Author Topic: Vale Onslow Motorcycles Fire  (Read 2258 times)

AWJD

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 120
Vale Onslow Motorcycles Fire
« on: February 01, 2018, 08:44:26 AM »
I'm not sure if someone has already posted something this week on this subject but, if so, apologies for repeating the story.

It was a very sad sight today on Stratford Road in Birmingham to see Vale Onslows being partly demolished after a devastating fire tore through the building on Sunday. For those who may never have heard of Vale Onslows, it was one of the premier motorcycle dealers in Birmingham post-war and continued to trade until relatively recently, mainly in classic British bike spares (BSA, Triumph, etc). I always took great pleasure in visiting there, partly because it was like stepping back in time as the spares department had changed very little since my youth, and partly because you never quite knew what rare part you might find hidden away on one of their shelves.

Last year the original shop closed (the building was in the process of falling down) but, hopefully, all the old stock was transferred to the new premises a few miles away. They never quite embraced the internet but for those of us who can remember buying classic British bike spares over the counter, Vale Onslows was one of the few remaining places where you could still do this. Hopefully, they will continue to provide this service from their new premises.

townie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8931
Re: Vale Onslow Motorcycles Fire
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2018, 10:16:20 AM »
Don't you think that it looks a bit suspicious Vale Onslows has been there all them years and a week after moving out to new premises there's a fire and the row of building will be demolished with the developers waiting in the wings.   
Was it a vision, or a waking dream?

astoness

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1182
Re: Vale Onslow Motorcycles Fire
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2018, 02:58:12 PM »
yes very sad news ...the end of an era for the onslow family on stratford road...i believe they are very upset that their old shop has now been demolished due to the fire and work is underway to demolish the 2 adjacent buildings...thank goodness all their stock was removed recently...their new premises will be on bordesley green trading estate...at least the name of vale onslow lives on O0


lyn

AWJD

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 120
Re: Vale Onslow Motorcycles Fire
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2018, 10:57:09 AM »
Don't you think that it looks a bit suspicious Vale Onslows has been there all them years and a week after moving out to new premises there's a fire and the row of building will be demolished with the developers waiting in the wings.   
I'm just surprised it didn't burn down years ago given that the only heating in the very large spares department was the use of a number of dubious looking paraffin heaters. Goodness knows what the state the electrics were in because I doubt if they ever spent money modernising them. It will be interesting to see if the fire service manage to determine the exact cause of the fire.

Spud

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 90257
Re: Vale Onslow Motorcycles Fire
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2018, 11:12:11 AM »
The place has been in a terrible mess for a long time the Corner Premises has had Scaffolding around it for some time. I went past a few days ago before the fire it looked as if was in danger of collapsing. To be blunt the whole block of buildings from Henley St to Kyotts Lake could do with pulling down
The Only Free Cheese is in The Trap

AWJD

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 120
Re: Vale Onslow Motorcycles Fire
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2018, 02:46:15 PM »
The whole of Vale Onslows was covered in scaffolding until recently - on the corner because a lintel had failed and that part of the building was falling down - the rest of the way along because chunks were breaking off the upper brickwork having been damaged by a combination of water and frost. I heard, perhaps wrongly, that they were holding out at one stage in the hope of being compulsorily purchased by the council who wanted to widen/redevelop that part of Stratford Road.


 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy