Pre-match drinking - all change next season

[Shrek]

I never been in the Bartons, I go in the Edward after most games for one.

I might try the Bartone next home game, where is it? Ha ha

[Chris Smith]

Good urban design builds on the existing local distinctiveness of an area. In deprived areas with little urban structure, sometimes the small fragments of value that do exist can be missed when there is an unsophisticated desire for wholesale change. Whether or not the Eddies is as impressive as some other pubs in the area, or viable in its current guise, I think its disappointing that a new role can't be found for a local landmark.

It looks from the Area Action Plan that the pub is being demolished to make way for junction improvements. The unerring rationality of highways engineering has the habit of destroying everything in its path, rather than serving a wider purpose of creating places with character. I can't help thinking that insufficient consideration might have been given to other scenarios for the junction improvements which would have retained the pub, and the path of least resistance has been taken.

I think it falls back to the problem of lack of demand for pubs in the locale outside of match days. They're struggling to survive in most areas but the demographics of Aston make it even more of an issue.

Maybe that might change when there's a large influx of thirsty / hungry workers at the proposed enterprise zone to the rear of the pub?

Perhaps, but with 18 pubs closing each week the chances aren't good. In an ideal world all decent old pubs would survive but unfortunately I don't think there's much local support.

[dave.woodhall]

I drove down Lichfield Road at around 10.30 last Tuesday night. Not one pub was open from Gravelly Hill to the city centre.

[FatSam]

I think it falls back to the problem of lack of demand for pubs in the locale outside of match days. They're struggling to survive in most areas but the demographics of Aston make it even more of an issue.

I accept this, but I would argue that it doesn't necessarily need to be retained as a pub. The danger is that the area will lose the potential for any kind of architectural richness, or distinctiveness. In purely economic terms there is probably isn't any incentive to retain the building; its more expensive to refurbish it than to demolish and throw up a cheap shed, and the VAT rates are different. I don't know what the enterprise zone will ultimately be like, but I would put money on it being a collection of bland boxes. Of course, the most important thing is that it creates jobs and prosperity. However, I don't think that this is mutually exclusive from place making.

[N'ZMAV]

I drove down Lichfield Road at around 10.30 last Tuesday night. Not one pub was open from Gravelly Hill to the city centre.

I bet your car doors wasn't either...

[Jimbo]

I think it falls back to the problem of lack of demand for pubs in the locale outside of match days. They're struggling to survive in most areas but the demographics of Aston make it even more of an issue.

I accept this, but I would argue that it doesn't necessarily need to be retained as a pub. The danger is that the area will lose the potential for any kind of architectural richness, or distinctiveness. In purely economic terms there is probably isn't any incentive to retain the building; its more expensive to refurbish it than to demolish and throw up a cheap shed, and the VAT rates are different. I don't know what the enterprise zone will ultimately be like, but I would put money on it being a collection of bland boxes. Of course, the most important thing is that it creates jobs and prosperity. However, I don't think that this is mutually exclusive from place making.

Spot on.

[Nev]

The wrecking ball awaits........


http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/birmingham-planners-agree-tear-down-1947861?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[dave.woodhall]

The Woodman is being re-opened by Nigel & Dave who run the Wellington and Post Office Vaults.

[pauliewalnuts]

The Woodman is being re-opened by Nigel & Dave who run the Wellington and Post Office Vaults.

That area is going to be teeming with students pretty soon.

[Dave Cooper please]

The Woodman is being re-opened by Nigel & Dave who run the Wellington and Post Office Vaults.

Now that is good news.

[peter w]

Absolutely agree. You don't have to believe in God to appreciate the beauty of a church. Likewise, you don't have to be an old soak to understand that there's history, cultural heritage and aesthetic value in most old pubs. But it helps.

.. and on a similar note, you don't have to be a bulldozer worshipping hater of our architectural history to foresee a situation in which there might be a compelling case to demolish a pub.

There also needs to be someone with the belief they can make a profit and the willingness to run a pub, which is why so many of them in Aston are closed down.

