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Spring Hill roller rink

Re: spring hill rollar rink

yes he was my uncle do you know anything about his family:)
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Although I ice skated at Springhill, I know it became a roller rink when the ice skating moved to Silver Blades. There is a video clip below of some roller skating championships in Birmingham, and it appears to be in England, but I can't recognise the rink...anyone know it ?
https://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=44928
oldmohawk:)
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Phil, in the last frame of this clip you can see on the wall a logo MECCA Ltd did they have more rinks in Birmingham? It looks to small for the old rink.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Keith - So it was a British rink. If it was the Springhill rink after it had altered to roller skating, they had smartened it up somewhat. That 'open' barrier looked a bit dangerous - wouldn't have liked crashing into it. Maybe one of the roller skaters will look at it and tell us which rink it was.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Phil looking at it again all the exit doors ,skate shop & steps on to the rink look like the old rink even the two doors one of which could be to the old speed club changing room?
I note the barrier sign says ENGLAND OLYMPIC ROLLER RINK BIRMINGHAM Not to many of them around I would think at the time?
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Keith - I think you are right. Someone has confirmed that it is not the Embassy. Never thought that the old rink would turn into an Olympic Rink !
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

This guy was my Centre ice Hero (CHICK ZAMICK) along with Les Stongman on the wing for the NOTTINGHAM PANTHERS.
We even got Chick & HIS TEAM OF YOUNG HOCKEY PLAYERS from Nottingham to play against us, one sunday morning at the old rink.,At one time he was the highest goal scorer in the world of hockey. now no longer with us sad to say.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

I think it was called the Mecca Olympic Roller Rink for years (nothing to do with the Olympic Games).
I recognise the bar and stage but didn't remember the championship skating being held there, I must have had a night off!!
Les Ross and the "Doc" were the dj's.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

We rarely bothered to skate, it was much more fun meeting the girls on the walk around the rink.
I wonder what they are all doing now? Probably have to remain nameless to protect the innocent!!!
Great times.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

thanks for that, it brings back a lot of memories. i thought it was only a rumour about the kids trying to saw through the pole,glad they did'nt suceed.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Just came across this photograph of the wonderful Olympic roller rink,it bought back so many happy memories for me. Particularly at the back of the stage !!!!!, you can see the Hasty Tasty which served great cheap burgers and chips, the bar at the far end was like a 5* lounge where i used to drink with the at that time undiscovered " The Move ". Max

Ps if any of the girls from the back of the stage send me a private message:D:shocked::cool:
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

What year would that be Max? Looks a bit more up market from when I used to go
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

oh wow max...thats made my day...its the best pic of the inside of the rink ive seen...got a few when it was an ice rink but this tops the lot...the stage was opposite the hasty tasty...im going to study this just in case i am there with me shorter than mini skating skirt...id never live it down lol...looks to be a tad before my time though...was there a date to it...

thanks again...:thumbsup:

lyn
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

didnt know you were a rollar man mike..what years were you there then:):)

lyn
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

mike-g said:
What year would that be Max? Looks a bit more up market from when I used to go
Click to expand...

Its circa from when it opened to 1968 , no exact year though Mike, i have to say i preferred it to The Embassy, where i was in a roller hockey team, I got knocked out one night when we played a team from Derby !!! the ball was solid wood, i still have the lump on my head to this day. Max
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

maxwell bullivant said:
Its circa from when it opened to 1968 , no exact year though Mike, i have to say i preferred it to The Embassy, where i was in a roller hockey team, I got knocked out one night when we played a team from Derby !!! the ball was solid wood, i still have the lump on my head to this day. Max
Click to expand...

That picture brings back many memories.
I met many wonderful girls there, and some good mates!
The very smart attendant standing at the bottom of the steps looks very much like "Ralph" I can't remember his surname.
 
summer hill roller rink

Does anyone remember the old roller rink in summer hill, and are there any photos about. We used to have a great time there around 1969 even met the wife. Love to hear your stories.
 
Re: summer hill roller rink

Hi Foxbat,
For some reason on this forum the rink has been called Spring Hill (nobody's fault senior moments) and there are two threads for when it was an Ice Rink, one upper case, one lower case titled !
Lots of photos for the upper case thread. There is a thread for when it was a roller rink. I even posted a link to a pathe video taken in there. Look in the Cinemas, Theatres & Rinks part of the forum.
I was an ice skater by the way.
oldmohawk:)
 
Re: summer hill roller rink

Hi oldMohawk. Thanks for the info, sure to be a senior moment its been quite a while now. I never knew it used to be an ice rink, just going to look at the video and photo now, sure to get a lump in my throat, lets hear it for nostalgia. Big thanks.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi Max. New to the site, thanks for the photo. Met the wife there in 69 were still together, happy days. John.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi Foxbat,
Forgive me but I'm intrigued by your forum 'name'. It was the Nato Code Name for a Russian Mig 25 fighter back in the time of the Cold War. Quite a number of us on here are interested in aviation.
Sorry I'm a bit off topic...
oldmohawk
 
Re: summer hill roller rink

foxbat said:
Does anyone remember the old roller rink in summer hill, and are there any photos about. We used to have a great time there around 1969 even met the wife. Love to hear your stories.
Click to expand...

See post 44 Max
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi oldmohawk. No problem, sorry to disappoint but it is just a nickname i've been stuck with for many moons now. It started out as foxy but evolved into foxbat somehow. All the best.
John.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi John,
I just wondered about aviation - in the aviation threads of the forum we've posted about our 1st aeroplane flights and other things, there's even a pic of an airliner stuck in the side of a restaurant. You can probably guess about my forum name.
Phil..:)
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Who remembers Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band performing on stage at the roller ring.

What year did they appear? I think it was late 60,s.

When they got up on stage the skating stopped and when there was an interval everyone whizzed round the rink until they came back on again. I think the rink had a number of performers, on occasions but I only remember Geno and co.

Me and my brother were regulars at the rink from about 1967 to about 1969. Spent most of the time in the bar. I've still got my skates and they still work.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

hi phil..i cant recall seeing geno washington but most certainly our skates would have crossed as we were going there at the same time....happy days...

lyn
 
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