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Birmingham - City of - visiting


OldGoat

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Stuck at home (like so many others), I have whiled away the hours watching all manner of Youtube videos. As we seem to choose to go via / round / in to Brum, I make an effort to see what's happening in Brum (perhaps aided by watching videos from "life at 2.5 mph" which show the history of that areas canal system.

In previous years we've stuck to the area around Gas Street and perhaps only spend a day before moving on to other pastures.

 

There are a lot of 'walking around' vids on YT and in general I am amazed how the City Council and other have taken the oportunity to do an huge amount of rebuilding and ditto road improvements, the net result of which is that its becoming a pleasure to walk around the centre and even indulge in some shopping - if you will. The streets appear wide because the roads are now single lane or even trams only. Consequently the pavements are wide and look pleasant to use. Squares look larger than I remember and have loadsa' seating as well as being inviting to eat a snack from the plethora of food outlets nearby.

 

For us Birmingham was a place on a list to visit - now methinks its a destination.

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We generally visit Birmingham a couple of times a year. We made it last year after the end of the first lockdown and we were surprised how quiet the canal and the city were. We usually walk out through the ICC and past the library, then return via the mailbox.

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46 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

We generally visit Birmingham a couple of times a year. We made it last year after the end of the first lockdown and we were surprised how quiet the canal and the city were. We usually walk out through the ICC and past the library, then return via the mailbox.

There's a lot of new development in the area of Moor Street / Colmore Road / Cathedral  which is a bit further away.

Further away the development for HS2 means the area around Curzon Street which always was a bit dreich is now flattened -  that makes the passage along Great Barr and the Ashstead locks much less horrible than they used to be

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I like boating in Birmingham and I have fond memories of sitting on the roof of the boat listening to a James Last concert in the "arena". The tickets were all sold but we enjoyed it more sitting on the boat with glass in hand than we might have dome if we had been inside.  

 

haggis

Edited by haggis
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40 minutes ago, haggis said:

I like boating in Birmingham and I have fond memories of sitting on the roof of the boat listening to a James Last concert in the "arena". The tickets were all sold but we enjoyed it more sitting on the boat with glass in hand than we might have dome if we had been inside.  

 

haggis

When was that? 

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I'm originally from Brum and enjoyed our boat visits there but its all gone a bit wrong for me in the last year or two. The Flapper (most interesting canalside pub) has closed (busy and thriving but forced to close) and the Prince of Wales is not what its used to be. The proper pubs have given way to "beverage destinations", rammed with youngsters and patrolled by security guards. New street is loud and aggressive, groups of muslims preaching through loudhailers with various groups of christian types doing the same.

And the Ickneild Port Loop is no longer magical.

 

The Great Western in Wolverhampton is now the only reason to go up the hill, so the last twice we have gone round the Coventry canal and stopped at the Greyhound. instead

 

............Dave

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5 minutes ago, haggis said:

No idea but s long time ago !

 

Haggis

If it was before 1997 then I would have been inside as I was his Production Manager for the best pat of the previous ten years ;)

 

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31 minutes ago, haggis said:

I didn't think many on here would remember James  Last. :-). 

 

Haggis

How could I forget he paid me very very well for the best part of ten years.

I also had a very pleasant German production assistant, the less said about her the better ;)

 

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2 hours ago, dmr said:

The Great Western in Wolverhampton is now the only reason to go up the hill, so the last twice we have gone round the Coventry canal and stopped at the Greyhound. instead

 

............Dave

 

 

What? What about The Old Joint Stock, The Wellington or The Craven Arms?

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14 minutes ago, Loddon said:

How could I forget he paid me very very well for the best part of ten years.

I also had a very pleasant German production assistant, the less said about her the better ;)

 

For some reason I had the idea that you worked and lived a rock and roll lifestyle with all the things associated with that, I'm afraid James Last just doesn't fit with my image of that.

I think I am slightly disappointed  :):)

 

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1 minute ago, StephenA said:

 

 

What? What about The Old Joint Stock, The Wellington or The Craven Arms?

 

We are limited to pubs that are dog friendly which is always difficult in big cities. The Flapper was canalside and the PoW very close to the canal. I used to quite like the little Cafe-bar place right next to the bar but it got expanded/refurbished and lost some of its charm.

 

................Dave

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48 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

For some reason I had the idea that you worked and lived a rock and roll lifestyle with all the things associated with that, I'm afraid James Last just doesn't fit with my image of that.

I think I am slightly disappointed  :):)

 

You heathen...

.

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1 hour ago, midnight cowboy said:

Don't forget the CurlyWyrley.  Nice and quiet, if a bit weedy.  An unusual pub with no bar counter near the Walsall end - can’t remember its name.  Anyone know the one I mean?

The Manor Arms, Daw End

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15 hours ago, haggis said:

I like boating in Birmingham and I have fond memories of sitting on the roof of the boat listening to a James Last concert in the "arena". The tickets were all sold but we enjoyed it more sitting on the boat with glass in hand than we might have dome if we had been inside.  

 

haggis

Excellent idea.... might try that with a-ha if their concert ever goes ahead!  We love cruising in and around Birmingham - the most interesting place on the canal network (that we have visited!)....