Quite true. Usually the case isn't very compelling, often being based primarily on how much money a developer or contractor can make out of it. A prime case being the Woodman on Easy Row, demolished along with the rest of the Georgian street to make way for a slightly wider road, an area which will be developed yet again when the Copthorn et al is torn down. Here's a warning: if you like stunning old pubs, don't google pics of it. It'll screw you up for life.

But the bigger picture could possibly be that as we no longer live in the Georgian period our roads, and general infrastructure, need to reflect the age that we live in.

[adrenachrome]

Absolutely agree. You don't have to believe in God to appreciate the beauty of a church. Likewise, you don't have to be an old soak to understand that there's history, cultural heritage and aesthetic value in most old pubs. But it helps.

.. and on a similar note, you don't have to be a bulldozer worshipping hater of our architectural history to foresee a situation in which there might be a compelling case to demolish a pub.

There also needs to be someone with the belief they can make a profit and the willingness to run a pub, which is why so many of them in Aston are closed down.

Quite true. Usually the case isn't very compelling, often being based primarily on how much money a developer or contractor can make out of it. A prime case being the Woodman on Easy Row, demolished along with the rest of the Georgian street to make way for a slightly wider road, an area which will be developed yet again when the Copthorn et al is torn down. Here's a warning: if you like stunning old pubs, don't google pics of it. It'll screw you up for life.

But the bigger picture could possibly be that as we no longer live in the Georgian period our roads, and general infrastructure, need to reflect the age that we live in.

Yes. The age of austerity and gated communities to protect the relatively privileged.

[pauliewalnuts]

Absolutely agree. You don't have to believe in God to appreciate the beauty of a church. Likewise, you don't have to be an old soak to understand that there's history, cultural heritage and aesthetic value in most old pubs. But it helps.

.. and on a similar note, you don't have to be a bulldozer worshipping hater of our architectural history to foresee a situation in which there might be a compelling case to demolish a pub.

There also needs to be someone with the belief they can make a profit and the willingness to run a pub, which is why so many of them in Aston are closed down.

Quite true. Usually the case isn't very compelling, often being based primarily on how much money a developer or contractor can make out of it. A prime case being the Woodman on Easy Row, demolished along with the rest of the Georgian street to make way for a slightly wider road, an area which will be developed yet again when the Copthorn et al is torn down. Here's a warning: if you like stunning old pubs, don't google pics of it. It'll screw you up for life.

But the bigger picture could possibly be that as we no longer live in the Georgian period our roads, and general infrastructure, need to reflect the age that we live in.

Yes. The age of austerity and gated communities to protect the relatively privileged.

Although the state of the fucking roads is pretty Georgian round by us.

Pot holes all over the shop.

[peter w]

Its the ones in the road that you have to watch out for paulie.

[adrenachrome]

Absolutely agree. You don't have to believe in God to appreciate the beauty of a church. Likewise, you don't have to be an old soak to understand that there's history, cultural heritage and aesthetic value in most old pubs. But it helps.

.. and on a similar note, you don't have to be a bulldozer worshipping hater of our architectural history to foresee a situation in which there might be a compelling case to demolish a pub.

There also needs to be someone with the belief they can make a profit and the willingness to run a pub, which is why so many of them in Aston are closed down.

Quite true. Usually the case isn't very compelling, often being based primarily on how much money a developer or contractor can make out of it. A prime case being the Woodman on Easy Row, demolished along with the rest of the Georgian street to make way for a slightly wider road, an area which will be developed yet again when the Copthorn et al is torn down. Here's a warning: if you like stunning old pubs, don't google pics of it. It'll screw you up for life.

But the bigger picture could possibly be that as we no longer live in the Georgian period our roads, and general infrastructure, need to reflect the age that we live in.

Yes. The age of austerity and gated communities to protect the relatively privileged.

Although the state of the fucking roads is pretty Georgian round by us.

Pot holes all over the shop.

I lived for a year in Leam Street when I was at Warwick University many, many years ago. It was an attic in the house of the chairwoman(yes, I know) of the L @ W Conservative Assocition, and the rent was £4 per week.

Back on the subject, we can expect severe depletion of the infrastructure as the cuts begin to bite. I feel your pain, particularly if you have sporty suspension on your vehicle.