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Restaurants In Birmingham 1960s

well slightly off topic but I remember the Burlington Arcade had a little shoemakers - I wanted some of those metal things that you stuck into your heels to make them wear better - and I asked the lady assistant " do you sell SEGS?" - well I can still feel the glare now!!

Bestie
 
Does anyone remember a restaurant that was upstairs in a building somewhere near or behind the rag market? My Mom & Dad used to take us there when we were kids as a special treat around 1955. I spoke to Mom last night and she said that she thinks it was called the 'Erdington' or 'Edgbaston' Resaurant.It was definitely by the rag markets though. They used to serve really good basic food like steak & kidney pie and sheperds pie etc followed by steamed puddings with custard. She recalled a story of when she went there with my dad's sister and her young daughter. The child 'wet' her pants and my Mom & aunt were asked to leave. My Mom & Dad are both 86 now and I am desperately trying to "suck" the memories out of them.
 
All I remember of The Barn is just after the Birmingham Bombings they had heavies on the doors for about two weeks then nothing so we never went again :(
 
Hey Frank..Sorry to break the thread but I cant pm you..I live right by your parents right? want me to pop round and take a load of pics for you? I can send them e-mail ..all I need is for you to say yes and let them know I'm coming..
 
In the 60s I worked for Wolseley Engineering who made agricultural machinery, the Merry Tiller, Jungle Buster etc., and as I was secretary to the Sales Director was lucky enough to go with the sales team to various shows with them where we stayed in hotels for the duration, among them was The Royal Show at Stoneleigh and we always stayed at The Barn Motel at Hockley Heath as we didn't finish until quite late in the evening around 9 p.m. It was quite the "in place" at that time and I have many happy memories of staying there.
 
Another popular place for meals out but outside Birmingham, which I had almost forgotten but went past yesterday although it has changed its name, was the Old Farmhouse at Armitage, in those happy days of the 60s you could get a fabulous meal for 16/- 80 pence in today's money. Starting with soup and fresh home made bread rolls, main course, sweet, coffee and mints, it was really lovely food and so popular you always had to book well in advance, does anyone else remember it?
 
Sylvia...great that you mentioned The Farmhouse at Armitage. What a great place it was.
It is still standing and a restaurant indeed....more a burger place I think. My parents started taking me there on visits home to Birmingham and I loved it. You are right you had to book in advance and I did that very thing for my parents and a couple of their friends who were going to celebrate my Father's birthday-April 8th. Gerry and I got engaged on April 8th, 1973 here in Vancouver. We made the booking for their meals at The Farmhouse over the phone and I planned to call the restaurant when my parents and friends were there that day, to speak to my parents and tell them I was engaged to be married. G and I rushed home from work in our lunch hour to call the restaurant from home...It all fell flat since when we got through to The Farmhouse they had their answering machine on and we couldn't speak to anyone!!!!!! It was a nice try though.
We spoke to them later on that day at their home with our news.

Try this website and scroll down and you will see The Spode Cottage Restaurant
as the Farmhouse has now become. I also remember having drinks at the Plum Pudding. https://www.joe.shakespeare.btinternet.co.uk/armitage.htm

It was a great ride out as well from Birmingham. Thanks for reminding me
Sylvia.
 
In the 50's we went 'for a run' one evening with friends who owned a car, they took us to The Crooked House, at Himley. We had a lot of fun rolling coins across the table, because they rolled backwards. I think the pub only served bread and cheese in those days.
 
Jenny as I posted earlier we drove past it yesterday, seemed just another run of the mill pub/restaurant, I was trying to think of the Plum Pudding, thanks for reminding me of the name, didn't catch sight of it, must look next time we are in the area.
 
Frantic....That restaurant you are referring to could well have been the Edgbaston Cafe.
I used to work at Francis Nicholls(Grocery) Ltd located on Upper Dean Street which was off Edgbaston Street and very close to the Rag Market. I don't think I ever went there but have a vague recollection of it being there on Edgbaston Street. I would imagine the food would have been pretty good since the market traders liked good nosh.

Maybe someone else may remember the place a bit more clearly.
 
YES I DO BELEIVE YOU ARE RIGHT IT WAS NEWBURYS, POSH FURNITURES , AND IT WAS OUT OF THE PRICE RANGE OF MOST ASTONIONS, LIKE THE RESTURANT , IT DID,NT DO TOO WELL IT CLOSED DOWN AND OPENED UP AS THE RESTURANT, SOMBODY THOUHT THEY WOULD MAKE AFEW BOB AND SET UP A RESTUARANT BECAUSE THEY NEW THAT THE BIG STARS ARE COMING FROM LONDON TO THE STUDIOS ALONG THE ROAD , AT THE ATV CENTRE,BUT UNFORTUNEATELY THEY WAS,NT CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE STUDIO,S TO BE SEEN AS YOU SAY IT WAS,T GEARED UP FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS WE COULD ONLY AFFORD THE 3 PENCE CHIPS FROM THE LOCAL CHIPPIE, THATS WHY THEY GAVE UP,THE STARS NEVER CAME TO THE RESURSTANT, HENNCE THE OLD SAYING ,, OUT OF SIGHT , OUT OF MIND , ASTONIAN , ;;;;;;;;;
 
:angel: Di, on one of my best blind dates ever I was taken to 'The Crooked House'. My friend's boyfriend had a Ford Anglia deluxe around 1966, so off I went with them and the boyfriend's mate in this 'Posh' car, only to find when he got out of the car he was 6ft 4in tall. Had a great time though and couldn't stop laughing all night,. Yes we'd both been set up, had a good night kiss standing on an upturned bucket.

