Maggies, Birmingham

Built 1935 as the Three Magpies of brown brick in a Modernist style with a tall brick tower designed by Edwin Francis Reynolds (Architects, Wood & Kendrick) for Mitchells & Butlers Brewery and is a rare surviving little changed example of a 'reformed' Birmingham public house in the moderne style. When built the plan consisted of a lobby with the beer store on the right, public bar on the far right, Outdoor Department on the near left, Gents Smoking Room on the front left and Assembly Room on the rear left.

From the entrance lobby the left hand door now leads to a large lounge bar due to walls being removed between the Outdoor Department, Gents Smoking Room and Assembly Room. Just inside the room the curved counter of the off sales with a horizontal panelled front appears to be the original. You can see where the original door to the Gents Smoking Room was situated and fixed seating in this area might be original and re-upholstered. There is an Art Deco style wood surround and tiled fireplace that is modern.

In the rear former Assembly Room with a wooden floor and small stage on the left the counter with a horizontal panelled front appears to be the original and the bar back of wood panels with mirrors is a mixture of original and modern work. Unusual curved bench near the rear semi-circular windows is original. The room retains original plaster cornice and mouldings, radiator housing, moderne decorative smoke extractor grilles to ceiling, and metal windows. On the far left is a wide lobby which was the original entrance to the Assembly Room and has toilets (modernised) off with some terrazzo flooring.

On the right the public bar has a wooden floor, the bar counter look to be the original as does the top. The bar back top section has mirrors and wood that look modern whereas the main shelf looks original. (most of lower shelves lost to fridges) The fixed seating in three sections look original and the ceiling has moderne plaster mouldings There looks to be some changes to the area just inside the room on the lobby side. The bowling green at the rear is still in regular use.

A Plaque on the exterior reads “The Maggies has a sister pub, also in Hall Green called The Baldwin, also designed by E.F. Reynolds. A profile of the front elevation of the two pubs placed side by side, with The Maggies on the left would reveal another important and prestigious part of history as the design was based on The Queen Mary cruise liner launched by Cunard White Star on September 26th 1934, undertaking her maiden voyage on May 27th 1936. Fortunately The Maggies and The Baldwin have stood the test of time a little better as The Queen Mary was decommissioned on October 5th 1971.” (The interior of the Baldwin was gutted in the 1990s.)