I remember going to the cinema in what is now the Victoria suite on a Saturday morning and, later on, working in the bar when it was a bingo club. I haven't lived in Smethwick since 1969 so it's strange to see such a mixture of buildings I remember and ones I don't.
Well Phil, you go over some of my old haunts again! I worked for Bass in the late 90's and early 00's and I visited the Brewery site for work a number of times. I worked for the Pubs and Restaurant side and not the brewery. I still have some pictures from the inside past the 'D' gate entrance off Cape Hill. There was the massive brewhouse with the tanks visible on the outside. The brick building which ran down Cape Hill and had the sign on it, was the Maltings originally. When I worked there it had been converted to offices. The cricket ground entrance is off Portland Road. It was the social club for Bass and had the beer shop where (as Bass Employees at the time) we got our free beer allowance! There were bowling greens, football pitches and Squash courts. I believe there is a covenant on the land dictating that it was only be used for recreation purposes, thus why it wasn't redeveloped as houses! Looks like today it is under the management of Warwickshire County Cricket Club. The War Memorials' original location was elsewhere, there was a big petition to keep it and it was relocated to its present position. You are correct, it was the Fire Station. When I worked there it was the in-site hospitality, we called it Buntys. Bass Brewers demerged from Bass group in the early 2000's and was eventually sold to InterBrew. They wanted the Bass name, but due to competition rules, they couldn't take the whole of Bass, thus the subsequent sale of some parts to Coors. Bass actually wanted to be bigger and buy Scottish and Newcastle in the late 90's, but this was blocked by the Trade Secretary (Margaret Beckett) due to competition rules. This was the catalyst for the demise of Bass as it could no longer compete in brewing. I now work for the present day Mitchells and Butlers, and yes whilst we run a lot of Pubs and Restaurants (still a lot of sites from the original M&B days) we still maintain the heritage of M&B. Thanks for your video, I've never had the chance to go around the Cape Hill site as it is now. The last time I was there was sometime in early 2003.
Thank you very much for this invaluable information its certainly helped me understand some of the site layout and all the cloak and dagger stuff behind the scenes. Im pleased the film has shown you what its like today. Thanks again
Hope you enjoyed this visit Cape Hill in Smethwick. Consider subscribing to this channel by hitting the SUBSCRIBE BUTTON in order for me to continue making films in and around West Bromwich and it will also ensure you are alerted to new video content. As always, all comments, questions, and feedback are welcome. Thanks for watching!!
Hello Phill loads of info about the area as usual I remember the brewery building as it was started driving the 87 through there in 2001 and saw the whole area change I was told by family members cape hill was a smashing place to shop back in the day sadly not now
That is so true. Cape Hill had loads of great shops. I remember the brewery very well, I’m very surprised though at how big the site is and all those houses. It’s hard to imagine the vastness of the site behind the Great Wall.
Hi Phil, we have a lot to talk about with this one. That is the original fire station for the brewery, it's grade 2 listed. Persimmon had it refurbished and the engine bay was converted into a show apartment. McCuliff did the demolition and everything was recycled or sold. You could have retired for what they got for the beer vessels. Stainless steel they were, lined with inches thick pure copper. The site was actually two sites, cape hill and then the top end by the cricket pitch came under a different builder, Charles church. They were later took over by persimmon. The houses at the top come under an Edgbaston postcode so are a little bit more fancy for a lot more money. There are lots of stories to tell about this site, but this comments section isn't the place. Another great vid, cheers Phil.
Thanks for showing the brewery, I often wondered what the housing estate looked like. Like all Black Country towns ( and others) history is slowly depleted and being replaced with NEW HISTORY. It’s important to remember what once was. Thanks again Phil for your interesting vlogs, keep it up 😊
Hi Phil enjoyed the walk around Smethwick and Cape Hill it's still a very busy area I like the old buildings and cinemas I liked the history of Michael's and Butlers and that building does look like an Old Fire Station I never realised how many modern day companies are connected to Michael's and Butlers all the best Paul
Hi Phil I enjoy your video. The large type houses opposite the brewery as you come down the hill belong to M&B most we're for the employers. There was a pub next to the main gate opposite the grove picturehouse I can't remember the name.
