Latest news with #heritageSite
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Calls to preserve Black Sabbath pub The Crown in Birmingham grow louder
Calls to preserve the Birmingham pub where Black Sabbath played its first gig as a heritage site are louder than ever. The city saw 40,000 rock fans pour in to experience to watch Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Dave Ward play their final performance amid a mammoth metal weekend. As music-lovers crowded to see The Crown pub on Station Street, culture journalist Kirsty Bosley poised the question why the historic road, and its buildings, had not become a heritage site yet. The pub was built in 1881 and shut in 2014 after it was bought by a Japanese development company. "All of what Ozzy started, that power we saw on stage, has managed to seep wider. We need to harness the energy and not let it go," she Sabbath, which used to be known as Earth, played their first gig at Henry's Blueshouse, which was located upstairs in the pub. "The Crown pub, not only for heavy metal, but for rock and roll in Birmingham is a heritage site," Ms Bosley on whether the pub would financially be viable and whether heavy metal tourism would be popular in the city, she said there was enough memorabilia ready to fill a museum. Black Sabbath, which formed in Birmingham in 1968, rocked out Villa Park on Saturday, joined by acts including Metallica, Guns N' Roses and Slayer - with guest appearances from the likes of Ronnie Wood, Steven Tyler and Jack Station Street campaigners said The Crown should be the site of "[un]holy pilgrimage". "Yet most of it is closed down. Boarded up. Under threat. The Crown especially should be the site of (un)holy pilgrimage for every Sabbath Fan, Metal Head, Ska Revivalist, Punk and Folkie globally - showcasing the best Brum music, beer, food and creativity. " Arts company Birmingham Open Media (BOM) had plans to restore the pub, with the backing of Birmingham City Council - but it fell apart last year after the council retracted its offer of a loan. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
National Post
14-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Carney says he has no plans to tackle 24 Sussex question during his mandate
Almost a decade after 24 Sussex Drive was abandoned as the official residence of the Canadian prime minister, taxpayers are still shelling out tens of thousands of dollars a year to maintain the vacant property, and the new prime minister has signalled he's in no rush to deal with the crumbling building. Article content Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in May that it's up to the National Capital Commission to decide what to do with 24 Sussex. Article content Article content Article content 'It's not a challenge for today, this month, this year and it's probably a challenge for this mandate,' Carney said in French, adding that multiple ideas on how to renew 24 Sussex have been put forward by former prime ministers. Article content Article content The home is a 35-room mansion that was built in 1896, and served as the prime minister's official residence starting in 1951. It has been a federal heritage site since 1986. Article content But former prime minister Stephen Harper was the last leader to live at 24 Sussex. When Justin Trudeau took over as prime minister in November 2015, he and his family instead moved into Rideau Cottage, a home on the grounds of Rideau Hall. Carney and his family now also live at Rideau Cottage. While the grounds of 24 Sussex were used during Trudeau's tenure for some social events, it was closed by the National Capital Commission in 2022 for 'health and safety reasons.' Article content Those included an infestation of rats that was so severe they found rodent carcasses and excrement in the home's walls, attic and basement. Article content Article content The commission has since spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on maintaining the building. Article content Article content A document detailing expenses for 24 Sussex, obtained via information access law, shows that upkeep of the building cost taxpayers more than $680,000 between January 2018 and June 2023. Article content Those costs included elevator maintenance, janitorial services, boiler maintenance, the removal of a bees' nest, pest control, roof repair and pool cleaning. Article content NCC spokesperson Valerie Dufour said the organization is unable to provide any up-to-date information on operations and maintenance costs for the building. She confirmed the NCC continues to pay to maintain the building.
