Rarely does any anecdote
which starts off with the words "there was this pub in Digbeth" finish well. Digbeth, for those lucky enough not to know it, is a part of Birmingham city centre, and yes that's Birmingham UK. It's where National Express has its coach station, in the hope that when people disembark and see what surrounds them, they'll buy a no-expenses-spared ticket to Anywhere Fucking Else. Digbeth was where the winning pub in my friends' "Worst Pub in Birmingham" contest could be found, the winner being where there were at least two people in the pub who had shat themselves...however, this is the tale of the exception that proves the rule. The Good Pub in Digbeth - or rather the Good Pub that was.

When my friend told me about it, I thought he had gone temporarily insane. This was back in the early 90s, before the more liberal licensing laws, back in the day of the "lock in":

"There's this pub in Digbeth...has great live music...it's a lock-in...you can smoke gear in there...there's no trouble ever as half the cops drink in there."

And - amazingly - he was bang on the money. Most Saturdays would see the amazing Trevor Burton band play, Trevor demanding spliffs from the audience while they played 2-3 hour sets of pure blues genius. Trevor was in the Move in the 60s and basically knew everyone from that time, and Christ he was a great guitarist.

The band would play upstairs, where smoking gear was less furtive than mandatory. You'd stagger downstairs in the dark at 1:30am after getting monged to some of the purest guitar sounds ever, open the door to the lounge...

...and it would be like you were in a city centre pub at 10:30pm, not 1:30am. The place was always heaving with happy punters. Not a fight or any aggro to be seen. Whatever time I left there, the place was always packed.

However, all good things come to an end - last time I was back there they had turned the upstairs part into a B&B, and the halcyon days were a distant memory.

Would like to hear from any b3tans who want to guess the pub name, or who indeed went in there.
( I_Was_Mordred, Sat 7 Feb 2009, 16:23, 9 replies)

Sounds a bit like the rainbow now...
though a lot better, in terms of standards though pubs just don't come like that these days.
Rainbow doesn't have an open upstairs either.
Interested in hearing which one this really is as I've only lived in Birmingham a couple of years
(Monkeyofspong, Sat 7 Feb 2009, 16:41, closed)

hmmmmmm
Im guessing The Royal George or The Dubliner.

I've been a doorman at both of those, not the most fun i've had.
(kickstandrich last had sex with your mum/sister/wife/daughter on, Sat 7 Feb 2009, 17:27, closed)

The pub
had no bouncer ! Unbelievable but true ! Didn't need one with all the coppers who drank in there...
( I_Was_Mordred, Sat 7 Feb 2009, 18:04, closed)

Digbeth...
First of all I thought the Barrel Organ but I'm pretty sure it did not have an upstairs.

So given its proxmity to the Police Station, the Big Bulls Head?

Digbeth was a great night out, good selection of pubs without any trouble. Brings back happy memories of living in the 'second' city.
(Outtheresomewhere, Sat 7 Feb 2009, 17:35, closed)

Is it...
The Barrel Organ?
(ThudStaffer3, Sat 7 Feb 2009, 17:36, closed)

Well, after typing this article
I looked it up on the InterWeb and it's now a music pub again ! It's named after the first man and woman as per the Bible - putting it like that rather than spelling the name out as should it still be in the hands of the same management as "back in the day", wouldn't want them getting into any grief...
( I_Was_Mordred, Sat 7 Feb 2009, 18:19, closed)

Oh Yeah, the A&E
Seen a lot of gigs there. Got pretty stoned there too. Didn't realise it was full of coppers, though.
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Sun 8 Feb 2009, 9:32, closed)

bang opposite the cop shop:
check;
- never any trouble: check;
lock-in: check.

So it seems likely.

I was once downstairs at "closing time" i.e. 23:20. The landlord just went round the pub and kicked out anyone who looked under 21. Then the blinds go down and we all carried on.

Great days - with the end of the strict licensing laws came the end of the lock-in. Shame, in a way.
( I_Was_Mordred, Sun 8 Feb 2009, 14:30, closed)

Trevor Burton Band
Have seen them play in a pub near me a few times.

Quality stuff..!!
(never-right -getting it wrong since '78, Thu 12 Feb 2009, 12:43, closed)