 parts available to view each lasting around 10 minutes or so; brought back a few memories I can tell you ha ha.

Lozellian.
 
matelot said:
The name Ridgeway Georgian also rings a bell but I think it was Knickers before or became The Ridgeway Georgian after, but would not swear to in a Court of law as time erases but definatlty was Knickers at some stage, just to confuse matters next door to the RAF club used to be home to a club called ' The Oasis ' bar opposite what is now the FCH social club
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It was The Ridgeway Georgian and became Nickers on a Sunday Night. I had wonderful times there. Going to the Garden Gate pub before the club - left at lights bottom of hill!. Loved Maggie May by Rod Stewart because a girl I think was called Maggie would always dance to it -beautiful as I recall. I think she was going out with the owners son at the time. I recall Steve Dutton and his brother being there each Sunday too, actually it was always the same people. Wonderful.
 
mazbeth said:
Anyone got any memories and information about nighclubs in Brum, from any time last century?

Some names of ones that I remember and went to...

Samanthas (was over Silver Blades ice skating rink in Hurst? St)

Pollyannas (Newhall? St.)

The Locarno (definitely Hurst St. with the Bali Hai one at the back)
I remember this band..
John Kerton fronted the successful U.K. function band Red Sun who were the resident band at the Birmingham Locarno for eight years. https://www.brumbeat.net/andicaps.htm

Just found this out
The Tower Ballroom closes its doors at the end of 2005 after more than 50 years https://www.saga.co.uk/1057fm/pages/lisEvent.asp?id=5373
went there once...

Snobs (didn't like that one much)

There was one in the same road where Bingley Hall was (can't remember what it was called..brain's not working too good lately :D) saw Herbie Hancock there...and Deaf School, and AC/DC :eek: (not my choice...just a crowd I was with at the time)

Any more? ...or any memories? :)
Click to expand...
We used go to Night and Day and then to Mr Moons - by the old ATV studios ....
 
I'm coming into this later (but better than never!), so forgive me. I grew up as a teenager in Birmingham in the 1970s and used to pass many of the clubs that have been mentioned when I wandered around town whilst waiting for my mom who
worked in the Coop restaurant in the basement of the building in High Street (I recall it had a tunnel under the road that linked the two buildings owned by the Coop.

Anyway, by the time I started going to clubs in the late 70s many had changed. My first experience was an 18th birthday party at Snobs in December 1978 and which moved only a couple of years ago. I recall going to the Romulus on the Hagely Road and the two at Five Ways, Faces and Maximilian's.

One place l frequented a fair bit was Boogies which, in 1980 when I first went was seen as the height of sophistication. During the Motor Show that was on at the NEC it opened until 4.00 which I believe is pretty normal now bit was regarded as decadent and I stuck it to the end but I remember only a handful of people being left (and the bouncer Nobby being asleep on a couch!!!)

One place I really enjoyed which, though not a nightclub, was a weird and fascinating place for an 18 year old in 1978; Hosteria Number One on Hurst Street which was one of the new wine bars to open. I have heard that Boy George used to go there when he was working in these parts and that Duran Duran used to play there before they became famous. At some point or other I think I went to every other place in Birmingham but remember that because it was free to have a party there, going to loads of birthday events at Peppermint Place which always had a feeling of being slightly ramshackle. I also remember going to a fair few parties in Pollyannas on Newall Street.

Great days and, by and large, I never saw any trouble (or drugs). My big regret is that I didn't take a camera so I'd now have photos to see how those places looked.
 
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StevenMc said:
I'm coming into this later (but better than never!), so forgive me. I grew up as a teenager in Birmingham in the 1970s and used to pass many of the clubs that have been mentioned when I wandered around town whilst waiting for my mom who
worked in the Coop restaurant in the basement of the building in High Street (I recall it had a tunnel under the road that linked the two buildings owned by the Coop.

Anyway, by the time I started going to clubs in the late 70s many had changed. My first experience was an 18th birthday party at Snobs in December 1978 and which moved only a couple of years ago. I recall going to the Romulus on the Hagely Road and the two at Five Ways, Faces and Maximilian's.

One place l frequented a fair bit was Boogies which, in 1980 when I first went was seen as the height of sophistication. During the Motor Show that was on at the NEC it opened until 4.00 which I believe is pretty normal now bit was regarded as decadent and I stuck it to the end but I remember only a handful of people being left (and the bouncer Nobby being asleep on a couch!!!)

