{"id":325031,"date":"2025-08-07T11:19:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T11:19:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/325031\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T11:19:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T11:19:14","slug":"birmingham-residents-make-clear-demand-save-historic-black-sabbath-landmark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/325031\/","title":{"rendered":"Birmingham residents make clear demand – save \u2018historic\u2019 Black Sabbath landmark"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Crown in Birmingham is known as the venue where Black Sabbath performed their first gig\"TributesTributes to Ozzy Osbourne outside The Crown pub in Station Street, Birmingham(Image: Ioannis Alexopoulos\/Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Birmingham residents and Black Sabbath fans have issued a clear demand this week \u2013 save The Crown.<\/p>\n

The pub in Station Street, known as the place where the legendary Birmingham<\/a> band performed their first gig, has been vacant for many years despite its cultural importance.<\/p>\n

The future of the street and its historic venues, which include the recently-closed Electric Cinema and The Old Rep Theatre, has now been thrust back into the spotlight following Ozzy Osbourne\u2019s<\/a> death last month.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong>Birmingham campaigners welcome decision on Black Sabbath pub site’s future<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The Black Sabbath singer was among the stars who backed a campaign to \u2018save\u2019 Station Street, joining the likes of Succession star Brian Cox and Peaky Blinders<\/a> creator Steven Knight.<\/p>\n

Campaigners saw a glimmer of hope recently<\/a> after divisive plans by the pub\u2019s owner Toyoko Inn were refused by the city council<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The company, which has insisted it has plans to restore the pub, was seeking approval for an extension of the car park use on the site for three years.<\/p>\n

The proposals sparked fresh anger earlier this year, with Darren John, from the Save Station Street Campaign, arguing in his objection that they would mean \u201cToyoko will just twiddle their thumbs for another three years\u201d.<\/p>\n

But the city council ultimately found the plans would be contrary to current policy.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Crown pub in Station Street, Birmingham(Image: Christopher Furlong\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

With these car park proposals being refused, calls to restore The Crown have intensified among Birmingham residents.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the most important landmark place in the city,\u201d Carl Kesterton said. \u201cIt needs saving badly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dawn Edwards commented: \u201cI hope they keep this historic building dedicated to Black Sabbath!\u201d<\/p>\n

One reader wrote: \u201cIt\u2019s vitally important that the Crown on Station Street is preserved and reopened as a memorial site to honour Ozzy and Sabbath\u2019s cultural heritage.<\/p>\n

\u201cSurely Birmingham City Council<\/a> must do something now to ensure the long term future of the birthplace of heavy metal.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong>‘An incredible risk’ – Fight against controversial Birmingham youth centre plans intensifies<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Rachel Anne said: \u201cI used to be a valid licensee under M&B \u2013 if I had the capital I would take my exam again and buy the pub to run as its former glory, if not better!<\/p>\n

\u201cAn inclusive pub for new metal and rock bands to showcase a set for free once a month \u2013 filling up the month with a different band each week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can we do to save this pub,\u201d one reader asked, while another simply said: \u201cSave. The. Crown.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey should restore that whole street,\u201d another added.<\/p>\n

\u201cTime for Toyoko Inn to put forward proper refurbishment plans for The Crown as a pub and music venue right now or sell up,\u201d the Save Station Street campaign said.<\/p>\n

Tributes at Black Sabbath Bridge (Image: Graham Young)<\/p>\n

\u201cFor what it\u2019s worth \u2013 we don\u2019t ultimately care who owns the site\u2026.if it is run with integrity, for Brummies and with respect to its legacy as one of the UK\u2019s most progressive and historic venues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jez Collins, of the Birmingham Music Archive, added: \u201cIt\u2019s heartening to read the planning application for the continued use of the car park behind the historic Grade II listed The Crown was rejected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why were the car park plans refused?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The city council said applications or time extensions for temporary car parks will not be supported \u201cunless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe applicant has not demonstrated exceptional circumstances,\u201d a council report said.<\/p>\n

It continued: \u201cMoreover, a key focus for the city centre is to reduce the need for private car journeys.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe applicant has not sufficiently justified the necessity of extending the use of this car park, thus the proposal contradicts the council\u2019s public transportation goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toyoko Inn has previously said it has plans to not only restore The Crown but also build a new hotel.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong>Plans lodged for Birmingham student block on former site of historic pub<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

A cover letter, included within the recent proposals, said the plans for the car park would have \u2018enabled a stable revenue stream\u2019 for the company.<\/p>\n

This would help with bringing forward a planning application for a major project at the site, it went on to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time of writing Toyoko Inn are finalising their plans of the wider site,\u201d the letter stated. \u201cIt is the intention that the scope of the future project will deliver two connected and coherent elements.\u201d<\/p>\n

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, according to the document.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pub is a historically important site and its new vision will reflect and celebrate this heritage,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Crown pub in Birmingham’s Station Street, shortly before the Black Sabbath concert(Image: Alexander Brock)<\/p>\n

It also argued that the proposed project would also make an \u201cimportant contribution\u201d towards the regeneration of Southside District \u2013 with the economic impact predicted upwards of \u00a34 million.<\/p>\n

On what progress has been made to advance the project, the letter added that Birmingham City Council had committed its support to the project.<\/p>\n

\u201cDiscussions and expressions of interest are well advanced with funders in respect of the restoration and construction works,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

Councillor Sharon Thompson, deputy leader at the council, also recently hit out at a suggestion during a cabinet meeting last month that nothing was being done when it came to The Crown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI sit in the meetings,\u201d she said. \u201cI know we are doing things around Station Street.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Crown in Birmingham is known as the venue where Black Sabbath performed their first gigTributes to Ozzy…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":325032,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7820],"tags":[855,983,984,19160,748,393,4884,29260,285,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-325031","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-birmingham","8":"tag-birmingham","9":"tag-birmingham-city-centre","10":"tag-birmingham-city-council","11":"tag-black-sabbath","12":"tag-britain","13":"tag-england","14":"tag-great-britain","15":"tag-ozzy-osbourne","16":"tag-politics","17":"tag-uk","18":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114987215570382800","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=325031"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/325031\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/325032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=325031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=325031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=325031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}