A Birmingham and Black Country thread for all things Brummie and Yam-Yam

[BCBlues]

I'm not sure how bad it is down Stockland Green but Handsworth is pretty horrendous at the moment with these issues including a couple of murders more directly linked to HMO failures rather than gang related.
Most shops have someone standing outside begging, the Bus Stops are mini drinking dens, the old problems of drugs and prostitution persist.
But hey, we got the Commonwealth Games and a shiny new Digbeth.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

More reportage on the mounting problems confronting the city. I would, at this point, go on to say replacing the dismal Andy Street (who remains obsessively wedded to developer led regeneration despite the mourning evidence that it’s a disaster) would be a step a right direction. But then I remember that his replacement would be the equally dismal Liam Byrne....backed by Birmingham City council- equally obsessed with developers strategies

A city on the brink? Birmingham facing ‘disaster’ as unemployment hits levels not seen since Eighties

Some 33,000 people have lost their jobs in last year with 15 per cent of city’s population now out of work

www.independent.co.uk

 

[baldrick]

I'm not sure how bad it is down Stockland Green but Handsworth is pretty horrendous at the moment with these issues including a couple of murders more directly linked to HMO failures rather than gang related.
Most shops have someone standing outside begging, the Bus Stops are mini drinking dens, the old problems of drugs and prostitution persist.
But hey, we got the Commonwealth Games and a shiny new Digbeth.

Agree. I feel like a nimby but I object to every HMO application locally I see now. We just don't have the resources to cope with the antisocial behaviour of people who don't get the support the HMOs allegedly provide. There's a halfway house 2 doors away, it used to be occupied by a really nice family. Now we have people having rows in their back garden, a neighbour got racist abuse from someone living there. It's all low level stuff but really really unpleasant. And the rubbish - my god.

I was on Rightmove the other day just being nosey and there's a 37(!) bed HMO just been refurbished opposite the prison and a 20 something bed HMO being sold on Lodge Road. Every family home that comes up for sale round here gets 'suitable for investment' tagged on the ad.

I downloaded the HMO register from the council just to be nosy. I counted 20 HMOs within a few streets and didn't even get to the bottom of the list.

 

[BCBlues]

I reckon the HMO across from the prison would be the renovated Acorn Pub. I know theres a cafe there now but its had a lot of work done at the rear too. It's too much, like you say there aren't the resources around here to support so many people.

 

[baldrick]

Yes I think you're right - I couldn't remember what was there before.

In some ways it's good that building is being used, I think it's been empty as long as I've lived near there. Lots of work has been done on it, it looks really smart from the outside. It's just a shame that this is now seemingly the default option round here for bringing buildings back into use.

 

[BCBlues]

I used to go in there, the Acorn, with my brother on a circular pub crawl starting and ending in Smethwick. We used to drink halves as there was that many pubs to go in. The same route now would give us the Seven Stars on Cape Hill and that's it from about a dozen.

 

[gawkrodger]

February unemployment figures out today. Increase for Brum

claimant unemployment rate

15.7% (9.3% for West Mids, 8% UK)

18-24 claimant unemployment

19.3%

 

[baldrick]

That's awful.

 

[gawkrodger]

and without wanting to out myself/my job on here, it's going to get worse. There have been internal papers predicting we will hit 25% unadjusted 18-24 claimant unemployment

 

[BCBlues]

and without wanting to out myself/my job on here, it's going to get worse. There have been internal papers predicting we will hit 25% unadjusted 18-24 claimant unemployment

That's pretty grim. My lads in that age group, hes been doing the short term contacts at Covid testing sites but (thankfully in a way) they're drying up. He said the other day that theres simply nothing out there.

 

[muscovyduck]

A blog post about walking through Brum town centre under the gaze of CCTV. I'm not really in to psychogeography (where people walk around and call it art) but I like when people write about their walks. It was weird reading this, because I have witnessed the gradual change in Birmingham over the years, but ultimately the way I picture Birmingham is about 15 years out of date and it's only just hit me how much it's changed. Some good points about being a middle aged woman / general diversity discussion in there too.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I’m pretty sure the idea that those “eyes” at New St scan people to target ads is complete bollocks. They’re just fancy shaped LED screens.

 

[blossie33]

I’m pretty sure the idea that those “eyes” at New St scan people to target ads is complete bollocks. They’re just fancy shaped LED screens.

Are they? I was going to say I had no idea they were used for that it would be scary.
Interesting read though, I must admit I am totally oblivious of all the CCTV around!

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Are they? I was going to say I had no idea they were used for that it would be scary.
Interesting read though, I must admit I am totally oblivious of all the CCTV around!

There was lots of talk about it when they were being built but I’m pretty sure it’s marketing bollocks.

 

[gawkrodger]

There was lots of talk about it when they were being built but I’m pretty sure it’s marketing bollocks.

my understanding is there was an initial trial which didn't work that well and is now just glorified LED screens as you say

 

[BCBlues]

A blog post about walking through Brum town centre under the gaze of CCTV. I'm not really in to psychogeography (where people walk around and call it art) but I like when people write about their walks. It was weird reading this, because I have witnessed the gradual change in Birmingham over the years, but ultimately the way I picture Birmingham is about 15 years out of date and it's only just hit me how much it's changed. Some good points about being a middle aged woman / general diversity discussion in there too.

