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Spring Hill roller rink

i used to go to springhill roller skating from 1967 untill it closed ,we all turned up on the night and it was shut.there was a crowd of us from aston.,i remeber the doc,some of the guys where amin sabin,david bently,chris bicknel paul and alan jones,alan whitehouse,we all had girlfriends there,there was susan george,shelly mann,lizzy,
the good old days,
 
welcome to the forum goldenwonder..i was devastated that night..turning up to find the rink boarded up with no notice at all..used to go about 5 nights a week so was a big part of my life...very happy days indeed..there should be some photos of the inside and outside of the rink on this thread..

lyn
 
There used to be a roller rink on Walford road spark hill then they closed it and started the wrestling
Then it became a bingo hall then an Asian picture house ,then they actually bought the proper picture house afew.
Doors before the actual roller rink which was named the Embassy roller rink
Carolina on the subject t of the tower it was always packed with people of all ages and of sexes
And you could always Guarente a lady on your arm to take home ,
Me and my mates went often and there's been area marriages made from them meeting
And with the same token a broken maridge was created
They used to have bands from the sixtys playing there I seen Marty Wilde and Dave dee and co
And afew others in thou,s days I took my good lady the Dutchess. To see her old
Ravers when she was growing up she was brought up just down the road
In fact two streets away from the tower in the end it was a gay place for people to meet
It is now owned by a very big Asian business for hire of there functions
It was previously own by a Irish man whom I do not think I can name on here for legal reasons
But he owned a lot of pubs across the country and clubs
And incidently I know personally and I also have ran area of his pubs as well for him
He bought the tower a couple of years ago and invested a lot of money but
He now as sold it to an Asian concern property tycoons
You can read the full story and names on Google if you ever wanted to know more
On the subject of springhil I lived just around the block from the rink
And when it changed over from roller to ice skating and I was habit of a tear away
With a couple of other lads in our teens or youth we was a gang and when they open end up
For the second time we used to walk around to the rink and jest the Bouncers
To fight us and if I was not with my mates I would be with a young lady snogging
In the side exits of the rink late of a night but the only problem I had was our dear old friend
From this forum namely mossy would more often than not beat me to the best door way
Which was in Goodman street he would always beat me to it
He was a very good close friend to a friend of mine namely Micky he would know if he should read this
Good old days for me my next door neibour Phil was a member of the hawks I believe
Around the rink. Best wishes Astonian,,,,,Alan,,'''
 
thought i had posted these but i didnt:rolleyes::rolleyes:..i dont think it was ever offically called spring hill rollar rink..we just called it that..this card was from when i was going there...spring hill front cover.jpg spring hill prices.jpg

lyn
 
Thanks Lyn, so it was Summerhill ... although it was an Ice Rink when I went. I used to get off the No 8 Inner Circle bus at Springhill Library and walk up to the rink.
Phil
 
i agree rosie...excellent value..very happy days

phil i used to jump the no 8 from nursery road get off at the library and walk up...i still cant forgive them for closing it down without notice:(
 
Hi Rosie and lynn
As a kid growing up around the other side of the rink wich was on our block of houses where we all lived and brought
up in cluding our dear old friend mossy whom was up the road as well from the rink
I used the word rink because as we all know it was an ice skating rink originaly
then years on changed to an rolling skate rink
and as a local lad to it we all refered it at spring hill meaning us all natives to the area
some people from out side the area would have said summer hill , but locals call it spring hill
which is natuural so it all depended on where you came from to express either word kingedwards road
is on the same block and shakespear road where mossy lived was just across the road goodman street
and st marks street facing is ajoing shakespear road
when we was kids courting our local girls , mossy and myself tryed to get the side street
door way which was inlaid shelter before each other but more often than not mossy was there before me
that side door in goodman stret was the emergency exits door
the membership card was for the rolling skateing membership
thats why it had the posh bit of summer hill on it plus the fact it was the start of summer hill road
thats why they put summer hill road
previously fbefore the roller rink came it was normally at walford road roller rink on walford road called the embasy rink
 
I remember travelling on a Dudley Road route BCT bus - a Saturday when I often visited my grandmothers house - sitting in the single seat adjacent to the luggage rack. A young woman (really girl as she seemed to be around my age of fourteen) sat on the longitudinal seat opposite me. I cannot recall her face now - ye gods, it was over sixty years ago - but suffice it to say she looked beautiful and her fur trimmed white coat enhanced her appeal. She was a stunner and how I wished I could have joined her when she alighted at the ice skating rink. ;) Sadly I could not skate and neither did I have the skates and accessories anyway. However, she is one of many that lives in my long memory. :D
 
