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Gospel Oak, Acocks Green
- Thread starter ladylinda
- Start date
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Lloyd
master brummie
It is sad that so many of these large pubs are going, but I suppose there's no demand for them and the ground is worth a fortune these days. I suspect that the ones that have become large Chinese restaurants are really just investments, waiting for the value of the ground to go up.
ELIZABETH1
master brummie
What a shame this is - I used to know this area quite well during the late 1970's - it never seemed a bad area then at all - I have some very fond memories of this area.
I'd bet they'll build on the site - if they've just redone the pub and trade has declined etc.. the land will be worth more than the trade / business?
I'd bet they'll build on the site - if they've just redone the pub and trade has declined etc.. the land will be worth more than the trade / business?
J
jan aziz
Guest
my mom and dad met at the gospel oak way back in 1949, mom lived in ormsby grove the name was gardner lived next door to a family called the groves's it was a great area in the 1960's-70's when we used to visit my nan when we were growing up.
Did anyone live here in th50's 60's 70's
Did anyone live here in th50's 60's 70's
S
Stitcher
Guest
jan aziz, I was born in Oakhill Creascent in 1940 and one of my school pals was a boy whose name was groves. He lived in Ormsby Grove and his nickname was 'Nobby'.
MY MOM AND DAD ALSO USED THE GOSPEL OAK BEFORE I WAS BORN THEY LIVED WITH MY NAN LAURA NOAKES ON GOSPEL FARM ROAD. I THINK MY NAN DIED IN 1969 WHEN I WAS 7 YRS OLD. MY MOM LIVED IN THE HOUSE WITH SISTERS JEAN,RENE.BETTY AND BROTHER ALBERT.i THINK THE FAMILY OPPOSITE WERE THE STYLES.MY MOM HAS SOME PHOTOS OF A STREET PARTY IN GOSPEL FARM ROAD WHICH I THINK WAS THE QUEENS CORONATION.THE AREA NOW IS A FAR CRY FROM WHEN I WOULD VISIT MY NAN IN THE 1960,S.
S
Stitcher
Guest
Wessex, I agree with that. A lot of people say it is the smoking ban but I have been very carefull and selective about where I go for a drink for quite a few years now. I can not stand stupid idiotic loud yobbish drunken behaviour and could quite easily get myself into trouble with the police. For this reason I go further afield to find a better atmosphere. This leads eventually to a pubs clientele being almost entirely undesirable. I do feel for the few decent drinkers in these pubs as they close down beacause when they find a decent pub so do the idiots and the cycle starts all over again.
Too right,far too easy for the rot to set in,hardwork to turn the corner back again.
I left the UK for many years,and being teatotal for nearly 20 years probally didn't feel the same need for pub life quite as often as before.But after coming back to the Uk last year,and seeing the state of the licenced trade it does make you wonder how bad it has become.
We seem to have mostly glorified Cafe/resturants now,the odd local relying mainly on booze is becoming a rarity.
Surely the term 'local' means something? Back a few years and most of us had a choice of local pubs,now in many cases many have closed,or are not the same friendly places they once were.
One solution would be for those decent pubs to perhaps club together and organise/subsidise a minibus service for regulars.People who drink shouldn't drive,and at night you don't want to be messing with buses at closing time,especially if changes are necessary.A cheap ride that say does a loop of an area's pubs,but picks up passengers from other areas could easily prove popular,and increase trade....just would take some organisation to do it on the required scale.
S
Stitcher
Guest
Wesex, although I do not live in the A. Green H. Green area these days, I was born in Oakhill Cres. and spent my first 20 years there. I did know all the pubs in the area as well as The New Inns, Dolphin, The Brittania Three Maggies and all the others. I too an disallusioned by the transformation of the area. I can assure you it is almost natiowide as is the collapse of communities and social life in general. I feel the problem with your bus idea would be that the idiots would also use it and therefore spoil it for anyone who tried to enjoy themselves in a sensible manner. My idea would be to turn a decent busy pub into a private membership venue and only allow the better clientele to become members.
C
chinnychinn
Guest
now the gospel very well. lived in oakhurst road. remember nobby groves and the mathews family in ormsby grove. remember the barclays to at the gospel oak
hi stitcher
i entily agree with you of every think you have said especialy
about the pubs but it not just around the green it is now all over the country
and regarding what you have said ,and you are probaly are aware of it
and may have noticed in your travells that the licenceing committee
of birmingham are just doing what you have said
and that pubs with chequerd history that have all these yobs
that have been a problem loose there licence.
