RE: BIRMINGHAM PUBS as is and was - 2

The 2 roughest pubs I ever worked in were THE AVENUE in Green Lane and THE BEECHES in Hoggs Lane Northfield, and it was always the paddies that started it.

The Dovecote was a lovely pub in the 80s, home from home for Nut's refugees.
Lea Hall Tavern was totally off limits.

That interior shot of The New Inn is exactly as it was when i used it (twice) so I suppose there was only ever one hut.
VM

John

When did you work at the Avenue? I knew the gaffer and misses there in the early 70's.

Phil

The Lea Tavern had a reputation as a rough pub. It was'nt undeserved. It was'nt just a rough pub it was about as rough as they come. It was far too dangerous for me to go in, because I was head Barman of The CHESTNUT TREE about three quarters of a mile away and a few of their patrons had been batted from our place.

The CHESTNUT TREE (The Nuts) as we knew it and the (Doves) were an Oasis in the middle of some rough pubs.
The DOVECOTE Cockshut Hill, was another good little boozer as VM said. It was a really good pub in the days of Bob And Joan Gardner and their family who ran the place from when it opened until their retirement. It was a really friendly place, I worked part time for them in the first half of The CHESTNUT TREE (The Nuts) as we knew it and the (Doves) were an Oasis in the middle of some rough pubs..

A great many people used both pubs as they we only two minutes apart by car, so it was easy to meet friends.
Also just at the other end of Sheldon Heath Road, we had the Cabin, with it's free and easy's and at times a rough crowd. The CABIN was also known later as the MAZZEPA and later as The RADLEY ARMS. SB

John you say you worked at The Beeches, The lady who ran The Beeches used to visit our pub after time on a sunday Night. She was very nice but more than slightly scary. Her name may have been Margaret I think she had long flaming red hair and a temper to match, she also had a fairly strong Irish Accent. You may have known the lady. SB

The Cabin, another pussy cat pub for all those softie's up Sheldon way.

Phil

Well it's the best we could find for the rough part of the posh quarter.
I can say many years ago some of my family used to drink in the ROCK, at Alum Rock. So we havn't always used a Silver Spoon with our Advocaat.

Phil and SB,
It was way before your times,Beeches, Charlie Mason about 64-67.
Avenue,Ken and Edna Perry, about 60-62.
I also worked at the Stirrup Cup for John and Elsie Jones.
YEW TREE for ? Partridge.
Yardley Arms for ?Richwood.

John Osgood followed john and Elsie Jones at the Stirrup Cup (The Giddyup) for quite a few years.

John

Were you a bad barman? You seemed to work at a lot of pubs, or did you just like to spread yourself around. Now I know barmaids get chatted up (I heard it somewhere). Now when I worked for two years two nights a week voluntary at a club where I was on the committee I never got chatted up. But members were always chatting up my wife who I volunteered as well. I find that sexist and very disappointing.

Phil

Phil I was a good barman, it was just a way of getting away from the first missus.
I got chatted up Twice, once in the YEWTREE by a girl about 3 years younger than me who was absolutley loaded, I remember ole man Partridge the gaffer saying one night " that bird only ever comes in here when you're working".
I went out with her once to the Adelphi, it was a disaster, we had nothing in common only you know what, it took about 3 weeks and I never saw her again.
The 2nd time was in the New Inns by a woman that lived in Bilton Grange rd. who kept on asking me to go for Sunday dinner, I never did.

John, I went passed the Avenue today. It's not a pub anymore It's been taken over by a Muslim foundation.

Another Birmingham pub just waiting for the usual visit from the fire brigade. The Gospel Oak on Gospel Lane Acocks Green I pass this pub at least once a week when visiting my son who lives in Hall Green. This photo was taken not long after the pub closed and it is much poorer condition now.

The maddening thing is not twelve months before it closed it's rumoured that they spent £500,000 renovating it. It's obvious to me that it will never open again.

Phil

Just had a thought about the area around Green Lane,
The Avenue/Pochin Still, has now gone
The Lion and Lamb
The White Lion Muntz Street
The Gunmakers Arms
The Vine

The Custard House is still there
Can anyone add to this

The Black Horse in N orthfield is going to be a Weatherspoons, --they have ruined every pub they have taken over.