indian restaurants

[Stevehanson]

Does anyone remember the Curry Centre, at the bottom of the Bristol Road almost next door to the Scala picture house. It was one of the first Curry Houses in Birmingham.

 

[currygirl99]

Hi there,

I am currently working on a project on Indian restaurants in Birmingham in the years 1950-1980. If anyone has any pictures from that time in an Indian restaurant or old advertisements that would be amazing !!

 

[Pedrocut]

There must be many adverts existing in the local press for Indian restaurant. Have you the names of any of particular interest ?

 

[carolina]

A couple of years ago there was a project about Birmingham Curry Houses and a display of the history was set up in the Museum. This is from Birmingham Mail.

History of Birmingham curry houses traced in major city exhibition

Knights of the Raj shows most early Indian curry restaurants were founded by Bangladeshis

www.birminghammail.co.uk

 

[SteveBhx]

I will post a couple of picture of restaurants later

 

[SteveBhx]

Hope these are what you wanted

41 Bristol Street 1975

2 Coton Lane Erdington 1976




1 Walford Road 1975

 

[currygirl99]

Hope these are what you wanted

41 Bristol Street 1975 View attachment 156238

2 Coton Lane Erdington 1976


View attachment 156239

1 Walford Road 1975
View attachment 156240

These are great thank you!

 

[currygirl99]

A couple of years ago there was a project about Birmingham Curry Houses and a display of the history was set up in the Museum. This is from Birmingham Mail.

History of Birmingham curry houses traced in major city exhibition

Knights of the Raj shows most early Indian curry restaurants were founded by Bangladeshis

www.birminghammail.co.uk

Hi yes, I came across this recently!

 

[currygirl99]

There must be many adverts existing in the local press for Indian restaurant. Have you the names of any of particular interest ?

none in particular. But my research is looking into how curry houses offered an affordable meal out for many people at the time.

 

[richardinwales]

" how curry houses offered an affordable meal out for many people at the time"

The business plan and the food served.

Most restaurant's were family owned and run with members working long hours for less pay than the workers in unionised industries around them is and was a major factor for keeping cost down plus the willingness to perhaps work on a lower profit margin than many other food businesses. The same model applied to retail shops too.

Secondly the ingredients, Curry is based more on vegetables, dried legume/pulses and spice the meat...the base ingredients are low cost.

 

[Morturn]

Some curry houses used mutton or goat in their curry’s, which had become less popular and therefore cheaper.

 

[nickcc101]

No photo but the Curry centre on Bristol Street was very popular in 1967, chap on the door had an Indian army ? Uniform on with a massive sword so never got much trouble.

 

[richardinwales]

Some curry houses used mutton or goat in their curry’s, which had become less popular and therefore cheaper.

The good curry houses use mutton or goat, still do. I love goat but can only get it when I drive into Cardiff. There used to be a fantastic Jamaican cafe/take away on Dudley road and their goat dishes were fantastic. If you were a regular you could buy little bags of off menu 'special herbs' too