I remember when

[PeterWithe]

Johnny Dixons daughter worked there as well, albeit late 80s/early 90s.

[FrankyH]

Sorry FrankyH but that’s a Cock’n Bull story. In them days no one had that sort of awareness and I am glad for that. It’s the wrong sort of diversification.

I'm pretty sure in my mind it happened. Like I say it was a long time ago. I doubt it because it's a hazy memory. It's not cock n' bull.

[Chap]

The old Bull Ring where my dad and I sat at a stall and ate our threpenny dish of muscles, scruffy and wonderful at the same time, Saturday matinees at the Clifton Cinema the best sixpence ever spent, think kids are missing out today.

If that's the Clifton Cinema Walsall Road I went there too. The Saturday morning kids matinee was a lawless mayhem! Historically the cinema holds a significant place in the area's history. It would throw open its cellars to local people during bombing raids in World War two. Also it's position at the top of the hill overlooking Perry Barr and Witton meant it's roof was used throughout the conflict as an observation point by the Home Guard and other organisations. Arguably more damage was done by 200  6-10 year olds running riot on a Saturday morning though!.

I would also have been one of those 6 to 10 year olds as well.
A banqueting suite now after it was  the obligatory bingo hall for a while.

[Rory]

The old Bull Ring where my dad and I sat at a stall and ate our threpenny dish of muscles, scruffy and wonderful at the same time, Saturday matinees at the Clifton Cinema the best sixpence ever spent, think kids are missing out today.

If that's the Clifton Cinema Walsall Road I went there too. The Saturday morning kids matinee was a lawless mayhem! Historically the cinema holds a significant place in the area's history. It would throw open its cellars to local people during bombing raids in World War two. Also it's position at the top of the hill overlooking Perry Barr and Witton meant it's roof was used throughout the conflict as an observation point by the Home Guard and other organisations. Arguably more damage was done by 200  6-10 year olds running riot on a Saturday morning though!.

I would also have been one of those 6 to 10 year olds as well.
A banqueting suite now after it was  the obligatory bingo hall for a while.

I live just down Beeches Rd opposite, and they make a right racket as well with bhangra drums and fireworks.

Bloody asians, they can't even have a wedding without enjoying themselves.

[Martyn Smith]

I had a recollection of there being a mini Villa shop in the foyer of what was then Carrefour (now Asda) in Minworth. No-one else I know recalls this and I too think I might have dreamed it. Would have been early to mid 80s.

I worked there a few evenings a week after school around that time and can't remember there being one. Bob Carolgees's sister also worked there, you could ask her.

We were frequent visitors to the Carrefour from when it opened in '77 (I think) until it became Gateway around 10 years later. Don' t remember a Villa store. Do remember treating the place as a playground and being allowed to by staff

[adrenachrome]

The old Bull Ring where my dad and I sat at a stall and ate our threpenny dish of muscles, scruffy and wonderful at the same time, Saturday matinees at the Clifton Cinema the best sixpence ever spent, think kids are missing out today.

For us Saturday morning pictures was the Essoldo in Longbridge, sadly it’s a gym now.

I saw Cliff Richard's seminal movie "Summer Holiday" there.

[adrenachrome]

The ABC Minors song - sang at the Saturday Morning pictures in Selly Oak (lovely old picture house no longer there)

I used to go there. I still remember the ABC Minors badges. Very raucous IIRC.

My first visit to a cinema was there: a double bill of Tarzan and Tom Thumb with my Mom, bless her.

[amfy]

Sorry FrankyH but that’s a Cock’n Bull story. In them days no one had that sort of awareness and I am glad for that. It’s the wrong sort of diversification.

I'm pretty sure in my mind it happened. Like I say it was a long time ago. I doubt it because it's a hazy memory. It's not cock n' bull.

It could have been a dream. For most of my life I was convinced my Grandparents took us to a lake somewhere outside Birmingham, & we spent the day there, and My Grandad told me that the weeds in that lake would drag you under and kill you, and on the way back we visited an enormous greenhouse. When I asked them about it they genuinely had no memory of it whatsoever and I guess I dreamt it and it became mixed up with other childhood memories.

