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The Bartons Arms

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The Bartons Arms
Image
The pub in 2012
Map
General information
StatusVacant
TypePublic house (former)
Location144 High Street, Aston, Birmingham, England
Coordinates52°29′57″N 1°53′43″W / 52.4992°N 1.8953°W / 52.4992; -1.8953
Grid positionSP072890
Year built1900–1901; 125 years ago (1901)
Closed2025
ClientMitchells & Butlers
Design and construction
ArchitectJames and Lister Lea
Designations
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name
The Bartons Arms public house
Designated31 March 1976
Reference no.1076341

The Bartons Arms is a Grade II* listed former pub on High Street (part of the A34) in the Newtown area of Aston, Birmingham, England. Built in 1900–01 to designs by James and Lister Lea for Mitchells & Butlers, it is noted for its largely intact interior and is included on the Campaign for Real Ale's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors, where it is rated three stars and described as being of "outstanding national historic importance". The pub closed in 2025.

History

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The public house was built in 1900–01 to designs by James and Lister Lea for Mitchells & Butlers.[1] It stands at the junction of High Street and Park Lane in Newtown.[2]

The interior includes wall-to-wall Minton-Hollins tiles and snob screens, which were designed to allow middle-class drinkers to observe working-class drinkers in an adjacent bar without being seen themselves. The present public bar was originally divided into three separate bars. Function rooms on the upper floor were originally used for billiards and club activities. The pub is included on the Campaign for Real Ale's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors, where it is rated three stars and described as having an interior of "outstanding national historic importance".

The interior includes wall-to-wall Minton-Hollins tiles and snob screens, which were designed to allow middle-class drinkers to observe working-class drinkers in an adjacent bar without being seen themselves. The present public bar was originally divided into three separate bars.[3] Function rooms on the upper floor were originally used for billiards and club activities. The Bartons Arms is included on the Campaign for Real Ale's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors, where it is rated three stars and described as having an interior of "outstanding national historic importance".[3][4]

The pub was considered for demolition in 1969 as part of wider clearance works in the area, but was retained.[4] On 31 March 1976, the Bartons Arms was designated a Grade II* listed building.[1]

It was purchased by Oakham Ales in 2002 and restored before reopening in 2003 after three years out of use.[3] In addition to serving Oakham ales, it served Thai food. On 28 July 2006, the pub was damaged by a fire reportedly caused by an electrical fault.[5] The building retains Dutch gables, Victorian lanterns and a central clock tower.[6]

During the 2011 England riots, the pub was looted, windows were broken and fires were started inside the building. The fires were reportedly extinguished by the manager, Wichai Thumjaron.[7] Police officers attending the incident were fired upon with a 19th-century St Etienne revolver.[8][9] Following a police investigation, five men and a teenager were imprisoned.[10]

On 31 January 2024, the pub closed with no prior notice, with the leaseholder stating that rising costs had made the business unviable.[11] It reopened under a different leaseholder in summer 2024,[12] but closed again in July 2025.[13] As of October 2026 there is no publicly available information regarding its status or future.

The pub is a feature on the route map of the Birmingham International Marathon.[14]

Architecture

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Exterior

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The three-storey building occupies a prominent corner site at the junction with Potters Lane. Its exterior is relatively restrained in appearance and features shaped gables inspired by historic Dutch architectural styles. The ground floor is faced in stone and contains large windows, while a projecting bay marks the entrance on the south side.[1] The upper floors are built of red brick, with a series of bay windows and decorative detailing that emphasise the building's vertical design. The ground-floor windows contain frosted and stained glass, reflecting the high quality and decorative character of the interior.[1]

Interior

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Image
The interior in 2017

The interior retains many of its original early 20th-century features and reflects the range of spaces traditionally found in large public houses of the period. These include a public bar, former smoking rooms, a club room, committee room and billiard hall arranged over two floors. Decorative elements throughout the building include coloured tiled surfaces, mirrored glass, wood panelling, ornamental plasterwork and an elaborate staircase with decorative ironwork.[1]

Further features include pictorial tile panels, stained-glass windows, engraved glass screens and original seating. The mahogany bar retains a snob screen, while the staircase and landing contain additional decorative glass and tiled finishes. On the first floor, the former club room, committee room and billiard hall preserve historic interior detailing, including decorative ceilings and glazed doors. The billiard hall is centred on a column from which a series of decorative beams extends.[1]

Notable patrons

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Laurel and Hardy stayed at The Barton Arms in May 1954, while appearing at the adjacent Aston Hippodrome (now demolished, replaced by The Drum Arts Centre), and were photographed serving beer from behind the bar.[15][16] Entertainers Marie Lloyd, Enrico Caruso and Charlie Chaplin were also documented to have visited the establishment when performing at the Aston Hippodrome.[2]

Musician Ozzy Osbourne, who grew up in Aston, was also a former patron of the pub.[17]

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The pub features in the 1999 Atom Egoyan Birmingham-set film Felicia's Journey.[18] It also features in the 2006 novel by Ron Dawson, The Last Viking: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Heist; as the gang of robbers meet in the pub.