One place I really enjoyed which, though not a nightclub, was a weird and fascinating place for an 18 year old in 1978; Hosteria Number One on Hurst Street which was one of the new wine bars to open. I have heard that Boy George used to go there when he was working in these parts and that Duran Duran used to play there before they became famous. At some point or other I think I went to every other place in Birmingham but remember that because it was free to have a party there, going to loads of birthday events at Peppermint Place which always had a feeling of being slightly ramshackle. I also remember going to a fair few parties in Pollyannas on Newall Street.

Great days and, by and large, I never saw any trouble (or drugs). My big regret is that I didn't take a camera so I'd now have photos to see how those places looked.
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Thanks for your memories- I loved Boogies and like you never saw any sign of drugs but perhaps I was too naive!
We never took cameras out with us in those days, not like having an iphone now was it?!
 
StevenMc said:
I'm coming into this later (but better than never!), so forgive me. I grew up as a teenager in Birmingham in the 1970s and used to pass many of the clubs that have been mentioned when I wandered around town whilst waiting for my mom who
worked in the Coop restaurant in the basement of the building in High Street (I recall it had a tunnel under the road that linked the two buildings owned by the Coop.

Anyway, by the time I started going to clubs in the late 70s many had changed. My first experience was an 18th birthday party at Snobs in December 1978 and which moved only a couple of years ago. I recall going to the Romulus on the Hagely Road and the two at Five Ways, Faces and Maximilian's.

One place l frequented a fair bit was Boogies which, in 1980 when I first went was seen as the height of sophistication. During the Motor Show that was on at the NEC it opened until 4.00 which I believe is pretty normal now bit was regarded as decadent and I stuck it to the end but I remember only a handful of people being left (and the bouncer Nobby being asleep on a couch!!!)

One place I really enjoyed which, though not a nightclub, was a weird and fascinating place for an 18 year old in 1978; Hosteria Number One on Hurst Street which was one of the new wine bars to open. I have heard that Boy George used to go there when he was working in these parts and that Duran Duran used to play there before they became famous. At some point or other I think I went to every other place in Birmingham but remember that because it was free to have a party there, going to loads of birthday events at Peppermint Place which always had a feeling of being slightly ramshackle. I also remember going to a fair few parties in Pollyannas on Newall Street.

Great days and, by and large, I never saw any trouble (or drugs). My big regret is that I didn't take a camera so I'd now have photos to see how those places looked.
Click to expand...
Welcome Steven Mc. Great memories. I too had similar experiences, though at different clubs during the 70's, especially daddy long legs. Some great memories from those days, & as you say, no trouble (or very little) & definitely no drugs, though there were a few out of the city which I kept away from.
 
StevenMc said:
I'm coming into this later (but better than never!), so forgive me. I grew up as a teenager in Birmingham in the 1970s and used to pass many of the clubs that have been mentioned when I wandered around town whilst waiting for my mom who
worked in the Coop restaurant in the basement of the building in High Street (I recall it had a tunnel under the road that linked the two buildings owned by the Coop.

Anyway, by the time I started going to clubs in the late 70s many had changed. My first experience was an 18th birthday party at Snobs in December 1978 and which moved only a couple of years ago. I recall going to the Romulus on the Hagely Road and the two at Five Ways, Faces and Maximilian's.

One place l frequented a fair bit was Boogies which, in 1980 when I first went was seen as the height of sophistication. During the Motor Show that was on at the NEC it opened until 4.00 which I believe is pretty normal now bit was regarded as decadent and I stuck it to the end but I remember only a handful of people being left (and the bouncer Nobby being asleep on a couch!!!)

One place I really enjoyed which, though not a nightclub, was a weird and fascinating place for an 18 year old in 1978; Hosteria Number One on Hurst Street which was one of the new wine bars to open. I have heard that Boy George used to go there when he was working in these parts and that Duran Duran used to play there before they became famous. At some point or other I think I went to every other place in Birmingham but remember that because it was free to have a party there, going to loads of birthday events at Peppermint Place which always had a feeling of being slightly ramshackle. I also remember going to a fair few parties in Pollyannas on Newall Street.

Great days and, by and large, I never saw any trouble (or drugs). My big regret is that I didn't take a camera so I'd now have photos to see how those places looked.
Click to expand...
Yes great days I remember Nobby I worked with him at Fruit Veg Market 3;30 am Strart
 
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