It's a good read. I know Brum from the 70s and 80s more. It was a madhouse but great. We used to leave Barbarellas at 2am, first buzz back to West Brom was 6am so we used to walk into New St Station, find a train to sleep on and make sure we got up about half 5. Cup of tea in the cafe on the platform then stroll out to get the bus. Imagine trying that now

 

[blossie33]

Ahhh Barbarellas
I was lucky in the 70's, there were night buses every evening on the hour. Got mine outside what was Greys in Bull Street.

 

[BCBlues]

Ahhh Barbarellas
I was lucky in the 70's, there were night buses every evening on the hour. Got mine outside what was Greys in Bull Street.

You were lucky there. Taxis used to cost a fortune then as it was exclusively metered black cabs, none of this uberola stuff.

 

[miss direct]

It's a good read. I know Brum from the 70s and 80s more. It was a madhouse but great. We used to leave Barbarellas at 2am, first buzz back to West Brom was 6am so we used to walk into New St Station, find a train to sleep on and make sure we got up about half 5. Cup of tea in the cafe on the platform then stroll out to get the bus. Imagine trying that now

I spent a few nights at New Street Station in the 90s waiting for the first bus too! Either there or Mr Egg.

 

[muscovyduck]

cross posted from the is the high street doomed thread, santader closing branches including Merry Hill, Halesowen, Erdington and Harborne

 

[BCBlues]

I spent a few nights at New Street Station in the 90s waiting for the first bus too! Either there or Mr Egg.

I saw something on FB earlier that said if you ate at Mr Egg you don't need no vaccine
there was a dodgy all night cafe in Digbeth too iirc

 

[Smokeandsteam]

It's a good read. I know Brum from the 70s and 80s more. It was a madhouse but great. We used to leave Barbarellas at 2am, first buzz back to West Brom was 6am so we used to walk into New St Station, find a train to sleep on and make sure we got up about half 5. Cup of tea in the cafe on the platform then stroll out to get the bus. Imagine trying that now

I am too ‘young’ to have ever gone to Barbarellas. But, I’ve always wondered why it never received the acclaim of Eric’s or the Hacienda. Outside of the West Midlands it’s barely mentioned. Which is odd given its centrality to much of the region’s scene you’d expect books, articles, telling stories about ourselves etc. Brum self-depreciation strikes again, but someone really should write something and interview people before it’s too late.

 

[blossie33]

There's a page on Birmingham Music Archive on Barbarellas.

Birmingham Music Archive

Celebrating Birmingham's Popular Music History

www.birminghammusicarchive.com

 

[BCBlues]

There's a page on Birmingham Music Archive on Barbarellas.

Birmingham Music Archive

Celebrating Birmingham's Popular Music History

www.birminghammusicarchive.com

The comments underneath that are as interesting as the actual article, some real eye witness stuff.
It's been written elsewhere that theres a lack of photos from that era because of heavy duty security policies of Fewtrells clubs in those days. It's a crying shame because it was a great place.

 

[blossie33]

The comments underneath that are as interesting as the actual article, some real eye witness stuff.
It's been written elsewhere that theres a lack of photos from that era because of heavy duty security policies of Fewtrells clubs in those days. It's a crying shame because it was a great place.

Yes, it people's personal recollections that make it interesting, not so much the article.

I don't know much about the Fewtrell's security policies in their clubs, never noticed any heavy handed stuff at Barbarellas or Rebecca's, security seemed very minimal in those days compared to now!
It was before Punk took off that I used to go so things may have changed then.

I think it was probably partly due to hardly anyone ever taking cameras to clubs in those days, there are very few photographs from any of the clubs then.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

I think it was probably partly due to hardly anyone ever taking cameras to clubs in those days, there are very few photographs from any of the clubs then.

Yes, that does appear to be the case (unlike now, where everyone seems to record a gig from their mobile phone).

The Birmingham Music Archive that BC Blues has linked to is really important precisely for that reason: the oral testimony is all thats left of it. I’ve put a load of my stuff on there, but I didn’t start going to gigs/venues until well after Barbarella’s had gone

 

[blossie33]

Yes, that does appear to be the case (unlike now, where everyone seems to record a gig from their mobile phone).

The Birmingham Music Archive that BC Blues has linked to is really important precisely for that reason: the oral testimony is all thats left of it. I’ve put a load of my stuff on there, but I didn’t start going to gigs/venues until well after Barbarella’s had gone

They have a FB page as well, you can lurk without joining I do from time to time.

 

[BCBlues]

Yes, that does appear to be the case (unlike now, where everyone seems to record a gig from their mobile phone).

The Birmingham Music Archive that BC Blues has linked to is really important precisely for that reason: the oral testimony is all thats left of it. I’ve put a load of my stuff on there, but I didn’t start going to gigs/venues until well after Barbarella’s had gone

It was blossie33 that linked the article initially in all fairness.
I've put comments in there myself and on the Punk77 one which is a great resource for the Punk scene

 

[cybershot]

cross posted from the is the high street doomed thread, santader closing branches including Merry Hill, Halesowen, Erdington and Harborne

used to bank with them a few years ago and their branches were already few and far between.

 

[cybershot]

As the sun was out thought I’d take a final walk around the city centre before things open back up next week. These all taken between 9:30am and 12 noon today.