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Friday 16 September 2011

#016 The Old Crown, Deritend : 1998 to 2011

This is the sixth in my 'Birmingham Eastside' series.

Back in 1998 The Old Crown was closed and boarded up, but I took a picture anyway as I knew it couldn't be knocked down.

 This is Birmingham's oldest pub and dates from 1368. I'm not sure when it reopened but it is now a pub that also does a lot of food, although I'd hesitate to call it a restaurant type pub as you can still go and just drink for a session! I've been a couple of times since it reopened and whilst it's great to see it thriving, inside you don't get the feeling that it dates back to the 14th Century. Since putting these photos up I've noticed that the chimneys have been rebuilt, seemingly in the original style.

Part of the renewed success of The Old Crown is almost certainly because of the Custard Factory which reopened in the late 1990's as an arts and media venue. (The coloured buildings behind The Old Crown are part of the Custard Factory.)  This was the factory where Bird's Custard was made for many years until 1964 when production moved to Kraft's factory in Banbury.

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