Hi Rosie and lynn
As a kid growing up around the other side of the rink wich was on our block of houses where we all lived and brought
up in cluding our dear old friend mossy whom was up the road as well from the rink
I used the word rink because as we all know it was an ice skating rink originaly
then years on changed to an rolling skate rink
and as a local lad to it we all refered it at spring hill meaning us all natives to the area
some people from out side the area would have said summer hill , but locals call it spring hill
which is natuural so it all depended on where you came from to express either word kingedwards road
is on the same block and shakespear road where mossy lived was just across the road goodman street
and st marks street facing is ajoing shakespear road
when we was kids courting our local girls , mossy and myself tryed to get the side street
door way which was inlaid shelter before each other but more often than not mossy was there before me
that side door in goodman stret was the emergency exits door
the membership card was for the rolling skateing membership
thats why it had the posh bit of summer hill on it plus the fact it was the start of summer hill road
thats why they put summer hill road
previously fbefore the roller rink came it was normally at walford road roller rink on walford road called the embasy rink

Does anyone remember the name of the bar at the roller rink? Did it have a name?
 
Silver_Blades.jpg
Here's a photo of me and some friends at the Milk Bar in Silver Blades about 1970.
Did anyone out there go to the roller rink at ladywood?
 
There was a roller rink in Spring Hill
 
There was a roller rink in Spring Hill

I went there once in the mid 60's with a school friend, found it a bit scary as the floor sloped slightly into the centre when I wanted to keep safe at the sides!
 
There was a roller rink in Spring Hill

Hi old Mowhawk,

We used to go there quite frequently when I attended HLSS in the early 60's, we used to be given free tickets occasionally, so naturally we took full advantage. I was never much of an ice skater though as I spent quite alot of my time on the seat of my pants ha ha.

Lozellian.
 
Hi old Mowhawk,

We used to go there quite frequently when I attended HLSS in the early 60's, we used to be given free tickets occasionally, so naturally we took full advantage. I was never much of an ice skater though as I spent quite alot of my time on the seat of my pants ha ha.

Lozellian.
Lozellien,
The only roller skating I ever did was on the pavements in the road using borrowed skates which had straps round my ankles and front clamps on the soles of my shoes. One day I had a big fall which caused the clamps to rip the sole off my shoe so big trouble when I got home to be banned from street roller skating. Then I saw a lady ice skating in Perry Hall park and decided to try it at the ice rink.

oldmohawk
 
Lozellien,
The only roller skating I ever did was on the pavements in the road using borrowed skates which had straps round my ankles and front clamps on the soles of my shoes. One day I had a big fall which caused the clamps to rip the sole off my shoe so big trouble when I got home to be banned from street roller skating. Then I saw a lady ice skating in Perry Hall park and decided to try it at the ice rink.

oldmohawk
I thinkikk you had steel wheels on those skates with the front clamps! I had the same type, had to use rubber bands to keep my toes in.
 
I was just listening to Les Ross (rink DJ) on Boom Radio and couldn’t remember the name of the roller ring in spring hill. Can’t believe it was just called The Roller Rink.
 
hi nutwood and welcome to the forum...yes we just called it spring hill rollar rink...very happy days..also listening to boom radio

lyn
 
hi folks some of you rollar rinkers will know that the DJ les ross started his first full time job at the rollar rink so i have been in touch with him to invite him to join the forum and post on this thread his memories/photos of his days at the rink...les is still a DJ after all these years and now has a 10am to midday slot every sunday on a new radio show called boom radio and he plays some good old music...he said to give him a week or 2 and he will join us on here :) ...i didnt ask him but hes told me he will give me a mention on sundays show which is lovely of him but like i said to him please make sure you say i come from villa st lol..here is the link to boom radio should any of you fancy tuning in on sunday

lyn

 
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Hi, Astoness.
its been a few years since making contact with the forum. I picked up on this roller rink link. I went a few times to the rink only tried the skates once broke two fingers on my left hand and struggled home on my motor bike back to Stirchley. My Brother in Law Ron Sargent lived for the rink. it would be great to know that he is remembered as he passed Christmas 2019. some may remember him as the Tanner kid who sold his kisses for a Tanner to sub his night out. His sister Linda Sargent and brother Steve Sargent are still kicking around, mind you the wife is still kicking me around.
 
crikey it has been a long time tiny..how is claire doing? sorry to hear about your brother in law maybe some of our members may remember him...hopefully when times are safer we hope to hold another forum meet up it would be great to see you and claire again we need to get some brummies under one roof again :) ...take care

lyn
 
hi folks still hoping to hear from some old rollar rink mates..well those i can remember...so here goes...george burton used to live in twickenham road kingstanding..the 3 brothers richard..steve and robert close from south road hockley..carol miller who lived next door to me in villa st at 116..john foxall who i think lived at the bottom of spon lane west brom..billy dewar from kirby road winson green..i have already made contact with mary moore on this forum a few years back and we are still in touch...if i think of anyone else i will edit this post...happy days

lyn
 
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