Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

[Down Memory Lane]

I used to work the cocktail bar @ MILLIONAIRES nightclub (now offices) for couple of years from around 1989 when I was 18 years old, and also the bar @ THE DOME nightclub..... not sure what that is now?? I'm sure it was an O2 Academy maybe? Not sure if it is even open anymore?

Interestingly, our paths followed a similar course for a while.

Villan I take to be you being a Villa fan? My wife and I are season ticket holders in the Trinity Road Stand, have been for years.

Does Dartmouth High relate to the secondary school that used to be on Wilderness Lane which was knocked down and replaced by the Q3 Academy? Both my wife and I went to Dartmouth (it’s where we met), I left there in 1980 after my A Levels.

I used to work in Centre City Tower on Hill Street at various times during the early to mid 1980s and frequented Thursdays, which then changed to The Millionaire (although everybody called it Millionaires). By 1989, when you were working there, I was DJing in town myself.

I also went to the Dome to the student nights to keep on top of what students were listening to for my own DJing.

It’s a small world!

 

[Taxi Tom]

I think Peppermint Place was at the top end of Broad Street not far from Faces .

Yes it was there, known as Peter Rabbit club before

 

[John L]

Millionaire Club was under Centre City House, corner of Smallbrook Queensway and Hill St. opposite old Albany Hotel and opposite the Dolcivita , then Snobs club

Formerly "Thursdays".

 

[A Sparks]

I can remember when it was the Dolce Vita!

 

[John L]

I can remember when it was the Dolce Vita!

Me too.

 

[Time Traveller 66]

Yes it was there, known as Peter Rabbit club before

Don't remember that one . Remember The Millionaire. Thanks for the info.

 

[COMPRESSORMAN]

Where was the Handsworth Odeon?

I have a feeling it was on the A41, Soho Rd, my Mum went to it she lived in South Rd in the 1940s....I can see a tall building in my head but cannot really place it on that road sorry, could be close to Thornhill Rd where the police station is or used to be, would have been on the right side going out of Brum. There was an Odeon in centre of Brum I went to.

 

[Richard Dye]

I have a feeling it was on the A41, Soho Rd, my Mum went to it she lived in South Rd in the 1940s....I can see a tall building in my head but cannot really place it on that road sorry, could be close to Thornhill Rd where the police station is or used to be, would have been on the right side going out of Brum. There was an Odeon in centre of Brum I went to.

Thank you Compressorman. I lived in Handsworth until until November 1962 and am not familiar with one at that time. Perry Barr, Kingstanding, the one in the center of town (I’m sure more). The one near Thornhille Road I don’t remember as an Odeon. There was the Regal further up near West Bromwich and the Paladium in Hockley,

 

[paul stacey]

I am sure, The Odeon was on Soho Road, my mom told me she lived there as Teenager,

 

[MartinS]

I am sure, The Odeon was on Soho Road, my mom told me she lived there as Teenager,

The Odeon as I recall it, was the old Paramount on New Street near the station.

I drove cabs at night for Star Taxi in Erdington until '74 and dropped many fares off there and at all of the night clubs around the city.

Then again, it's 54 years since I headed to Canada, so some of the names and locations are getting a bit foggy!

 

[Jayell]

I have a feeling it was on the A41, Soho Rd, my Mum went to it she lived in South Rd in the 1940s....I can see a tall building in my head but cannot really place it on that road sorry, could be close to Thornhill Rd where the police station is or used to be, would have been on the right side going out of Brum. There was an Odeon in centre of Brum I went to.

There wasn't an Odeon cinema in Handsworth. The cinemas on Soho Road were the Regal, Grand, Elite. Further along was the Albion and the other way was the Palladium at Hockley, and the Villa Cross in Villa Road. I went to them all.

 

[MartinS]

Don't remember that one . Remember The Millionaire. Thanks for the info.

From my time on the night shift driving taxis until '74, I recall the Peter Rabbit was up on Broad Street on the left side before the 5 ways roundabout.

The Rum Runner was down at the end of the alley at the bottom end of Broad Street with the night club entrance on the right and casino on the left. That and Barbarellas further up the right off Broad Street, were places I hung out some of the time, when not working.

 

[Stokkie]

There wasn't an Odeon cinema in Handsworth. The cinemas on Soho Road were the Regal, Grand, Elite. Further along was the Albion and the other way was the Palladium at Hockley, and the Villa Cross in Villa Road. I went to them all.

Apparently the Regal was renamed the ABC at the end of the 1950s, but I guess everyone would still refer to it as the Regal. Quite a few cinemas were renamed over the years. Not my part of town, Jayell, but I can't place an Odeon in Handsworth.

 

[Richard Dye]

The Odeon as I recall it, was the old Paramount on New Street near the station.

I drove cabs at night for Star Taxi in Erdington until '74 and dropped many fares off there and at all of the night clubs around the city.

Then again, it's 54 years since I headed to Canada, so some of the names and locations are getting a bit foggy!

That’s the one at the center of town.