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Kingsway Picture House Kings Heath

OK, thanks Brumgum, I wondered where it could be. Must have a look on Google Street View then :-)

EDIT: I see where you mean now - they've altered the angle at which Vicarage Road enters the High Street. Makes sense (for a change!).

Maurice
 
OK, thanks Brumgum, I wondered where it could be. Must have a look on Google Street View then :-)

EDIT: I see where you mean now - they've altered the angle at which Vicarage Road enters the High Street. Makes sense (for a change!).

Maurice
Ytube video here Maurice, it's very successful. I love Kings Heath to be honest, quite an eclectic mix of people about and very lively..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKFUHzC_5sM

[URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0seOj01CsU
[/URL]
 
Thanks for those, Brumgum. I left Kings Heath in 1960 having spent about ten years living in Albert Road. I seem to recollect that Wrensons was more or less opposite the Village Square, but my memory may be faltering! It seems to have fared considerably better than the Balsall Heath end of Moseley Road did!

Maurice
 
No, Baz, but my younger brother, Roy Sheppard, did. I was at Moseley Grammar. He later went on to serve his apprenticeship at W.G. Canning whilst I went first to BCT and then Lucas, Great King Street.

Maurice
 
Thanks for those, Brumgum. I left Kings Heath in 1960 having spent about ten years living in Albert Road. I seem to recollect that Wrensons was more or less opposite the Village Square, but my memory may be faltering! It seems to have fared considerably better than the Balsall Heath end of Moseley Road did!

Maurice
Opposite is the Hedges building which was once a Pharmacy, It's an Adams Here but is something else now and i can't recall what..
Hedges.jpg
Moseley is also slightly on the up with a very popular Monthly Farmers Market and new independent coffee shops etc..


https://www.essentialtravel.co.uk/magazine/top-10/farmers-markets.asp
 
Ah, I remember Hedges. I think Wrensons was the other side of the Drayton Road junction, and we are talking about over 50 years ago!

Maurice
 
Does anyone remember Saturday morning matinees at the Kingsway in the 60's, the manager on stage announcing the running order and George the doorman in his red coat controlling the kids. Happy innocent days
 
Just some background bumf. My Aunt Hetty Mason was manageress at the Kingsway in the 1950's, and also occasionally at Kings Norton, when I was a young lad. Needless to say, we took advantage of quite a few complimentary tickets! I have very fond memories of those times.
 
The Kingsway is to be restored, but the fire damaged back section to be demolished.





https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/bu...erty/new-plans-restore-historic-fire-14169674

A former cinema and bingo hall which has been closed for over a decade is set to be reborn as a new £5 million mixed-use development.

The Kingsway building, in Kings Heath, was built in the 1920s but it closed in 2007 and was largely destroyed by a fire four years later.

After being bought at auction two years ago, developers are now finalising plans for the future of the building and seeking the views of the local community.

A joint venture development team has been formed by Birmingham-based duo Nestings Group and Redleaf to carry out the regeneration in High Street.

The plan is to demolish the fire-damaged building but retain the striking, grade A locally listed façade at the front and build a new complex, possibly reaching up to six storeys.

Nirmal Vora, a director of Nestings Group which specialises in healthcare projects, said the the final plans for the building would be dictated by the consultation it is holding with the community over the coming weeks.

He said: "We are looking to celebrate what was there and to salvage as much of the building as we safely can.

"We will keep the façade and as much of that core block at the front as possible.
 
Update on The Kingsway since the demolition earlier this year. Just a big hole behind the facade!

You can see Poplar Road from the side now.



 
It is a shame that the damage was too much to restore! But then it was left untouched for years and years!
 
Well it looks like they are at least saving the frontage of the building, that's something at least.
 
Hi I hope you received the photo of my painting its done in acrylic, I saw a photo on DJ Norton website and asked the owner if he minded me painting from his black and white photo ! I hope I done it justice :-)
 
Hi Colin, I have a vague idea that there was talk of the Kingsway being redeveloped in the papers last year. Hope it's not too badly damaged!

Florence
I believe I saw something on the web saying that they would keep the front facade and rebuid a shop behind.
 
I am sure that is recorded on BHF someplace.
Yes how do I remove that post of mine?
Does anyone have any old photographs of the Kingsway Cinema in Kings Heath...unfortunately I'm too young to have ever been there when it was actually a cinema and before it closed in 1980 (the year I was born)...but I'd love to see some photos of what it looked like both inside and out. It's such a shame that it's now in ruins...it would make such a great local cinema and diner / bowling alley etc if there was lots of money and thought (and love) put back into it.
A few years back I found some photos of the inside on the web , it looked beautiful inside.There is one photo outside on DJ Norton photos of Birmingham website. Next to Daleston newsagents and I painted a picture from the photo.
 
The Kingsway Picture House...from the Iron Room, Birmingham Libraries.

 
Sometime time ago I heard that the plans were the front facade only was going to be saved and a shop behind to be built, maybe they can save a bit more than front skin only, I remember seeing photos of the inside decor and it looked great, art decor style, maybe the photos done it justice, Although I painted a picture of the building with adjacent shops, unfortunately I,ve never been there :-)
 
Got a view from a car park off Poplar Road of the back of The Kingsway Cinema in Kings Heath. A sad site. It is two years since the demolition.

 
Got a view from a car park off Poplar Road of the back of The Kingsway Cinema in Kings Heath. A sad site. It is two years since the demolition.

Did the pull it right down? I though they was going to save the facade and have shops behind!
 
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