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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Ex-Beatles gig venue destroyed in Kings Heath fire | Ex-Beatles gig venue destroyed in Kings Heath fire |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| A building which hosted British music legends such as The Beatles and The Who in their 1960s heyday has partially collapsed after a fire. | A building which hosted British music legends such as The Beatles and The Who in their 1960s heyday has partially collapsed after a fire. |
| Part of Kings Heath High Street in the Birmingham suburb was closed for hours after the fire at the building, which is now a Cash Converters store. | Part of Kings Heath High Street in the Birmingham suburb was closed for hours after the fire at the building, which is now a Cash Converters store. |
| The building in York Road was formerly the Ritz Ballroom, which also hosted The Rolling Stones in the 1960s. | The building in York Road was formerly the Ritz Ballroom, which also hosted The Rolling Stones in the 1960s. |
| Officers said they were treating the fire as suspicious. No-one was hurt. | Officers said they were treating the fire as suspicious. No-one was hurt. |
| The road, one of the main routes into Birmingham, was closed for several hours between Poplar Road and Silver Street, but has now reopened. | |
| The blaze started at about 05:00 GMT and, at its height, up to 40 firefighters were called to tackle the flames. Fire officers remain at the site. | The blaze started at about 05:00 GMT and, at its height, up to 40 firefighters were called to tackle the flames. Fire officers remain at the site. |
| Structural engineers will now examine the remains of the building to decide how stable it is, but about 70% of it has collapsed. | Structural engineers will now examine the remains of the building to decide how stable it is, but about 70% of it has collapsed. |
| Music historian Jez Collins, who runs the online Birmingham Music Archive, said it was "very sad" to lose the building. | Music historian Jez Collins, who runs the online Birmingham Music Archive, said it was "very sad" to lose the building. |
| Stones anniversary | Stones anniversary |
| "In Birmingham we've lost so much of our musical history," he said. | "In Birmingham we've lost so much of our musical history," he said. |
| "If you compare it to other cities like Liverpool and Manchester, which have really made something of their famous venues, we've lost a lot. | "If you compare it to other cities like Liverpool and Manchester, which have really made something of their famous venues, we've lost a lot. |
| "It's the memories that are attached them them - people remember going to the Ritz to see The Beatles, The Stones, The Animals, Pink Floyd and all the big names of the time. | "It's the memories that are attached them them - people remember going to the Ritz to see The Beatles, The Stones, The Animals, Pink Floyd and all the big names of the time. |
| "People met their husbands and wives there and now that building's gone." | "People met their husbands and wives there and now that building's gone." |
| The venue shut in the 1970s and the building has been occupied by various shops since. | The venue shut in the 1970s and the building has been occupied by various shops since. |
| Celebrations had been planned for September in Kings Heath to mark the 50th anniversary in September of the Rolling Stones playing at the venue. | Celebrations had been planned for September in Kings Heath to mark the 50th anniversary in September of the Rolling Stones playing at the venue. |
| A Kings Heath Walk of Fame, honouring the area's musical and comedy heritage, had also been planned to start outside the building with a star marking singer Toyah Wilcox. | A Kings Heath Walk of Fame, honouring the area's musical and comedy heritage, had also been planned to start outside the building with a star marking singer Toyah Wilcox. |
| Local 'landmark' | Local 'landmark' |
| Dave Janes, from the fire service, said the collapse of the building was likely to hamper the investigation into how the fire started. | Dave Janes, from the fire service, said the collapse of the building was likely to hamper the investigation into how the fire started. |
| Businesses in York Road are shut but those on the High Street were open as normal. | Businesses in York Road are shut but those on the High Street were open as normal. |
| Kate Smart, Kings Heath town centre manager, said some of the surrounding buildings had been damaged by smoke. | Kate Smart, Kings Heath town centre manager, said some of the surrounding buildings had been damaged by smoke. |
| She added the area was a "close-knit community" and that they were "devastated" to lose such a "landmark property". | She added the area was a "close-knit community" and that they were "devastated" to lose such a "landmark property". |