#042 The Spotted Dog, Digbeth, Birmingham : 1998 to 2021

As the last post was about the former Spotted Dog pub, it seems only fitting that this should be about the surviving Spotted Dog pub. Here's what I wrote in 2011: -

"There were two Spotted Dog pubs in Digbeth and I've been in both of them. This one is on the corner of Alcester Street and Warwick Street...and is still open.

This is how it looked in 1998, but at that time I'd never been inside.

However, in 2007 I had the opportunity to visit some pubs that we'd never been in on any of our canal trips before. So we did a mini pub crawl through Digbeth and started at The Spotted Dog. This photo was taken on the evening of 24th August 2007.

 

In the intervening 9 years there are few changes apart from a lick of paint and some greenery added to the outside. Inside I remember it as being a nice, cosy Irish pub with a friendly atmosphere. Our friends were already there and had stationed themselves in the quite substantial garden/patio area. 

 

Inside the pub was a fantastic map of Digbeth from the 1800's that showed all of the pubs within about a quarter of a mile. Out of the approximately 20 pubs shown, only 3 or 4 were still in existence! The only downside was that the only lager available was Carlsberg which, in those days, was almost undrinkable (but that didn't stop me!!)

And here we are in 2011! Another lick of paint and the greenery on the corner appears to have grown unchecked! Like many pubs in the area, The Spotted Dog is also a venue for live music. It is also one of the establishments at the forefront of the campaign to keep live music in Digbeth. Over the past few years, more and more people now live nearby in the new developments and some of them don't like the sound of music at night. So they complain and the council have to investigate, resulting in the potential for any of these venues to be closed down. Very frustrating for the pubs that were there and playing music long before the influx of new residents. So far the resistance has been successful.

This is the nineteenth in my 'Birmingham Eastside' series."

 

So, we move on to 2018 and, to all intents and purposes, the pub has remained unchanged (virtually) for 20 years. A bit of paint, varying amounts of ivy and over the last few years the hanging sign has gone.

I'm unable to comment on the interior because, although it was on the itinerary of our crawl through Digbeth in July, it never opened and sadly we couldn't sample its delights.

 

Finally we get to 2021 and you'll see little external change.

 Apart from the rampant ivy...and the hanging sign is back!

 

However, will it survive the pandemic? Only time will tell and a £10,000 fine for a breach of the regulations in November surely won't help (Details here)
 

 In an ever changing world it is to be hoped that an 'unspoilt by progress' establishment such as The Spotted Dog will survive!

#058 Suki10c, Digbeth, Birmingham : 1998 to 2021

 Of all the pubs that I've covered so far, this has probably undergone the most radical of external changes throughout the past 23 years and was still garnering controversial comments on Facebook only a few days ago!

I am of course referring to the extravagantly decorated Suki10c, which began as the Spotted Dog when I first came across it in 1998. This is what I wrote in 2011: -

"This is the other Spotted Dog in Digbeth that is on the corner of Meriden Street and Bordesley Street. When I took this photo in 1998 I'd not set foot inside the pub.

September 1998

In 2002, on the evening of Thursday 19th September, we were in Birmingham on one of our canal trips and took a stroll into Digbeth. Among the pubs we came across was the Spotted Dog and ventured inside.

September 2002

Not my best photo, but this was taken with my old Fuji SLR camera that dates back to the mid 70's so I was always 'guessing' the settings for night time photography. This time I was also 'challenged' as to why I was taking the picture. This is a fairly common occurrence, mostly with slightly out-of-the-way pubs that don't expect photographers. Once I explain that we're on a canal holiday and I take a picture of every pub we go in, they are always fine about it.

The only things I remember about it is that it was fairly quiet, typical back street pub. It was run by a black manager/landlord and the clientele were exclusively black, which you don't see very often.

A few years later I revisited the Spotted Dog on a Saturday night and it had transformed into a lively music venue seemingly specialising in up and coming bands.

