Stars in call to save historic cultural spots

In 1968, Ozzy Osbourne played his first gig with Earth - the band that became Black Sabbath - upstairs at The Crown pub, a focus of the Save Station Street campaign.

Heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne has spoken out as he backs a campaign to save a city street that is home to multiple historic hotspots.

The campaign was launched after The Electric, thought to be the UK’s oldest working cinema, suddenly closed its doors for the foreseeable future in February.

Following this, nearly 21,000 people signed a petition to save Station Street, which is also home to The Old Rep theatre and The Crown pub where Black Sabbath, then called Earth, played their first gig in 1968.

The band’s lead singer Osbourne and his wife Sharon have released a video expressing their concern for the future of their former haunts and their legacies.

They described the pub - which is opposite New Street railway station - “architecturally brilliant” and said the prospect of demolition would “take the soul of Birmingham away”.

Osbourne recalled: “Jim Simpson used to put on a blues night every Tuesday and we’d go there and have jam sessions for hours, that was where we all started.”

Other Birmingham legends to speak out include Steven Knight - director of Peaky Blinders and This Town - who described the street as a “jewel in the crown of Birmingham’s history.”

“These heritage places are not a luxury, a city is identified by its cultural history and historical landmarks,” he said.

An online petition is calling on the West Midlands mayor and the local authority to designate the street as a cultural heritage asset because of fears the historic hotspot is under threat.

The Crown, on the corner of Station Street is often referred to as the birthplace of metal

In recent weeks, a number of other celebrities have also thrown their support behind the campaign including Succession star Brian Cox, actor David Harewood, comedian Joe Lycett, TV personality Alison Hammond, and musician Toyah Willcox.

Local resident Darren John is behind the Save Station Street campaign and he hopes it will lead to the regeneration of the area as a cultural hub.

Darren John launched the campaign and hopes for Station Street to become a cultural hub

“Station Street has had an incredible impact on global popular culture, so many superstars of the arts world have walked through the doors of these historic venues as unknowns and emerged as world-leading artists,” Mr John said.

The city council has said no planning applications proposing re-development of the street have been submitted so far.