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15 hours ago, dmr said:

I'm originally from Brum and enjoyed our boat visits there but its all gone a bit wrong for me in the last year or two. The Flapper (most interesting canalside pub) has closed (busy and thriving but forced to close) and the Prince of Wales is not what its used to be. The proper pubs have given way to "beverage destinations", rammed with youngsters and patrolled by security guards. New street is loud and aggressive, groups of muslims preaching through loudhailers with various groups of christian types doing the same.

And the Ickneild Port Loop is no longer magical.

 

The Great Western in Wolverhampton is now the only reason to go up the hill, so the last twice we have gone round the Coventry canal and stopped at the Greyhound. instead

 

............Dave

If you used to like the Flapper, have a walk up to the Jewellery Quarter and try the Rock'n'Roll Brewhouse on a friday or saturday.

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12 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

If you used to like the Flapper, have a walk up to the Jewellery Quarter and try the Rock'n'Roll Brewhouse on a friday or saturday.

 When I was doing a lot of BCN boating in the 1980's the Prince Of Wales, now behind the Symphony Hall, was the go to near canal boozerr in Central Birmingham

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9 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

If you used to like the Flapper, have a walk up to the Jewellery Quarter and try the Rock'n'Roll Brewhouse on a friday or saturday.

 

The Flapper was a favourite pub, especially mid week, a good quiz and the music was a bit gentler/older. Saturday night full on heavy metal night was a bit loud and modern stuff but had a lovely atmosphere. The real pleasure was sitting out on the balcony looking over the canal, drinking a pint or two, chatting to interesting people with the music in the background. And we could really impress the youngsters by letting slip that we had actually seen Led Zep/Black Sabbath/Bob Marley etc etc.

 

..............Dave

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1 minute ago, Tim Lewis said:

 When I was doing a lot of BCN boating in the 1980's the Prince Of Wales, now behind the Symphony Hall, was the go to near canal boozerr in Central Birmingham

The Prince of Wales is ok, nothing special and there are better Brum pubs.  I suspect its popularity with boaters is more to do with laziness, and then a need to conform to the 'done thing'.

1 minute ago, dmr said:

 

The Flapper was a favourite pub, especially mid week, a good quiz and the music was a bit gentler/older. Saturday night full on heavy metal night was a bit loud and modern stuff but had a lovely atmosphere. The real pleasure was sitting out on the balcony looking over the canal, drinking a pint or two, chatting to interesting people with the music in the background. And we could really impress the youngsters by letting slip that we had actually seen Led Zep/Black Sabbath/Bob Marley etc etc.

 

..............Dave

Then I say even more, you really should try the Rock'n'Roll Brewery.  Have a look through the google pics if you need convincing. https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x4870bced0e4f1aa3%3A0x4ced104d6751522c!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMqwY78ZxbAwiSboJ3s2TIsIacWEpEj3KYasFl_%3Dw120-h160-k-no!5srock %26 roll brewhouse birmingham - Google Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipMqwY78ZxbAwiSboJ3s2TIsIacWEpEj3KYasFl_&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwju3LWXofjvAhWo_7sIHY_PD10QoiowD3oECBkQAw

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15 hours ago, dmr said:

I'm originally from Brum and enjoyed our boat visits there but its all gone a bit wrong for me in the last year or two. The Flapper (most interesting canalside pub) has closed (busy and thriving but forced to close) and the Prince of Wales is not what its used to be. The proper pubs have given way to "beverage destinations", rammed with youngsters and patrolled by security guards. New street is loud and aggressive, groups of muslims preaching through loudhailers with various groups of christian types doing the same.

And the Ickneild Port Loop is no longer magical.

 

The Great Western in Wolverhampton is now the only reason to go up the hill, so the last twice we have gone round the Coventry canal and stopped at the Greyhound. instead

 

............Dave

That is, pretty much, that picture in every big city these days. It's partly because we are getting old but mostly because that is the way that big cities seem to have gone in the last few decades. I avoid all big cities now apart from York but even that is changing for the worst. I will be moving back to Wales in the next couple of weeks. Not because Wales is any better in that respect, it isn't. It's because I am now old and I need to be near to my family. Luckily where we are going there are no big cities very close and it is very rural. The smell of cow crap, and whatever other stinking chemicals todays farmers contaminate the land with, to assail my nostrils will be the only, SLIGHT, downside. Oh yeah and I don't speak Welsh, but that's okay, if they want money from me they will speak English.

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12 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

The Prince of Wales is ok, nothing special and there are better Brum pubs.  I suspect its popularity with boaters is more to do with laziness, and then a need to conform to the 'done thing'.

Then I say even more, you really should try the Rock'n'Roll Brewery.  Have a look through the google pics if you need convincing. https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x4870bced0e4f1aa3%3A0x4ced104d6751522c!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMqwY78ZxbAwiSboJ3s2TIsIacWEpEj3KYasFl_%3Dw120-h160-k-no!5srock %26 roll brewhouse birmingham - Google Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipMqwY78ZxbAwiSboJ3s2TIsIacWEpEj3KYasFl_&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwju3LWXofjvAhWo_7sIHY_PD10QoiowD3oECBkQAw

 

That looks good, will investigate next time we are in Brum. I wonder if they will let us in with the dog? Dogs and city pubs are difficult. If we phone first and they say no then that's it, but sometimes we find that if we just turn up then its ok. The PoW was always tricky, the landlord was dog friendly but the main barmaid was not. I was always surprised that the Flapper was ok with the dog, dog liked it, she got a lot of attention and loud rock is fine. Folk stuff is the problem, the tin whistle is what she really hates.

 

...............Dave

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