So, when I came to take this photo in 2011 I was somewhat surprised to see that it was closed.

August 2011

It had also changed its name to TJ's.

On Sunday I took part in the enjoyable Digbeth Photo Walk, organised by Pete Ashton & Matt Murtagh, that took us past the Spotted Dog which is still unchanged from when I took this picture. 

This is the twenty-seventh in my 'Birmingham Eastside' series."

 

My next entry was in August 2018 when I did a 'compare and contrast' piece on Suki10c versus the other Spotted Dog in Digbeth that has hardly changed in the same period - this is what I wrote then: -

 

"Secondly we get to the other Spotted Dog on the corner of Meriden Street and Bordesley Street, which has had a slightly more colourful twenty years by comparison! I first reported on it in 2011 (#058)

June 2012

 

January 2018

July 2018

It is now a late night music venue, so more a club that a pub, but still in business, which is the main thing. Obviously it has undergone some significant external changes which have certainly helped it to stand out from the crowd.

From the pubs I've reviewed so far I'd have to say that The [other] Spotted Dog takes the record for fewest changes over twenty years and that, short of being knocked down, Suki10c has to be the most radical external overhaul of any establishment I've seen. But, that's Digbeth for you - permanence and change side-by-side in perfect harmony."

 

Now we move onto 2021 and the new decoration that appeared and caused such a discussion on Facebook.

January 2021

The artwork was created in 2019 by Digbeth legend @gent48 with Bass Festival curators Aliyah Hasinah and Rtkal to celebrate Future Black icons and influencers of music and culture. 

 

The 22 artists featured in the mural are: -

 

Alexandria Chantiluke – Fashion Designer

Amahra Spence – Artist and Producer

Cherrelle Skeete – Actress

Daniel Alexander – Director & filmmaker

Dapz On The Map – Musical artist

Darren Harriet – Comedian & presenter

Despa – Music manager

Jacob Banks – Singer / Songwriter

Jorja Smith – Singer / Songwriter

Knox Brown – Producer

Lady Sanity – Rapper

Leon Edwards – MMA

Liz Pemberton – Nursery Manager

Mellow – Catering Entrepreneur

Muna Ruumi – Music Manager

Mystry – Producer and DJ

Romderful – Music Producer

Safone – Grime Artist

T-roadz – MC

TrueMendous – Rapper

Xhosa Cole – Saxophonist

Suriya Aisha – Activist

 

Hopefully, Suki10c will have a bright future after the pandemic and I look forward to capturing future changes to the exotic external decoration of this soon-to-be iconic venue.

A Tail of Digbeth's Two Spotted Dogs

Until relatively recently there were two pubs, in Digbeth, that went by the name of The Spotted Dog. I've reported on both previously but now seems to be an opportune time to catch up on their fates.

Firstly, we'll start with The Spotted Dog that's on the corner of Warwick Street and Alcester Street (#042) that I last reported on in 2011.

The Spotted Dog 1998

The Spotted Dog 2007

The Spotted Dog 2011

The Spotted Dog 2018

To all intents and purposes, the pub has remained unchanged (virtually) for 20 years. A bit of paint, varying amounts of ivy and over the last few years the hanging sign has gone.

I'm unable to comment on the interior because, although it was on the itinerary of our crawl through Digbeth in July, it never opened and sadly we couldn't sample its delights.

Secondly we get to the other Spotted Dog on the corner of Meriden Street and Bordesley Street, which has had a slightly more colourful twenty years by comparison! I first reported on it in 2011 (#058)

Spotted Dog 1998

Spotted Dog 2002

 

Spotted Dog 2011

Suki 10c 2012

Suki 10c 2018 (January)

Suki 10c 2018 (July)

It is now a late night music venue, so more a club that a pub, but still in business which is the main thing. Obviously it has undergone some significant external changes which have certainly helped it to stand out from the crowd.

