For several years now, a Birmingham pub steeped in cultural history has remained vacant and a shell of its former self.
The Crown in Station Street, known as the place where legendary Birmingham band Black Sabbath performed their first gig, is still shut despite its historical importance.
Campaigners have been fighting to ‘save’ the city centre street and its venues, with calls to reopen the pub only intensifying after Ozzy Osbourne’s death last year.
“John Bright Street, Hill Street and Station Street were the centre of the musical universe,” Darren John, from the Save Station Street campaign, said last year.
“You can trace Led Zepellin, ELO, Judas Priest, UB40, The Beat, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Winwood, Sabbath and dozens more to that triangle of venues.
“The Crown should be the inspiration and platform for a new wave of Brummie music and Hall of Fame stars while shouting about the best of local culture.”
How best to honour and protect Birmingham’s cultual history could be a talking point in the upcoming local elections, which will see all 101 seats at Labour-run Birmingham City Council contested.
This means the election in May, which comes at a critical moment for the city, will decide which party or coalition runs the council for the next four years.
With that in mind, the Local Democracy Reporting Service asked each of the main political parties what they would do about The Crown and how they would celebrate Birmingham’s culture more widely if they came into power.
Labour
“The Crown holds a special place in Birmingham music history, and of course it became a focal point for tributes from around the world to our very own Ozzy Osbourne,” a spokesperson for Birmingham Labour said.
“Under Labour’s leadership, the council has been engaged in very positive meetings with the pub’s owners, Toyoko Inn, pushing for plans that protect the heritage of the Crown and Station Street so that they remain at the heart of our city’s world-famous music and cultural scene for years to come.”
Conservatives
Coun Robert Alden, leader of the Conservative group, said: “Black Sabbath, heavy metal and rock music more widely is a defining aspect of the city’s modern cultural identity and global reputation.
“The band helped make Birmingham the birthplace of heavy metal, this heritage deserves proper recognition and preservation.
“That’s why Local Conservatives long campaigned for stronger protection of the Crown pub on Station Street, where Black Sabbath first performed, and the wider area as a focal point celebrating Birmingham’s cultural history.
“Protecting sites like this are part of our wider commitment to champion the city’s culture, support local heritage, and ensure Birmingham’s creative legacy is celebrated and preserved for future generations.”
Liberal Democrats
Coun Deborah Harries, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, said: “I am wholly in favour of a designated heritage site at Station Street, that celebrates the UK’s first-ever repertory theatre and an internationally important site of global music heritage and culture, in The Crown.
“It is now two years since The Electric cinema closed its doors, and the 150-year-old pub has been shut for a decade – each in a declining state of repair.
“We are fortunate that the Crescent Theatre has taken on The Old Rep and that campaigners, such as Jez Collins and Darren John, have worked so hard to get the pub listed with Historic England.
“But Birmingham Council does need to do its bit, and to do more, whether that is using its planning tools, such as Conservation Area designation, giving proper consideration to the report commissioned by the National Trust more than a year ago or bringing together strategic partners to fund and deliver any scheme.”
Green Party
“Green councillors would look to use all available current powers to protect the crown and the rest of Station Street including the iconic Electric Cinema,” Green Party councillor Julien Pritchard said.
“We would also lobby for stronger powers from government to protect our cultural heritage sites across the city.
“We would use the available powers the council has to insist The Crown is looked after, and brought back into use, and if this fails look at the possibility of compulsory purchase.
“Rich developers cannot hold our cultural assets to ransom.
“We would also work to secure funding to bring our heritage assets on station back into use.
“We want to turn The Crown into an accessible and inclusive museum with space and capacity to support emerging musicians, building on previous initiatives like the Home of Metal.”
What The Crown’s owners previously said
Toyoko Inn’s ownership of The Crown has been divisive, attracting criticism from campaigners who argue there’s been a lack of progress at the site.
But the company has previously insisted that it has long-term plans to not only restore the pub but build a hotel too.
“At the time of writing Toyoko Inn are finalising their plans of the wider site,” a document said last year. “It is the intention that the scope of the future project will deliver two connected and coherent elements.”
It continued that they included a new hotel with around 300 beds on the existing car park at the rear of the site and the restoration of The Crown.
“The pub is a historically important site and its new vision will reflect and celebrate this heritage,” it added.
Reform UK were contacted for comment.
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