• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Convention Centre

This is now "View 11" and there are only 2 pictures from this viewpoint. This is picture 1.

This picture is dated November 1986. It is taken on Broad Street looking towards the Five Ways junction (in the distance)

This shows run down buildings on Broad Street, most of which were demolished (see picture 2)

On the far right of the picture you can see part of the building that is now "The Brasshouse". See View 2 earlier in this topic for pictures of that building before and during restoration.

View 11 Picture 1) Broad Street
 
View 11 Picture 2. No date on this picture so can only guess 1987 or 1988.

Same view as above, but now most of the buildings have gone, except the church (which is still there).

The "skyscraper" behind the church was also demolished later.

The area behind this view became Brindley Place of course.

I am afraid I have no more pictures of this view.

View 11 Picture 2) Broad Street
 
I'm going to walk this way to work in the morning to see how things have changed. Loving your fantastic photos
 
I've also enjoyed looking at these photos. I think I must have walked around with my eyes closed in the 80s! Thank goodness for people with a bit of foresight.
 
This is View 12, and only two pictures in this set. Again, a view of Brindley Place (believe it or not).

This picture was taken in November 1986, as they were clearing the site.

I am standing on the other side of the canal, with the site of what would become the National Indoor Arena behind me.

I am facing Broad Street (the two tall buildings in the distance are on Broad Street), and the Sea Life Centre would probably be right in the centre of this picture.

View 12 Picture 1) Brindley Place
 
This is View 12, picture 2. Same view of Brindley Place as above.

No date on this pictures (1987 or 1988?). Terribly grainy picture, must be very cheap film on a dull day.

Site now mostly cleared. You can see the building that became the Ikon gallery in the distance in the centre.

You can also see the old Crescent Theatre on the right (single story building) before is was rebuilt in Sheepcote Street.

View 12 Picture 2) Brindley Place
 
I hope guilbert will forgive me for gatecrashing with a pic of my own but I though one of my pub pics would be relevant to the thread. The Prince of Wales in Cambridge St was due to be spared but to be on the safe side I took this in October 1988 with the area rebuilding surrounding it. The pub was sadly to be 'improved' shortly afterwards but my drinking memories of it are of using the little back room which just had a serving hatch through to the front bar. You entered via the passageway leading from the door on the left which also led through to the outside loo. They knew how to keep a pint of mild in there. Happy days :)
 
Another gem of photo's guilbert and gaciermint.:) If you have any more pub photo's glaciermint put them on the pubs thread I know lots of members love to see them.:)
 
Not much changed externally, presumably due to a preservation order but somebody told me the interior was gutted and made 'open plan'. Haven't been in for 20 years. Presumably full of showbiz luvvies now!
Bob
 
glaciermint said:
Not much changed externally, presumably due to a preservation order but somebody told me the interior was gutted and made 'open plan'. Haven't been in for 20 years. Presumably full of showbiz luvvies now!
Bob
Click to expand...

Well if you select my second link above, then select "more info" and read the reviews the four reviews are very positive and say they have real ale etc.
 
guilbert53 said:
Well if you select my second link above, then select "more info" and read the reviews the four reviews are very positive and say they have real ale etc.
Click to expand...

Can't argue with that. Still a top pub by the sound of it. Bob
 
This is View 13, and only two pictures in this set.

This time a view of Gas Street basin, looking towards Broad Street.

This picture was taken in November 1986, and little evidence of any building work going on, just one small crane.

In the centre you can just see the top of the brewery behind the Crown pub (the brewery was later demoloished).

The buildings on the left are the BACK of those shown in View 10.

Nice to see what seems to be some working canal boats, the ones with the tarpaulin over most of the length of them.

View 13 Picture 1) Gas Street basin
 
This is View 13 picture 2. No date on this picture so maybe 1987 or 1988.

Lots of activity on the Convention Centre site shown by some large cranes.

Little change to the buildings in front, except part of the wall removed in the centre, allowing a small section of the Crown pub to be seen.

This is the last picture in this view.

View 13 Picture 2) Gas Street basin
 
Thanks for all the pictures guilbert53. I'd forgotten how a lot of Broad Street used to look - I vaguely remember Bingley Hall - I attended a couple of the custom car shows as a child and saw the Jam there in concert as a teenager - but how quickly the mind forgets . I've got to admit though - I think Brindley Place does the cirty proud and is a vast improvement on what was there before.
 
Time for some more historic photos. This is View 14 Picture 1, and three pictures in this set.

This picture is taken with my BACK to Gas Street Basin, just as I am walking OUT the tunnel that goes under Broad Street. It is looking towards the site of the Convention Centre (on the right) and the National Indoor Arena (in the distance on the left).

No date on this picture I am afraid, but they have started work on the ICC and the "power" building left of centre (behind the building with the boarded up windows) so I would say around 1988.

No work on the NIA as yet.

View 14 Picture 1) View towards ICC and NIA
 
This is View 14 Picture 2. This is dated December 1989.

The "power" building is finished, and the huge bulk of the ICC is taking shape on the right.

The house just left of centre has had the boarding on the windows removed and new windows installed by the look of it.

Looks like they may have started work on the NIA in the distance, but it is difficult to see.

View 14 Picture 2) View towards ICC and NIA
 
This is View 14 Picture 3 and the last of this "view". This is dated July 1990.

ICC still ongoing, and the wall on the right taking shape.

A few cranes in the distance so I assume they are working on the NIA.

I have a few assorted pictures on the building of the NIA that I will try and scan and post over the next few weeks.

View 14 Picture 3) View towards ICC and NIA
 
Now View 15, and three pictures in this set. This is View 15 Picture 1

I have no more pictures of the ICC site or Gas Street, or Broad Street, so now we move on to other developments.