From the pubs I've reviewed so far I'd have to say that The Spotted Dog takes the record for fewest changes over twenty years and that, short of being knocked down, Suki 10c has to be the most radical external overhaul of any establishment I've seen. But, that's Digbeth for you - permanence and change side-by-side in perfect harmony.

UPDATE : #058 Spotted Dog, Digbeth : 1998 to 2012

Back in March I reported that I'd been on a Digbeth Photo Walk past this pub and nothing had changed. What a difference a few weeks make. The closed Spotted Dog/TJ's looked as though it was never going to reopen, but it has resurrected itself as Suki 10c - a music venue/night club and had a complete external paint job.

This is how it looked when I last took a picture.

Sadly, the news is not all good. The venue has been subjected to a complaint about the noise and is now fighting to stay open. I'm grateful to the Digbeth is Good blog for getting this news out and hopefully the new venue will be able to continue.

#058 Spotted Dog, Digbeth (RIP) : 1998 to 2011

This is the other Spotted Dog in Digbeth that is on the corner of Meriden Street and Bordesley Street. When I took this photo in 1998 I'd not set foot inside the pub.

In 2002, on the evening of Thursday 19th September, we were in Birmingham on one of our canal trips and took a stroll into Digbeth. Among the pubs we came across was the Spotted Dog and ventured inside.

Not my best photo, but this was taken with my old Fuji SLR camera that dates back to the mid 70's so I was always 'guessing' the settings for night time photography. This time I was also 'challenged' as to why I was taking the picture. This is a fairly common occurrence, mostly with slightly out-of-the-way pubs that don't expect photographers. Once I explain that we're on a canal holiday and I take a picture of every pub we go in, they are always fine about it.

The only things I remember about it is that it was fairly quiet, typical back street pub. It was run by a black manager/landlord and the clientele were exclusively black, which you don't see very often.

A few years later I revisited the Spotted Dog on a Saturday night and it had transformed into a lively music venue seemingly specialising in up and coming bands.

So, when I came to take this photo in 2011 I was somewhat surprised to see that it was closed.

It had also changed its name to TJ's.

On Sunday I took part in the enjoyable Digbeth Photo Walk, organised by Pete Ashton & Matt Murtagh, that took us past the Spotted Dog which is still unchanged from when I took this picture. 

This is the twenty-seventh in my 'Birmingham Eastside' series.

#042 The Spotted Dog, Digbeth : 1998 to 2011

There were two Spotted Dog pubs in Digbeth and I've been in both of them. This one is on the corner of Alcester Street and Warwick Street...and is still open.

This is how it looked in 1998, but at that time I'd never been inside.

However, in 2007 I had the opportunity to visit some pubs that we'd never been in on any of our canal trips before. So we did a mini pub crawl through Digbeth and started at The Spotted Dog. This photo was taken on the evening of 24th August 2007.

In the intervening 9 years there are few changes apart from a lick of paint and some greenery added to the outside. Inside I remember it as being a nice, cosy Irish pub with a friendly atmosphere. Our friends were already there and had stationed themselves in the quite substantial garden/patio area. Inside the pub was a fantastic map of Digbeth from the 1800's that showed all of the pubs within about a quarter of a mile. Out of the approximately 20 pubs shown, only 3 or 4 were still in existence! The only downside was that the only lager available was Carlsberg which, in those days, was almost undrinkable (but that didn't stop me!!)

And here we are in 2011! Another lick of paint and the greenery on the corner appears to have grown unchecked! Like many pubs in the area, The Spotted Dog is also a venue for live music. It is also one of the establishments at the forefront of the campaign to keep live music in Digbeth. Over the past few years, more and more people now live nearby in the new developments and some of them don't like the sound of music at night. So they complain and the council have to investigate, resulting in the potential for any of these venues to be closed down. Very frustrating for the pubs that were there and playing music long before the influx of new residents. So far the resistance has been successful.

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