Author Topic: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs  (Read 333664 times)

dave1954

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1023 on: November 14, 2019, 11:23:26 PM »
Good idea Phil , i certainly put my input on the matter  O0

Phil

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1024 on: November 18, 2019, 10:58:37 AM »

The Greyhound


My first review of pubs of the 60’s has to be The Greyhound on Holloway Head. Not the most salubrious of pubs but it was still frequented by pop stars, dipsomaniacs, tv personalities, and idiots such as myself looking for cheap drinks before heading into town and paying the prices there.


I’m talking about a pint of rough at 10p a pint old money when beer drinkers were paying around 2/- a pint for a pint of bitter or 1/10d for a pint of mild (no lager then). At that time my preferred drink was 2 bottles of light ale, alas not available in the Greyhound so it was a pint of rough. One thing I never stooped to was having my pint topped up with blackcurrant it looked a horrible concoction but it was obviously a favoured drink amongst the men and women.


Three things I remember about the Greyhound are although I was never what you would call a regular. One in the times I frequented the place it was always that crowded that I was never once able to get a seat, the other thing was I never saw a fight inside the pub or outside, as rough as the pub was. Finally, it was the first place I ever saw one of these toasted sandwich machines, of course after seeing it I had to try one, my lasting memory was walking around for the rest of the evening unable to talk properly because of a burnt tongue.


Alas the Greyhound has passed into history now, and scrumpy houses are becoming few and far between.

Phil died in 2020. RIP.

mikejee

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1025 on: November 18, 2019, 11:03:39 AM »
I thought they were extinct (unfortunately)

Phil

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1026 on: November 18, 2019, 11:23:20 AM »
I thought they were extinct (unfortunately)


Mike I think you are right, the last one I can remember is The Sportsman on Saltley Road, but that changed over to beer now I hear. I don't know if it still sells cider. Still there is always the Blue Bell on the canal at Earlswood, I haven't been in there for years.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Ian Dalziel

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1027 on: November 18, 2019, 11:35:10 AM »
Thanks Phil, I remember the Greyhound having played in a jazz band there occasionally. Last week, I bought 2 litres of scrumpy and made some mulled cider last night. It was delicious and a fraction of the price of mulled wine.
Let's make the best out of a bad situation.

Scipio

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1028 on: November 18, 2019, 08:44:04 PM »
The Greyhound


My first review of pubs of the 60’s has to be The Greyhound on Holloway Head. Not the most salubrious of pubs but it was still frequented by pop stars, dipsomaniacs, tv personalities, and idiots such as myself looking for cheap drinks before heading into town and paying the prices there.


I’m talking about a pint of rough at 10p a pint old money when beer drinkers were paying around 2/- a pint for a pint of bitter or 1/10d for a pint of mild (no lager then). At that time my preferred drink was 2 bottles of light ale, alas not available in the Greyhound so it was a pint of rough. One thing I never stooped to was having my pint topped up with blackcurrant it looked a horrible concoction but it was obviously a favoured drink amongst the men and women.


Three things I remember about the Greyhound are although I was never what you would call a regular. One in the times I frequented the place it was always that crowded that I was never once able to get a seat, the other thing was I never saw a fight inside the pub or outside, as rough as the pub was. Finally, it was the first place I ever saw one of these toasted sandwich machines, of course after seeing it I had to try one, my lasting memory was walking around for the rest of the evening unable to talk properly because of a burnt tongue.


Alas the Greyhound has passed into history now, and scrumpy houses are becoming few and far between.


Phil I could not agree more with your post , when I used there 1967-71 John Pope the gaffer of The Greyhound was hardly the person to be messing with . His father was supposed to have been the last brewer of cider in Birmingham
If voting made any difference , they wouldn't let us do it.
Mark Twain

dave1954

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1029 on: November 18, 2019, 10:56:38 PM »
No Phil, I dont myself recall the greyhound , my first pint in a pub was 1970 and I was to young then ::)

Phil

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1030 on: November 19, 2019, 08:05:46 AM »
No Phil, I dont myself recall the greyhound , my first pint in a pub was 1970 and I was to young then ::)


Sorry Dave but I started drinking in the early 1960's and most of the pubs I used are no longer with us, that why I have chosen to review those early 60's pubs.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Ian Dalziel

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1031 on: November 20, 2019, 04:53:49 PM »
I've always wanted to visit The Sportsman, Saltley since I saw this video a few years ago.  https://videos.sapo.pt/46H7EmOPmH01O9PQA3yT   

Let's make the best out of a bad situation.

nathan

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1032 on: April 02, 2020, 10:02:56 PM »
punchbowl kingshurst

RobT

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Re: Birmingham & the Midlands Pubs
« Reply #1033 on: April 03, 2020, 10:23:31 AM »
I have noticed some of the early pages of this thread, under the photos it mentions 2 resolution sizes, are these viewable in the larger size as I find the photos on this forum extremely small.
I appreciate a small photo is better than none, is there a reason why they are so small, as you lose so much detail.


 

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