but what they are now doing if a pub gets its licence back
its on the under standing its a private members pub club
and you don,t get in easelyyou have to be recommened to
the manager by a relative or a friend whom is responible
should your friend mis behave cause trouble you are struck off the list
and the pub and the pub will permantly closed for good
when you travel around you will see ertain pubs with this above there
front stating members only .the monca in quinton is one
there is one in harborne ,there is one in stechford [ the star ]
as been for years ,
i also know acocks green pubs where this should be done
alot of the old guys from the red liion go there across from the lion
my old place i take it you know the bull dogs ,
i used to run that red lion yearsago and the old italian guy
from the gospell he fell on the way side the gospel as been closed down
more times than i have had cooked dinners as you say its been time
after time the brewery spent fistful of money time after time
trying to turn it around but with no joy
there has been hard managers in there but of no prefail
could not shift the hard core of rot
but what you have is correct and i entirely agree
i see there is alot of pubs on the threads today which i could had to
as i knew them and the indivuional managers persononaly but i could be
writing all day but i will not mention them or any other pubs i was
involved with
well stitcher i will close here look foreward to seeing more of your
good threads , best wishes astonian ;;;
i entily agree with you of every think you have said especialy
about the pubs but it not just around the green it is now all over the country
and regarding what you have said ,and you are probaly are aware of it
and may have noticed in your travells that the licenceing committee
of birmingham are just doing what you have said
and that pubs with chequerd history that have all these yobs
that have been a problem loose there licence.
but what they are now doing if a pub gets its licence back
its on the under standing its a private members pub club
and you don,t get in easelyyou have to be recommened to
the manager by a relative or a friend whom is responible
should your friend mis behave cause trouble you are struck off the list
and the pub and the pub will permantly closed for good
when you travel around you will see ertain pubs with this above there
front stating members only .the monca in quinton is one
there is one in harborne ,there is one in stechford [ the star ]
as been for years ,
i also know acocks green pubs where this should be done
alot of the old guys from the red liion go there across from the lion
my old place i take it you know the bull dogs ,
i used to run that red lion yearsago and the old italian guy
from the gospell he fell on the way side the gospel as been closed down
more times than i have had cooked dinners as you say its been time
after time the brewery spent fistful of money time after time
trying to turn it around but with no joy
there has been hard managers in there but of no prefail
could not shift the hard core of rot
but what you have is correct and i entirely agree
i see there is alot of pubs on the threads today which i could had to
as i knew them and the indivuional managers persononaly but i could be
writing all day but i will not mention them or any other pubs i was
involved with
well stitcher i will close here look foreward to seeing more of your
good threads , best wishes astonian ;;;
S
Stitcher
Guest
Astonian, no one in authority seems to care or understand what is going on in our country. We have so many people who do not work from choice. So many youths and adults who think they have the right to bully and frighten others and so many who seem to think everything is fine. I know several people who are older than I am and they all say they are glad they are closer to the grave than the nursery. That, coming from men who beat Hitlers hordes after six years of bloody conflict is very sad.
Trevor.
Trevor.
S
Stitcher
Guest
Chinnychin, Larry Barclay lived on Lakey Lane at the Gospel Oak end opposite the cycle shop as I remember. Nobby Groves's mom used to stand outside the flats on the corner of Pitmaston Rd and Lakey Lane selling fresh flowers from a pram. Do you remember the Chippy on the end of Lakey Lane? A kid named Terry Miller used to work there while he was still at school. He used to prepare the shelfish and cut all the chips. as soon as he was old enough he used the money he had saved to buy a beautiful motorbike.
Trevor.
Trevor.
hi trev, and phil ;
yes i really think you can say good bye to the oak;
its the final last straw ; its been and seen its troubles to the
residences and to the brewery for decades and of course to the
police ,whom will celebrate the de molishment of such a house
but i have got to say which might upset some people
and knowing what i knowabout a certain pub
which is not to far from the gospel oak
that the yobs that frequented the oak in the last era
there sibbling and may i say some of he older yogs are useing it
as well .that this particular pub will breed the same token as
the oak in time
i personally knew alot of these gangs that used to pass through
and when i have passed this particular pub
i have reconised them going into this pub when i go to my
daughters whom moved to dolphin lane agaist my wishes
from inkbera worc .
but any way getting back to the gospel it as seen some carring
on,s. i there say thereis members whom could tell us afew stories
like i could but i will not
the one guy whom allowed it to slipp years ago went to the
harborne stores on the high street many years ago
and he lrt that slipp , the brewery got rid of him
and brought a young couple into the harborne stores
she was the licence holder and the boy friend at one time was the
partner. well me and my old dutchess trained them both up
to management and taught them the ropes
before moving into the stores ,i don,t know whether she is
still there or not and running it
so you can say fare well to the gospel guys
best wishes astonian ;;;
yes i really think you can say good bye to the oak;
its the final last straw ; its been and seen its troubles to the
residences and to the brewery for decades and of course to the
police ,whom will celebrate the de molishment of such a house
but i have got to say which might upset some people
and knowing what i knowabout a certain pub
which is not to far from the gospel oak
that the yobs that frequented the oak in the last era
there sibbling and may i say some of he older yogs are useing it
as well .that this particular pub will breed the same token as
the oak in time
i personally knew alot of these gangs that used to pass through
and when i have passed this particular pub
i have reconised them going into this pub when i go to my
daughters whom moved to dolphin lane agaist my wishes
from inkbera worc .