You seem to visit a lot of my old haunts on these walks Phil ! My Grandad worked at Cape Hill brewery all his life (apart from his time spent in the army) he was security there. It's a long story but I was born in Great Bridge (on the Newtown estate) then we moved to Hampstead in 68 then strangely on to Winson Green (not the prison 😁) where they married me off to one of the local wenches 😂that's how I got my user name Brumwolf (Wolves fan living in Brum) !! Strange thing I used to live just up from the Grove cinema and cycle to Friar Park to go to Manor and Grandad had to come the opposite way for work ! My parents moved back to West Brom and I moved back in 2000 ( on the Greets Green Rec) and brought the Brummie wench with me 😁. So it seems to me that pretty much wherever you do these walks you bring back memories to me, thank you 👍.
@brumwolf fisher street was a decent area you should see great bridge now it breaks my heart, if your over 55, there was a chap that lived down there Kevin dias, neal bekly, and more I didn't understand why they left, nice kids
@Wench64 I go down there regularly to the black country chippy I only live in Greets Green on the recreation grounds , I was brought up on the Newtown, St Peter's Close . I would have been at Fisher Street 64 to 67.
It's disgraceful whats happened to Capehill its run down and full of immigrants. All the history has gone and all that is left are filthy streets. You were brave filming down there! 😮 The brewery WAS Capehill loads of workers lived locally, and what's replaced it is just a housing estate full of more immigrants. It bewilders me why they have built the new hospital there... I'm scared to go for fear of muggings.
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I remember the smell of the brewery child hood memories
I remember going to the cinema in what is now the Victoria suite on a Saturday morning and, later on, working in the bar when it was a bingo club. I haven't lived in Smethwick since 1969 so it's strange to see such a mixture of buildings I remember and ones I don't.
Well Phil, you go over some of my old haunts again! I worked for Bass in the late 90's and early 00's and I visited the Brewery site for work a number of times. I worked for the Pubs and Restaurant side and not the brewery. I still have some pictures from the inside past the 'D' gate entrance off Cape Hill. There was the massive brewhouse with the tanks visible on the outside. The brick building which ran down Cape Hill and had the sign on it, was the Maltings originally. When I worked there it had been converted to offices.
The cricket ground entrance is off Portland Road. It was the social club for Bass and had the beer shop where (as Bass Employees at the time) we got our free beer allowance! There were bowling greens, football pitches and Squash courts.
I believe there is a covenant on the land dictating that it was only be used for recreation purposes, thus why it wasn't redeveloped as houses! Looks like today it is under the management of Warwickshire County Cricket Club.
The War Memorials' original location was elsewhere, there was a big petition to keep it and it was relocated to its present position.
You are correct, it was the Fire Station. When I worked there it was the in-site hospitality, we called it Buntys.
Bass Brewers demerged from Bass group in the early 2000's and was eventually sold to InterBrew. They wanted the Bass name, but due to competition rules, they couldn't take the whole of Bass, thus the subsequent sale of some parts to Coors. Bass actually wanted to be bigger and buy Scottish and Newcastle in the late 90's, but this was blocked by the Trade Secretary (Margaret Beckett) due to competition rules. This was the catalyst for the demise of Bass as it could no longer compete in brewing.
I now work for the present day Mitchells and Butlers, and yes whilst we run a lot of Pubs and Restaurants (still a lot of sites from the original M&B days) we still maintain the heritage of M&B.
Thanks for your video, I've never had the chance to go around the Cape Hill site as it is now. The last time I was there was sometime in early 2003.
Thank you very much for this invaluable information its certainly helped me understand some of the site layout and all the cloak and dagger stuff behind the scenes. Im pleased the film has shown you what its like today. Thanks again
Hope you enjoyed this visit Cape Hill in Smethwick. Consider subscribing to this channel by hitting the SUBSCRIBE BUTTON in order for me to continue making films in and around West Bromwich and it will also ensure you are alerted to new video content.
As always, all comments, questions, and feedback are welcome. Thanks for watching!!