Media and reception

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In October 1974, the regional television programme ATV Today broadcast a feature on the Bartons Arms presented by Bob Warman. A recording of the programme is held by the BFI.[19]

The pub has been featured in a number of national and local publications. In January 2015, the Birmingham Mail included its Thai restaurant in a feature on comfort food in Birmingham.[20] In July 2015, The Guardian described the Barton Arms as a "Victorian temple in carved wood, gleaming tile work, stained glass and wrought iron" in a list of Birmingham's craft beer pubs.[21] In April 2016, screenwriter and film director Steven Knight described it as a "Peaky Blinders-era pub" in an interview with The Guardian.[22]

In October 2018, the Barton Arms was included in The Guardian's list of the United Kingdom's 50 best pubs.[23][24] The following year, it was included in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2019.[25]

The pub also featured in an episode of the Food Network UK series Adam Richman Eats Football, first broadcast in December 2024, in which American television personality Adam Richman visited the venue.[26]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Historic England. "The Bartons Arms public house (Grade II*) (1076341)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 October 2026.
  2. 1 2 "The Barton's Arms". Birmingham City Council. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Brandwood, Geoff (2013). Britain's Best Real Heritage Pubs. CAMRA Books. p. 161. ISBN 978-1-85249-304-2.
  4. 1 2 "Bartons Arms, Birmingham (Barton Arms)". Campaign for Real Ale. Retrieved 21 October 2026.
  5. ↑ "Fire damages Victorian building". BBC News. 28 July 2006. Retrieved 21 October 2026.
  6. ↑ Young, Graham (8 July 2015). "Watch rare 1974 film of the Bartons Arms pub in Birmingham". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  7. ↑ Farncombe, Vicky (13 August 2011). "Birmingham Riots: Night of terror for Barton Arms managers". Birmingham Mail. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  8. ↑ Cowan, Mark (13 August 2011). "Birmingham Riots: Police were fired at during Barton Arms looting". Birmingham Mail. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  9. ↑ McCarthy, Nick (31 October 2014). "Birmingham criminals using 19th Century firearms according to weapons experts". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  10. ↑ "Birmingham riots: Men jailed over police shooting". BBC News. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  11. ↑ "Shock as Barton Arms pub closes with 'immediate effect'". Birmingham Live. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  12. ↑ Smith, Adam (11 September 2024). "Landmark Victorian pub The Bartons Arms saved from oblivion by local consortium". Express & Star. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  13. ↑ Leach, Harry (16 August 2025). "Historic city pub shuts for good". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  14. ↑ Probert, Sarah (13 October 2017). "This is the route map for Birmingham International Marathon". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  15. ↑ "The History | The Bartons Arms | Aston, Birmingham". The Bartons Arms. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  16. ↑ "Look: When slapstick kings of silver screen played The Birmingham Hippodrome". Birmingham Live. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  17. ↑ Jones, Tamlyn (22 August 2014). "Renovated and restored - Five Birmingham pubs sporting new looks". Business Live. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  18. ↑ "Reelstreets | Felicia's Journey". reelstreets.com. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  19. ↑ "Watch Victorian Pub 1974 online". 24 October 1974. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  20. ↑ Griffin, Mary (30 January 2015). "17 of the best comfort foods in Birmingham". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  21. ↑ "Top 10 craft beer pubs in Birmingham". The Guardian. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  22. ↑ "'Birmingham is beautiful if you look at it in a certain way'". The Guardian. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  23. ↑ "The 50 best UK pubs". The Guardian. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  24. ↑ Bains, Sanjeeta (28 October 2018). "Guardian newspaper names this city pub as one of the best in the UK". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  25. ↑ Bentley, David (17 September 2018). "Birmingham's best pubs revealed in CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2019". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  26. ↑ "Adam Richman Eats Football | Aston Villa". Apple TV. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2026.
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