I reported last September that Sherborne Wharf had gained planning permission from Birmingham City Council for a comprehensive canal services depot, pub and restaurant based on the Fiddle & Bone pub in central Birmingham.
This location is well known to boaters and local residents but has remained unused for the past 12 years.
Earle Wightman, Managing Director of Sherborne Wharf Ltd, is close to fulfilling his ambition for the BCN mainline to provide excellent facilities for passing boaters and locals.
It’s been a long time coming, as such things can be with the best intentions of all concerned including the CRT who own the premises.
The development is located in part of the wonderful Roundhouse buildings, grade 2 listed and built by Birmingham as a mineral and coal wharf in the 1870s – it was originally used for stabling and storage.
I my view, boaters visiting the canals situated in central Birmingham, have been missing a typical and serene canal watering hole for their evening relaxation from the toils of canal navigation. Up until now, mooring around the Brindleyplace area of the canals has provided restaurants – yes, but these are largely part of national chains or are expensive and somewhat divorced from the canal atmosphere. The bars in the area are frequented by young people and are not to everyone’s taste.
Of course, this area of Birmingham also provides musical concerts, arena based sporting events and the gigantic retail facilities of central Birmingham a kilometer away and that’s what attracts many to moor for a couple of days.
This new venture from one of our foremost midlands canal service providers, is more than welcome in providing a canal side hostelry which reflects canal life and with its canal boat services completes a welcome place to stop over.
Boaters should certainly consider a stop here for their 2015 cruising!
The completion date for the refurbishment of the Roundhouse is February/March 2015.
I can’t wait for the opening!
Meanwhile, as I live just round the corner, Earle kindly allowed me to photograph the work in progress, as shown in the gallery below.
To view photos:
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Or…
2. Display an enlarged gallery – Left Click on an image – use the large side arrows to move between images – Left Click outside an image or press ESC to close the enlarged gallery.