Hello Phill loads of info about the area as usual I remember the brewery building as it was started driving the 87 through there in 2001 and saw the whole area change I was told by family members cape hill was a smashing place to shop back in the day sadly not now
Can’t disagree with the sentiment Paul
That is so true. Cape Hill had loads of great shops. I remember the brewery very well, I’m very surprised though at how big the site is and all those houses. It’s hard to imagine the vastness of the site behind the Great Wall.
@@Amanda12325 The great wall,,,very good 👏
Hi Phil, we have a lot to talk about with this one.
That is the original fire station for the brewery, it's grade 2 listed. Persimmon had it refurbished and the engine bay was converted into a show apartment.
McCuliff did the demolition and everything was recycled or sold. You could have retired for what they got for the beer vessels. Stainless steel they were, lined with inches thick pure copper.
The site was actually two sites, cape hill and then the top end by the cricket pitch came under a different builder, Charles church. They were later took over by persimmon.
The houses at the top come under an Edgbaston postcode so are a little bit more fancy for a lot more money. There are lots of stories to tell about this site, but this comments section isn't the place.
Another great vid, cheers Phil.
Superb info very much appreciated
Thanks for showing the brewery, I often wondered what the housing estate looked like. Like all Black Country towns ( and others) history is slowly depleted and being replaced with NEW HISTORY. It’s important to remember what once was. Thanks again Phil for your interesting vlogs, keep it up 😊
Well made comment many thanks
Hi Phil enjoyed the walk around Smethwick and Cape Hill it's still a very busy area I like the old buildings and cinemas I liked the history of Michael's and Butlers and that building does look like an Old Fire Station I never realised how many modern day companies are connected to Michael's and Butlers all the best Paul
Thanks paul
@awalkwithphil Hi Phill i hear that Banks's Brewery is closing down another great Black Country Brewery all the best Paul
I didn’t know that thanks for the info
Must have been a great place in the 1900's to live
Hi Phil I enjoy your video. The large type houses opposite the brewery as you come down the hill belong to M&B most we're for the employers. There was a pub next to the main gate opposite the grove picturehouse I can't remember the name.
Thanks for the info Paul hopefully someone will be able to tell us the name of the pub
You seem to visit a lot of my old haunts on these walks Phil ! My Grandad worked at Cape Hill brewery all his life (apart from his time spent in the army) he was security there. It's a long story but I was born in Great Bridge (on the Newtown estate) then we moved to Hampstead in 68 then strangely on to Winson Green (not the prison 😁) where they married me off to one of the local wenches 😂that's how I got my user name Brumwolf (Wolves fan living in Brum) !! Strange thing I used to live just up from the Grove cinema and cycle to Friar Park to go to Manor and Grandad had to come the opposite way for work ! My parents moved back to West Brom and I moved back in 2000 ( on the Greets Green Rec) and brought the Brummie wench with me 😁. So it seems to me that pretty much wherever you do these walks you bring back memories to me, thank you 👍.
Your comments are much appreciated brum, this channel is all about memories and nostalgia about our towns that are now nothing like they once was.
Which schools did you go to in great bridge, I knew that place like th back of my hand, and some people, my gran lived there by the nags head
@Wench64 Fisher Street but wasn't there too long before we moved to Hampstead .
@brumwolf fisher street was a decent area you should see great bridge now it breaks my heart, if your over 55, there was a chap that lived down there Kevin dias, neal bekly, and more I didn't understand why they left, nice kids
@Wench64 I go down there regularly to the black country chippy I only live in Greets Green on the recreation grounds , I was brought up on the Newtown, St Peter's Close . I would have been at Fisher Street 64 to 67.
It's disgraceful whats happened to Capehill its run down and full of immigrants. All the history has gone and all that is left are filthy streets. You were brave filming down there! 😮 The brewery WAS Capehill loads of workers lived locally, and what's replaced it is just a housing estate full of more immigrants. It bewilders me why they have built the new hospital there... I'm scared to go for fear of muggings.
There is certainly a neglected run down vibe to the whole area now
That was a great era it's all rubbish now
Smethwick iz not a good area
It probably was back in the 50s, till it got not so nice