but any way getting back to the gospel it as seen some carring
on,s. i there say thereis members whom could tell us afew stories
like i could but i will not
the one guy whom allowed it to slipp years ago went to the
harborne stores on the high street many years ago
and he lrt that slipp , the brewery got rid of him
and brought a young couple into the harborne stores
she was the licence holder and the boy friend at one time was the
partner. well me and my old dutchess trained them both up
to management and taught them the ropes
before moving into the stores ,i don,t know whether she is
still there or not and running it
so you can say fare well to the gospel guys
best wishes astonian ;;;
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
I pass by there quite often going to my sons house in Hall Green, I have noticed over the last couple of years how delapidated the area around the Gospel Oak has become.
I think out of about 15-18 shops (I haven't counted) there are only about five that are still operating and I think 3 of them are take aways.
Phil
I think out of about 15-18 shops (I haven't counted) there are only about five that are still operating and I think 3 of them are take aways.
Phil
Small world Stitcher,my parents lived round the corner in Shirley road from '87-94.I lived there in between moves occasionally.
The local walking distance pubs were never the greatest,but seemed popular enough at times.I expect the late 80s were not a great era for any pubs to be fair.
Just glad I'm not a smoker anymore,last time I worked in a pub was the Colebrook,Shirley,and even 11 years ago most were smokers.Standing outside a pub in the rain would not encourage me to pay a lot of money on a beer I could buy much cheaper from a supermarket.
The local walking distance pubs were never the greatest,but seemed popular enough at times.I expect the late 80s were not a great era for any pubs to be fair.
Just glad I'm not a smoker anymore,last time I worked in a pub was the Colebrook,Shirley,and even 11 years ago most were smokers.Standing outside a pub in the rain would not encourage me to pay a lot of money on a beer I could buy much cheaper from a supermarket.
S
Stitcher
Guest
Wessex, my dad played bowls for the Gospel Oak and of course the games were plaed at The Maggies, The Gospel and the Red Lion and they were all nice peaceful venues when I was young.
P
paulebo
Guest
yes i did
lived next door to mrs gardner one door up from mrs groves mrs clarkson on our other side knew ballards mathews hughes boyce froggats hanson/barclays woodwoods williams merters larvins owls walls and most others in area and all the old gospel gang most were not bad lads some turn out very good the gospel i believe holds the lunchtime most beer consumed recod under the old licence laws henry hall was the gaffer my dad would sort out any problems he had teddy boys etc good old day 50s early 60s great comunity
johnedward
master brummie
Reference the Gospel Oak I used to take my Dad's betting slips down to a chap who was located in a passge to the bar far right of the pub as you looked at it I think his name was Harold. We lived in Arkley road at 102 and Dad's monica was Bush 102 the year would be around 1955 / 56
John
John
P
paulebo
Guest
my gran lived 38 arklry rd mrs payne
O
ormsby
Guest
Larry lived in ormsby grove untill he married he then moved to stetchford then returnsd to acocks green and lived at the top end of gospel farm road .The people living opposite the bike shop were the Biddles
S
Stitcher
Guest
Hello ormsby, my apologies, of course you are correct. I really don't know too much about Larry Barclay but it was the Biddles on Lakey Lane, was it Lenny Biddle??
O
ormsby
Guest
yes and his brother Harry.
S
Stitcher
Guest
Ormsby, my dad played bowls for the Gospel Oak for some time. He also played for other teams as well and I really don't know which photo's are of the Gospel Oak team. I will sort them out and put them on here, you may see an old neighbour.
O
ormsby
Guest
hello stitcher, i would be very interested to see the old photo's and perhaps put some names to them.
does any body recall tony the little italian guy whom ran the gospel in the seventies he later went to the harborne stores harborne
he let the smoke os in the place [ whackie baccies ]
the brewers through him out
and i trained the lady whom took over his postion at my pub
and she went to the harborne stores many years ago when i look back and reflect how times fly,s time awaits no man ;;
best wishes astonian ;;;
he let the smoke os in the place [ whackie baccies ]
the brewers through him out
and i trained the lady whom took over his postion at my pub
and she went to the harborne stores many years ago when i look back and reflect how times fly,s time awaits no man ;;
best wishes astonian ;;;
S
Stitcher
Guest
Astonian, we were mystery customer for some years and we were sent to the stores about 4 years ago for a meal. You get a cheque through the post to pay for it, then you are expected to write a report on the establishment. The Harborne Stores was a dreadful place. So bad in fact we would not eat in there.
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