BRICKMAKERS PUBLIC HOUSE, THE

First built in 1867 and called the Brickmakers Arms, possibly because of the Brickworks that existed in neighbouring School Lane. The building was knocked down and rebuilt in 1931; the reason for this is thought to be the widening of the road. The main band room wasn’t added until 1937.

 The venue periodically put on gigs during the seventies and originally had just one small triangle stage on the right hand side of the main room. Some may remember the Sunday residency of local band Route 66 in the late seventies. The reputation as a music pub started to build at the end of the eighties and was probably advanced by the decline of city centre venues. The Brickmakers steadily increased its program of live music and support for new bands but could not seem to shrug off its rough reputation.

 In 2003 the pub was taken over by Mother and Daughter team Pam and Charley South. Together they set about transforming the venue, not only by investing heavily in new equipment and turning the redundant restaurant/back bar into a custom built second venue now called B2 but also by taking on those that sought to tarnish the pub name. Today The Brickmakers is one of the city’s major venues and a thriving community pub. It has won many awards for best local and national pub venue and is constantly praised for its young band policies. As well as local bands of all genres the venue has also played host to international acts such as: The Quireboys, Wilko Johnson, Wreckless Eric, The Cutting Crew and many more.

 A special feature of the main band room is a unique rock collage painting by local artist Emma Hart featuring stars such as Steve Tyler, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Tina Turner and many more; this alone is worth a visit to the venue. If you would like to visit the venue which is open during the day to see the rock wall painting you can catch any number 11 bus from Castle Meadow.