Chris :angel:
 
Did the Arden Restaurant have menus that looked like artisits pallettes? I vaguely recall going somewhere similar in New Street as a child. I remember the silver service and the regulation uniforms of the staff in particular the memory of the pallette menus stand out.
 
Yes, you're right Fergie. I should have said The Arden and not the Acorn. Yes they did have silver service and uniformed waitresses plus the pallette menu. My parents, who in later years, when my Dad had retired, liked to take in an afternoon matinee at the pictures and had their lunch there before going to what ever film they had in mind.
The Arden was very close to Milletts Stores on New Street and downstairs. I also have a feeling that there was a small hotel upstairs.
 
For those of you who remember The Barn at Hockley Heath and organist Graham Dalley who used to play there, but sadly died at the age of only 43 so someone told me, take a look here:-

https://www.msheppard.com/photos03.htm under Hockley Heath

Regards,

Maurice in sunny Crete  8)
 
Hi Maurice:
Thanks for the link to the postcard site. I haven't seen any of those before and they
are a very good selection indeed. I have a friend who lives on one of the islands off the
Vancouver Coast and she worked at the Barn around that era. I will send her the link and ask her if she knew the organist. Thanks again
 
I don't think The Taj Mahal has been mentioned
https://www.birmingham-eating.com/14292.htm

I first went to it in '75/'76, but mom tells me it was there in the 50's/'60's I think.

It was open till the early hours of the morning (at least in the 70's), and when we used to go in there were police coming off duty in there.
 
mazbeth said:
...It was open till the early hours of the morning (at least in the 70's), and when we used to go in there were police coming off duty in there.
Click to expand...

Well, that's what they told you - "coming off duty". ::)
 
Maurice - What memories your post cards brought back.

The first posh hotel (to me then) I went to in about 1959 was the Barn. A boy friend and I turned up on his Vespa scooter after a day out. I remember it to this day.
The photo of West Bromwich Hospital I found interesting, as my birth certificate says I was born in West Bromwich. I have no idea where but I guess that could be the place as we lived at the bottom of Sandwell Road. That was probably the closest hosptial. Do you know where it was?
Although I grew up in Handsworth and very close to West Bromwich I do not remember anyone mentioning the hospital, I thought I was born in a private maternity home.
Great post cards and many areas we are familiar with.:smile: Mo
 
I have been told the oldest (unchanged family buisness) Indian Restaurant in Birmingham is The Manzil in Digbeth. Now a favourite haunt for Birmingham taxi drivers. I remember going to The Bagladesh on the Bristol Road in the early 70's and my hubby says he used to go to the Shah Jahan which he believes was the first Indian restaurant to open it was in a part of Great Brook Street which is no longer there, it was upstairs. Does anyone remember these?
 
Indian Restaurants

I only remember John's Restaurant on Steelhouse Lane in about l960.
My brother Peter loved Indian food and told me to go there. I went only once
by myself on a lunch hour. I ordered Bombay Duck because I had seen this
in a film. It was very hot and I drank loads of water. The staff were all gathered at the kitchen window watching me "suffer".
Got to like Indian food later on though and we are getting a few more Indian restaurants here in Vancouver.
 
Indian Restaurants

I know this is an old thread, but I was reading it the other day and there are couple of things I thought were worth adding.

The earliest Indian Restaurant I can remember was in the very early sixties, and that was the Jinnah on Moseley Road, near to the corner of Ombersley Road, It was owned by an Indian chap called Kazzi at least I think that was his name who was married to an English woman who's name I can't remember. No such thing as a Balti in those days, but you could get a plain beef curry and rice for 3/6. Thats seventeen and a half pence to you young uns.

The other thing I thought was worth a mention , The Manzil in Digbeth was mentioned as being the oldest family run Indian Restaurant in Birmingham. It was never a family owned restaurant at first it was owned by a group of business men and fronted by a chap called Karashi who was the largest investor.Anybody who used the Manzil would remember him as the chap who spoke and acted like an English gentleman. The reason I know this because I was involved in the conversion of the building from Morgans Sausages to a restaurant in the sixties.

Cheers,

pmc1947 (Phil).
 
Maurice re. Nursing Home

Maurice, could you have possibly been born in Sandwell Nursing Home? We may have had our cots next door to each other.
 
Old Postcards - Lovely

Just had a look at the great postcards. It's lovely to see past times.
West Bromwich Hospital I don't recognise. The architecture doesn't relate to Hallam Hospital, or the District Hospital. I'm wondering if it could have been what was to become the Fever Hospital?
 
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