The Eagle & Tun has been on the corner of Banbury Street and New Canal Street since perhaps the middle of the 19th century. Although the building just demolished may have been built at the beginning of the 20th Century from a design by James & Lister Lea. Previously closed down in 2008, reopened in 2016. Closed again in 2020 by HS2 in January, and demolished sadly in October.

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The demolition of The Eagle & Tun for HS2 in Eastside





The Eagle & Tun has been on the corner of Banbury Street and New Canal Street since perhaps the middle of the 19th century. Although the building just demolished may have been built at the beginning of the 20th Century from a design by James & Lister Lea. Previously closed down in 2008, reopened in 2016. Closed again in 2020 by HS2 in January, and demolished sadly in October.


The Eagle & Tun was a pub in Digbeth (later Eastside). Close to the viaduct of the West Coast Mainline (also used by the Cross City Line and other routes in and out of Birmingham New Street). It was located on the corner of Banbury Street and New Canal Street. But HS2's plans changed, and it was decided that the pub would have to be demolished.

Originally HS2 had planned to incorporate the pub into the new Curzon Street HS2 Station, but for some reason this changed. This was in 2014, when it was then thought construction on the station would start by 2017 (it didn't).

There has been a pub on this site since at least the late 1850s. The Eagle & Tun originally closed down in 2008, and was derelict for many years. Only to get new landlords in late 2015. It reopened in 2016. Only for HS2 to change their minds again, and the pub closed down by January 2020. By October 2020, demolition was well under way on the pub. It would be gone by the end of the month.

The council had locally listed the pub as Grade B. It never received a Grade II listing from English Heritage (now Historic England).

 

My first photo of The Eagle & Tun, taken during January 2010, from what was then Albert Street. At this point at had been closed for about 2 years.

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I took more photos of The Eagle & Tun back in February 2010. These shots originally came out dark (on my old camera). And I have just fixed them in Photoshop Elements 2020. You can see that a derelict building was still there on Banbury Street next to the pub (it would be demolished within a few years and become a temporary car park).

dndimg alt="Eagle and Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun (Feb 2010) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Eagle and Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun (Feb 2010) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

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dndimg alt="Eagle and Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun (Feb 2010) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

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dndimg alt="Eagle and Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun (Feb 2010) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Below, The Eagle & Tun in late March 2016 after the pub had reopened to the public.

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The Eagle & Tun in late December 2019. Within the next couple of weeks, HS2 had it closed down for good. See my post from January 2020 when I visited the inside of the pub for the first and only time.

dndimg alt="Eagle & Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun (Dec 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

A couple of days before the National Lockdown came into force in late March 2020, I got my last full photo of the Eagle & Tun on New Canal Street before it would be demolished. In the months that followed the roads would be closed by HS2 for Enabling Works.

dndimg alt="Eagle & Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun (March 2020) A.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

By October 2020, I was aware of The Eagle & Tun undergoing demolition. I took this series of photos from New Canal Street on Sunday 4th October 2020. Until then, I wasn't sure if I could walk up New Canal Street, what with the road being closed to cars. But it seems it is open to pedestrians. At this point only the ground floor remained.

dndimg alt="Eagle & Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun 04102020 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Eagle & Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun 04102020 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Eagle & Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun 04102020 (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Eagle & Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun 04102020 (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

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One more walk past on the 20th October 2020. Heading from Eastside City Park. Nothing left now. HS2 workers were putting up new hoardings around the site of the pub. I found that you could also walk onto Fazeley Street (the road is closed for roadworks as well but there was access for pedestrians).

dndimg alt="Eagle & Tun" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Eagle and Tun 20102020.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown.