The Ritz Ballroom in York Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, West Midlands, was a 1960s music venue, known for the number of artists it hosted, who went on to become international successes, especially those on the roster of Brian Epstein.[1]
Operated by Joe Regan and his wife Mary, the venue used a former cinema.[1] Acts which appeared there included The Beatles, Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones.[1][2]
In March 2013, the building, by then used as shop, was destroyed by fire.
The Regans
The Regans - known as "Ma and Pa Regan"[3] - operated three other concert venues in the area:[1]
Mary was responsible for selecting and booking the acts.[1] She was also a PE teacher at Coleshill.[1] At the time of Joe's death, in 2004 aged 92.,[1] the couple had two children, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.[1]
Building history
Originally opened as the Ideal Cinema, the building then became a snooker hall, before reopening as The Ritz Ballroom. Some time in the late 1960s or 1970s, the Regans converted the premises into a bingo hall, after which it was derelict for some years. Its final use was as a Cash Converters shop.[4]
In the early hours of 27 March 2013, the building was destroyed by fire,[4] caused by an electrical fault.[5] The remaining walls were demolished in January 2015.[5]
References
