Snobs, one of Birmingham’s most famous and best-loved nightclubs, is to relocate to the city’s ‘golden mile’ of Broad Street.
The club, founded more than 50 years ago, is set to move into the former premises of Velvet Music Rooms in the middle of 2024.
Snobs is currently located at 51 Smallbrook Queensway, but that venue has been at risk since earlier this year as part of the city’s regeneration plans.
Wayne Tracey, the owner of Snobs, has revealed that the club is to move into Cumberland House at 200 Broad Street, which was vacated by Velvet when that club closed last month.
He explained that he had now purchased the lease of the two-floor premises from Velvet’s former owners Dani Hadley and Eilis Collins. Once based there, Snobs will join other Westside nightclubs such as Reflex, Popworld, Pryzm and Rosies.
Mr Tracey (pictured below) said: “I’m so pleased to have found such a great position of Broad Street where we can continue the great name, brand, reputation and nightlife that everyone in Birmingham knows as Snobs.
“As well as relocating the business and staff, we also hope to create a few more jobs because of potentially longer opening hours, due to more passing trade in the daytime.
“There’s still some way to go, as although we’ve signed the property deal, we now have to carefully plan and time our move from Smallbrook Queensway to Broad Street, and keep the business trading in between.
“But we are very excited by this new opportunity to move onto the ‘golden mile’ of Broad Street in the Westside area, with all the opportunities it offers.
“There’s a healthy nightlife on Westside, but also all the extra footfall from conferences at the ICC, with many top hotels in the area, and entertainment at places like The Rep theatre and the Utilita Arena.”
Mike Olley, general manager of Westside BID, said: “We are so excited that the one and only Snobs nightclub is moving to Broad Street.
“Everyone knows Snobs – whether you’re in late-middle age like me and went there as a teenager in the 1970s, or whether you’re part of the younger generation who frequent the club now.
“We were sad to see Velvet close, but we are thrilled that their coveted location at the heart of Broad Street will now have a bright new future.”
Mr Olley added: “We will be rolling out the red carpet for Wayne and his staff and will be supporting them in any way we can as they move, open and settle into their new premises.”
Snobs was first opened in the basement of Beneficial House on Suffolk Street Queensway in the summer of 1972 by the Berrow brothers. They also owned the new romantic Rum Runner venue in the city and managed Duran Duran for a time.
Snobs was later taken on by Gary Daniel, who transformed the city centre club into the indie venue it has been for the last three decades. Mr Daniel was still the owner when he died, aged just 40, in 2001.
Current owner Wayne Tracey bought it off his family in 2002 and in September 2014 moved the club’s premises to the corner of Hurst Street and Smallbrook Queensway.
Snobs has thrived in that location, its DJs becoming renowned for playing a mix of indie, alternative, retro and current jams, R&B and hip hop. The club has long been home to regular nights including the city’s longest-running student night – Big Wednesday. It also hosts what it claims are Birmingham’s best indie nights, called Rehab on Fridays, and the city’s favourite alternative night out, called Loaded on Saturdays.
Mr Tracey said he hoped to bring all those regular themes to the new Snobs on Broad Street.
He added: “We’re looking forward to becoming part of the ‘golden mile’ and to welcoming both existing and new customers to Snobs. It’s going to be a new, fresh venue for a great and established brand, and we can’t wait to get going.”
Main image: how Snobs might look on Broad Street, as pictured by architects working for the club.
ENDS
