The Locarno

Across an alleyway from the Dixie fast food café stands the empty building that once housed the famous Locarno Dance Hall. The property has been standing empty for a number of years awaiting demolition. The Locarno and the other clubs that the building accommodated has provided over a half a century of dance music memories for the young people at the time in Birmingham. The club changed hands and changed its name frequently, but in August 2015 it was closed permanently following a double shooting and a stabbing on the premises. Today the frontage of the building is adorned with vibrant, multi coloured “street art”. There are plans to demolish the club, the bridge over Hurst Street and the block as far as Holloway Circus – ending the 50 year history of clubs on this corner.

The Locarno opened in 1961 and through the 60’s into the early 70’s it was one of the most popular dance halls in Birmingham. The premises consisted of a large ballroom, with a stage to accommodate the resident, and visiting bands of the time, upstairs was a disco, called the Modern Room. And towards the back of the building was the Bali Hi Lounge adorned with plastic palm trees and coconuts.

The former Electric club which in previous incarnations had been Oceana, Pulse, Ritzy, Zanzibar and The Powerhouse, will be demolished and turned into apartments. The owners of Ringway House, have plans to turn the site into a “flagship, multi-million pound office, retail, leisure and residential development.”

It might come as sad news to those who remember the Hurst Street dance hall in its heyday as it has a long history as a Birmingham nightspot. During the mid-80s, it was the Powerhouse – which also offered all-day dance events for genres such as funk and Northern soul. The club reinvented itself numerous times over the years, going on to become known as Ritzy in 1990, Pulse in 1996 – where the famous dance night Sundissential was held, Zanzibar in 1999 and then £5 million nightspot Oceana which opened to much fanfare in 2008 and ran until 2010. Finally the club, was known as The Electric. However, the proposals indicate that the existing Snobs nightclub across the road is unaffected and they will provide further opportunities for a range of new retail and leisure uses, to enhance the activity and vibrancy of Smallbrook Queensway and Hurst Street.

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