The Bartons Arms

The Bartons Arms
The Bartons Arms in January 2010, with the Drum behind it and to the right
Map
General information
TypePublic house
LocationHigh Street, Aston, Birmingham, England
Coordinates52°29′57″N 1°53′43″W / 52.4992°N 1.8953°W / 52.4992; -1.8953
Completed1901 (1901)
Design and construction
Architect(s)James and Lister Lea
Awards and prizesGrade II* listed
Website
thebartonsarms.com

The Bartons Arms (grid reference SP072890) is a public house in the High Street (part of the A34) in the Newtown area of Aston, Birmingham, England.[1] Under new management as of August 2024.

Pub/Bar/Sports Bar: Providing a selection of beverages including real ale.

Food: Serving Thai and English food in the restaurant area.

Entertainment: Live performances, DJ’s, Karaoke, Quizzes, Themed nights and more.

Function Room: available for private bookings live entertainment, corporate events and much more.

Built in 1900-1901 by noted pub architects partnership James and Lister Lea for Mitchells & Butlers, it is a grade II* listed building, and is on the Campaign for Real Ale's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors.[2]

It closed at the end of January 2024 and reopened in August 2024 under new management with more selection of entertainment including live entertainers, DJ’s, themed nights, Sky Sports and TNT broadcasting for live sports.

History

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The pub was known for its wall-to-wall Minton-Hollins tiles and its snob screens, which allowed middle class drinkers to see working class drinkers in an adjacent bar, but not to be seen by them.[2] The current public bar was originally divided into three.[2] There are function rooms upstairs, originally for billiards and club use.[2]

It was purchased in 2002 by Oakham Ales who restored the building to its former condition before reopening it in 2003, after three years out-of-use.[2] As well as serving Oakham ales it is also served Thai food. On 28 July 2006, the pub was damaged by fire, reportedly caused by an electrical fault.[3] The pub still boasts Dutch gables, Victorian lanterns and central clock tower.[4]

During the 2011 England riots, the pub was looted, windows were smashed, and fires started, albeit quickly doused by the manager, Wichai Thumjaron.[5] Up to eight shots from a 19th Century St Etienne revolver were fired at police who attended the incident.[6][7] Five men and a teenager were jailed following a police investigation.[8]

On 31 January 2024, with no prior notice, the pub closed, with the leaseholder saying that rising costs made it operation unviable.[9]

Location

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The Barton's Arms is located in High Street, Aston, Birmingham B6 4UP; at the crossroads of Newtown High Street and Park Lane.[10]

The pub is a key feature on the route map for the Birmingham International Marathon.[11]

Notable patrons

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Laurel and Hardy stayed at The Barton Arms in May 1954, while appearing at the adjacent Aston Hippodrome (now demolished, replaced by The Drum Arts Centre), and were photographed serving beer from behind the bar.[12][13]

Entertainers Marie Lloyd, Enrico Caruso and Charlie Chaplin were also documented to have visited the establishment when performing at the Aston Hippodrome.[10]

Musician Ozzy Osbourne, who grew up in Aston, is also a former patron of the pub.[14]

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The pub features in the 1999 Atom Egoyan Birmingham-set film Felicia's Journey.[15] It also features in the 2006 novel by Ron Dawson, The Last Viking: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Heist; as the gang of robbers meet in the pub.

Recognition and accolades

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In October 1974 the local TV company, ATV Today, did a feature with presenter Bob Warman on the Bartons Arms and the film of that is held for posterity by the BFI.[16]

In July 2015, The Guardian described The Barton Arms as a "Victorian temple in carved wood, gleaming tile work, stained glass and wrought iron" in a list of Birmingham's Top 10 craft beer pubs.[17]

In January 2015, the Birmingham Mail praised the pub's in-house traditional Thai restaurant in a feature highlighting '17 of the best comfort foods in Birmingham'.[18]

In April 2016, in an interview with The Guardian, screenwriter and film director Steven Knight described the venue as a "Peaky Blinders-era pub" and recommended it as a place to visit.[19]

In October 2018, The Barton Arms was named as one of The Guardian newspaper's top 50 pubs in the UK.[20][21] In 2019, it was included in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2019.[22]

References

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  1. ^ "THE BARTONS ARMS PUBLIC HOUSE, Non Civil Parish - 1076341 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e Brandwood, Geoff (2013). Britain's Best Real Heritage Pubs. CAMRA Books. p. 161. ISBN 978-1-85249-304-2.
  3. ^ Fire damages Victorian building - BBC News
  4. ^ Young, Graham (8 July 2015). "Watch rare 1974 film of the Bartons Arms pub in Birmingham". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  5. ^ Farncombe, Vicky (13 August 2011). "Birmingham Riots: Night of terror for Barton Arms managers". Birmingham Mail. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  6. ^ Cowan, Mark (13 August 2011). "Birmingham Riots: Police were fired at during Barton Arms looting". Birmingham Mail. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  7. ^ McCarthy, Nick (31 October 2014). "Birmingham criminals using 19th Century firearms according to weapons experts". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Birmingham riots: Men jailed over police shooting". BBC News. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Shock as Barton Arms pub closes with 'immediate effect'". Birmingham Live. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  10. ^ a b "The Barton's Arms | Birmingham City Council". www.birmingham.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  11. ^ Probert, Sarah (13 October 2017). "This is the route map for Birmingham International Marathon". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  12. ^ "The History - The Bartons Arms - Aston, Birmingham". The Bartons Arms. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  13. ^ Live, Birmingham (3 March 2016). "Look: When slapstick kings of silver screen played The Birmingham Hippodrome". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  14. ^ Jones, Tamlyn (22 August 2014). "Renovated and restored - Five Birmingham pubs sporting new looks". Business Live. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Reelstreets | Felicia's Journey". www.reelstreets.com. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Watch Victorian Pub 1974 online". 24 October 1974. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Top 10 craft beer pubs in Birmingham". The Guardian. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  18. ^ Griffin, Mary (30 January 2015). "17 of the best comfort foods in Birmingham". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  19. ^ "'Birmingham is beautiful if you look at it in a certain way'". the Guardian. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  20. ^ "The 50 best UK pubs". the Guardian. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  21. ^ Bains, Sanjeeta (28 October 2018). "Guardian newspaper names this city pub as one of the best in the UK". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  22. ^ Bentley, David (17 September 2018). "Birmingham's best pubs revealed in CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2019". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
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