Roxy Ballroom on Heath Mill Lane in Digbeth

The entertainment / culture venues around Digbeth continue to open. Roxy Ballroom is at 58-60 Heath Mill Lane (around the corner from the Custard Factory). Has a bowling alley, pool tables, ping pong tables and shuffleboard. There was also some basketball games and vintage arcade video game machines too. Also they do Flatbread Pizza and have a bar / cocktails. Look for the Ozzy Osbourne!

Another Brumtography meet in Digbeth. This one at the newly opened Roxy Ballroom on Heath Mill Lane. Before it was a bowling alley, this building used to be occupied by McLeman Forklift Services Ltd. Their offices were next door to the left where Birdies is now. To the right is now Drop Shot (that building was formerly occupied by B & K Fabrications Ltd). By 2015 that building had Lisk Bot art on it.

Back to Roxy Ballroom. Thanks once again to Karl Newton for organising the meet and getting permission from them. Much appreciated.

 

We were a bit early so we headed into what is now called Custard Factory Car Park (I've always called it Lower Trinity Street Car Park). The entrance is on Heath Mill Lane. Checking out the street art, saw this view of Roxy Ballroom. Behind you can see Colmore Gate and Three Snowhill.

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One of the first things you see when you enter, is this mural of Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath fame (it's to the right of the bowling alley). Get well soon Ozzy (he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease). There are various pieces of street art around with the names of various bands / groups).

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Bowling Alley

When we first went in, they had the normal lights on, so the lanes looked all yellow. Shortly they would turn off the normal lights with only the red and blue lights keeping the lanes lit.

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This is what the Roxy Ballroom bowling alley looks like with the normal lights turned off. Hashtag at the back #DigbethBallers.

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The view from the first floor balcony, up here is pool tables, but you can enjoy watching the bowling while having a drink and food.

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Used one of the Creative effects filters on my camera for this photo.

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Three lanes were open for us, so we of course tried bowling (for free) and at the same time attempting to take photos. Bit hard at first getting gutter balls. I later came back to the lane on the right and did a bit better (bowling skills that I've had for decades, but don't go that often any more).

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Another view from the top There is 10 lanes in total. Lane One is to the far left, while Lane Ten is to the far right.

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Pool

Up to the first floor mezzanine area where you will find the pool tables. They also have a couple of Shuffleboard tables and one Ping Pong Table. Customers can also watch the bowling from above while having a drink.

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Initially the pool cues were laid out like this. Ozzy can't decide if he wants to play pool, or go bowling!

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Later Karl lined balls 1 to 15 up in a line for some photos.

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From the other side.

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Karl lined up the balls for a shot, and hit the white ball with his Pool cue.

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Action shot as the white ball hits all the coloured pool balls.

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Shuffleboard

Also up here was a game called Shuffleboard, or Shufl.

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They have two of these long tables laid out.

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View of Shufl from one of the pool tables.

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And close up. I didn't see the discs on here.

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Ping Pong

They have two Ping Pong (table tennis) tables at Roxy Ballroom. The first one was on the ground floor, on the left side of the bowling alley, just beyond the four vintage video game arcade machines.

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The second Ping Pong table was upstairs near the pool tables. To the left of the stairs (above the main entrance).

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Roxy Ball Room written onto the side of the Ping Pong table. I've always known it as table tennis.

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Found a Ping Pong ball on a pool table. I put the Pool cues into an X shape. X marks the spot. And placed the Ping Pong ball below. At this point I didn't know that Karl took a tray of Pool balls upstairs.

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The only time I handled the Pool cue was for this shot with the white Ping Pong ball (pretending that it was a white Pool cue ball.

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Photobooth and NBA Game Time

First game you see as you head in from Heath Mill Lane is NBA Game Time. A basketball game. On the left is a Photobooth which you can use to take group photos. Looks like a tight squeeze!

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This view from the bowling alley towards the Photobooth and NBA Game Time. To the right is the Games Desk where you get your bowling shoes, and also Pool balls. Further to the right is the bar. You can also order your pizza from there (I would assume).

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Zoom in to Photobooth and NBA Game Time when the left Basketball hoop was red and the right was blue.

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This section represents the NBA team the Chicago Bulls.

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This one represents the NBA team the New York Knicks.

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Vintage Video Game Arcade Machines

These arcade machines are straight out of the 1980s or 1990s. They are to the left of the Bowling Alley. Four machines in total.

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Left to right: Pac-Man, Leisure 2000, Hyper Sports and Burgertime.

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Zoom in of the Pac-Man machine.

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Hyper Sports.

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Burgertime.

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Games Desk and Bar

The bar where you can order your drinks including Cocktails. Also you can order Flatbread Pizza here (and I'm sure probably other snacks / food).

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The bar towards the Games Desk. This end though is the empty glasses and bottles, waiting to be served.

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Entrance to Roxy Ballroom to the left (from Heath Mill Lane). The stairs to the left leads up to the floor with the Pool tables, Ping Pong and Shuffleboard tables.

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At the Games Desk, switch your shoes for bowling shoes. If you are playing Pool upstairs, they will give you your Pool balls. Ping Pong rackets and balls on the top shelf. Also what looks like paper cups.

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The neon sign for Games Desk and the line of seven lights down the bar.

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Behind the bar, staff will serve you your drink, and from this position, hand out your bowling shoes etc.

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For my previous Custard Factory related post, click here for Ghetto Golf: Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory.

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.

Birmingham We Are People with Passion award winner 2020