This is part of the site for the National Indoor Arena, dated August 1989.

I am standing one side of the canal, looking over to what will become the left hand end of the NIA building (the car park end).

Behind me is the site of Brindley place and Broad Street, and I am facing roughly North.

View 15 Picture 1) View towards NIA site
 
This is View 15 Picture 2, and dated December 1989, so only 4 months after picture 1 above.

Some work has taken place, and a couple of cranes have appeared, but you cant expect much in only 4 months.

View 15 Picture 2) View towards NIA site
 
View 15 Picture 3, and dated July 1990. This is the last picture in this set.

I am sorry about the quality of this picture, it seems to have had orange juice or something spilt on it. I have tried to clean it but only made it worse (what can I clean it with? - the original picture, not the digital image).

NIA well on its way now, but I never went back to take more pictures after around 1990.

I moved house (out of Birmingham into Solihull), and got very busy at work (I worked in Warwick) so never went back to take any more pictures to watch it being finished off. Looking back now I wish I had, but never mind.

But I do have more pictures to post, so look out for them.

View 15 Picture 3) View towards NIA site
 
hi guilbert...just caught up with your amazing photos....thank goodness for people like you who have the foresight to take them...looking forward to seeing some more

lyn
 
I worked for the company that project managed the Hyatt, ICC and new Rep Theatre. Everything for the Hyatt internally was imported except for 1 thing, which I believe was a table. The Hyatt logo was made but during the time of it actually being put onto the building the logo had changed, so a new one had to be re-ordered. The story of the bridge was true, but I think it was too short because the Hyatt had to be moved further back from the road, hence the architects must have forgotten this! ICC as you probably know was built over a rail line and therefore had to withstand trains running underneath - although I think this part never took place. The accoustics inside were based on the Sydney Opera house and was said to be accoustically perfect. (Although Elton John disagreed when playing there). When the demolition started for the theatre, there were numerous skeletons found all together which all had to be removed to consecrated ground elsewhere. It was because there were so many it was thought it must have been from the plague, or certainly something that warranted so many poeple being buried together.
 
Thanks for all the information....nice to hear from someone involved in the project at the time.

I am just amazed to think it was all those years ago...to me the Hyatt is a "new" hotel.
 
The skeletons were found on Broad Street the site of the new theatre. They either went to Handsworth or Erdington Cemetery.
 
More pictures of the building of the National Indoor Arena 30 years ago

This is View 15 Picture 1 and View 16 Picture 1 merged (individual pictures already posted above). It shows the NIA site.

Both pictures were taken on August 1989 from the same spot. The merging is not that good as they were not meant to be a panorama, but I thought the two pictures combined would look more interesting that the individual pictures.

View 15 Picture 1 and View 16 Picture 1 MERGED) View towards NIA site
 
This is View 15 Picture 3 and View 16 Picture 2 merged (individual pictures already posted above). Shows the NIA site.

Both pictures were taken on July 1990 from the same spot. The merging is not that great to be honest as they were not meant to be a panorama, but I thought the two pictures combined would look more interesting that the individual pictures.

View 15 Picture 3 and View 16 Picture 2 MERGED) View towards NIA site
 
guilbert53 said:
This is now "View 2" and there are only 3 pictures from this viewpoint.

This picture is dated November 1986

This shows a run down building on New Street which was restored and is now The Brasshouse (according to Google Street View). It is to the LEFT of the canal (as you face it) and the building is facing Broad Street. Behind it is the
Brindley Place complex.

The "gap" between the old buildings is where the canal runs under Broad Street (was there a church there?).

The thing that STAGGERED me about this picture is not the building in the foreground, but the amazing industrial architecture of the building on the right (I happen to think it is beautiful with those wonderful chimneys).

I must admit that I was not so into buildings at that time, and I dont think I even NOTICED it when I took this picture, it just "happened" to be in it. I certainly did not take an pictures of JUST that building at the time (I wish I had done).

It stands right where the Convention Centre now stands (I wonder if there was any protest about it being knocked down at the time).

Amazing to think a building like that was right in the centre of Birmingham less than 25 years ago.

View 2, Picture 1) Site of Brindley Place and Convention Centre on Broad Street - click thumbnail for full size view
Click to expand...

Yes there certainly was a Church there. You can just recognise the building in your cracking photo in this old one from Norman Bartlam's 'Broad St' Book.
 
guilbert53 said:
This is now "View 2" and there are only 3 pictures from this viewpoint.

This picture is dated November 1986

This shows a run down building on New Street which was restored and is now The Brasshouse (according to Google Street View). It is to the LEFT of the canal (as you face it) and the building is facing Broad Street. Behind it is the
Brindley Place complex.

The "gap" between the old buildings is where the canal runs under Broad Street (was there a church there?).

The thing that STAGGERED me about this picture is not the building in the foreground, but the amazing industrial architecture of the building on the right (I happen to think it is beautiful with those wonderful chimneys).

I must admit that I was not so into buildings at that time, and I dont think I even NOTICED it when I took this picture, it just "happened" to be in it. I certainly did not take an pictures of JUST that building at the time (I wish I had done).

It stands right where the Convention Centre now stands (I wonder if there was any protest about it being knocked down at the time).

Amazing to think a building like that was right in the centre of Birmingham less than 25 years ago.

View 2, Picture 1) Site of Brindley Place and Convention Centre on Broad Street - click thumbnail for full size view
Click to expand...

This building you mention was the original Brewery behind the Crown that William Butler was associated with. Here is a picture showing those chimneys that you captured even better!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top