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Gough Street, BIRMINGHAM, B1 1HN

A fairly desperate concrete car park just outside the inner ring road.

The Holloway Head district of central Birmingham suffered heavy damage in the second world war and was redeveloped in the 1960s and 70s in an uncompromisingly modern style. This photo of the Ellis Street multistorey car park was taken from Gough Street, with Ellis Street branching off to the right. In the background can be seen the Sentinels, two 90m, 31-storey blocks of council flats designed by C Bryant & Son; Cleveland Tower was completed in 1970 and Clydesdale Tower in 1971. They have their own Wikipedia article here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sentinels , which describes their unusual history. Brutalism is defined by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) as 'a style with an emphasis on materials, textures and construction, producing highly expressive forms.' https://www.architecture.com/explore-architecture/brutalism . This style, popular with architects (though not with the general public) from the 1950s through to the 1970s, was characterised by the use of 'beton brut' (raw concrete), its surface exposed and textured with the patterns of the wooden shuttering into which the concrete was poured.

Located on the corner of Blucher Street and Upper Gough Street. This building dates from the 1950's and is used for serviced offices, of varying sizes.

"By J. Seymour Harris & Partners, 1954-55, good Festival of Britain style". It was a furniture factory, but now offers serviced offices for rent.

Blucher Street is in the foreground. On the left corner is Lonsdale House, a 1950's building used for offices. On the right is the famous Craven Arms pub, a Victorian/Edwardian jewel. Ahead is Upper Gough Street. The white building in the distance on the left is the former Gough Arms. This public house is now the Keg and Grill.

Located on the corner of Blucher Street and Upper Gough Street. This is an ornate traditional public house and a back street gem. It is a rare survivor from the pub estate of the long closed Holders Brewery, not to be confused with Holdens Brewery which still exists. The former Holders Brewery was established about 1872 by John Charles Holder. The brewery known as the Midland Brewery was in Novia Scotia Street, just north of the former Curzon Street railway station. The company was acquired by Mitchells & Butlers in 1919 who closed the brewery in 1923. Both brewery and street have disappeared. On the outside of the building there used to a sign stating it was established in 1838, which predates the establishment of Holders Brewery. By 1906 the pub had been acquired by them because in that year they commissioned alterations to the design of Arthur Edwards. The present tiling on the exterior was part of this. At some point the pub passed into the hands of Banks's Brewery who certainly owned it in 2004. By the time this photograph was taken in November 2012 it had ceased to be owned by them and was for sale. The present owners Black Country Ales re-opened it in early 2013. They removed the modern facia boards carrying the pub's name to reveal the original tiled facias installed in 1906. The pub is a listed building. For other photographs, please see this link:- Image

Since this photograph was taken, the white on blue lettered facia boards have been removed to reveal the original tiling matching that of the pub name. For other photographs, please see this link:- Image

The entrance door has one of the plaques dating from 1906 above it. For other photographs, please see this link:- Image

A customer enjoying some sunshine and relaxation on the Upper Gough Street side of “The Craven Arms”. This Grade II-listed property is thought to have existed before 1838. It seems that the business was acquired by Holders Brewery in 1906 when, amongst other changes, the external tiling was put up. It has been in the hands of Black Country Ales since 2013. Although it looks to be situated in glorious isolation it is in fact close to the Gas Street (canal) basin, a popular tourist area, and The Mail Box office block complex.