[dave shelley]

The riot house we used to go to on a Saturday morning was the Tivoli at the Swan Yardley.  How no one was ever killed or blinded by all the missiles that were hurled around I'll never know, it could have happened; just that I hadn't heard.

[LeeB]

Sorry FrankyH but that’s a Cock’n Bull story. In them days no one had that sort of awareness and I am glad for that. It’s the wrong sort of diversification.

I'm pretty sure in my mind it happened. Like I say it was a long time ago. I doubt it because it's a hazy memory. It's not cock n' bull.

It could have been a dream. For most of my life I was convinced my Grandparents took us to a lake somewhere outside Birmingham, & we spent the day there, and My Grandad told me that the weeds in that lake would drag you under and kill you, and on the way back we visited an enormous greenhouse. When I asked them about it they genuinely had no memory of it whatsoever and I guess I dreamt it and it became mixed up with other childhood memories.

I think at a very young age memories can merge or become affected by your lack of understanding at the time. I have a vivd picture in my head of looking out of my bedroom window in York Rd in Erdington and seeing a ghostly figure in the garden, but I know ghosts are bullshit and we moved from there before my fourth birthday.

[Chris Smith]

The old Bull Ring where my dad and I sat at a stall and ate our threpenny dish of muscles, scruffy and wonderful at the same time, Saturday matinees at the Clifton Cinema the best sixpence ever spent, think kids are missing out today.

For us Saturday morning pictures was the Essoldo in Longbridge, sadly it’s a gym now.

I saw Cliff Richard's seminal movie "Summer Holiday" there.

My Uncle Bill and Auntie Jean were asked to be extras in Sumer Holiday.  They were on their honeymoon at the seaside where they were filming and someone approached them, they turned them down. I thought it was strange when I first found out but subsequently thought that the fact that it was their honeymoon probably explains it.

[Hookeysmith]

The old Bull Ring where my dad and I sat at a stall and ate our threpenny dish of muscles, scruffy and wonderful at the same time, Saturday matinees at the Clifton Cinema the best sixpence ever spent, think kids are missing out today.

If that's the Clifton Cinema Walsall Road I went there too. The Saturday morning kids matinee was a lawless mayhem! Historically the cinema holds a significant place in the area's history. It would throw open its cellars to local people during bombing raids in World War two. Also it's position at the top of the hill overlooking Perry Barr and Witton meant it's roof was used throughout the conflict as an observation point by the Home Guard and other organisations. Arguably more damage was done by 200  6-10 year olds running riot on a Saturday morning though!.

I would also have been one of those 6 to 10 year olds as well.
A banqueting suite now after it was  the obligatory bingo hall for a while.

I live just down Beeches Rd opposite, and they make a right racket as well with bhangra drums and fireworks.

Bloody asians, they can't even have a wedding without enjoying themselves.

I saw Tommy, Death Race 2000, Enter the Dragon  at the Clifton- all the time being under age.

One of the older lads would pay in and then kick open the fire door for about 10 of us to run in without paying saving our money for the ice creams.

Anyone remember the Odeon in town having the guy with the large Hammond organ playing in the intervals?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The gun and hunting shop in Carrs Lane.

William Powell & Son (Gunmakers), the oldest family owned gun making company in the UK, founded in 1802. I bought a jacket in their about 20 years ago and still have it, it looks like new. Every time I returned home and went into town I'd try and find the shop and never could. I must have walked around that block so many times. Apparently Powell's was sold back in 2008, the new owners kept it going with the same staff but obviously cashed in with the new development.  Last I heard was they'd moved to Banbury and selling online - williampowell.com

[PeterWithe]

A few pals of mine are into clay shooting at that came up last year, apparently they still service guns but no longer make them.

[Percy McCarthy]

There were still two gun shops/makers in the Gun Quarter last time I walked round.