Lost Pubs of Birmingham

Since the slum clearance of the sixties when unbelievable amounts of backstreet pubs were swept aside, Birmingham has continued to lose some of its finest pubs. These days, whilst we still have some fine pubs left, all we can do is reminisce about what used to be.

Fortunately we have access to a fine archive of the lost pubs of Birmingham, some of which we are able to share with you here.

If you have any particular memories of the pubs included here we would be very pleased to hear from you. A pub is little more than a building without the experiences and memories of the people that actually used them.

Pied Pied - Ladywood

With the recent news that the ill-fated London Apprentice in Smethwick has been sold for use as a religious building, We’ve noticed that this has become a bit of a trend. One reason could be that with the huge number of pubs available on the market at the moment, they are an affordable purchase for religious organisations that need a fair bit of space. In recent years, the Queen’s Head at Winson Green; both the St. Vincent and the Pied Piper, Ledsam Street, Ladywood; Samson & Lion, at Bordesley Green have all been converted to religious buildings. At least the building survives in some shape or form!   

Pied Piper 1967	Pied Piper Now

 

Railway Inn - Winson Green

This is an example of a perfectly good pub, which had nice exterior tiling that appeared to be demolished for no good reason and now has the ignominy of being replaced by a scrap yard. This is what happened to the Railway, Wellington Street, Winson Green after been left derelict for years in the 1990s.    

Railway Inn in its prime in the early 1960s	Railway Inn now: a scrap yard

  

The Waterloo Stores - Lozells

There are plenty of pubs around the city that have been closed for years and have sadly been allowed to go to rack and ruin. The Waterloo Stores, Wills Street, Lozells has been closed for around 10 years and actually lies in quite a nice conservation area within that suburb where nowadays few pubs exist.

Waterloo Stores in 1985	Waterloo Stores now

 

Aston Tavern - Aston

Another sad example of a pub falling into disrepair is the Aston Tavern. Lying in the shadow of the Aston Expressway, close to Aston Hall and Aston Villa F.C., unlike its more illustrious neighbour, The Holt, times have not been good for this attractive looking former Ansells hostelry.

Aston Tavern in 1985	Aston Tavern now

 

Minerva Vaults - Hockley

The Minerva Vaults, Great Hampton Row, Hockley, dates from the 1830s. By the 2000s it was known as The Hampton but is now closed. Planning application has been put in to convert it to a community centre.

Minerva Vaults  in 1985	Minerva Vaults now