Anticipation is rife amongst music fans as Birmingham’s annual jazz festival fast approaches. And nowhere more so than at Broad Street pub, Brasshouse. The pub is currently temporarily closed, undergoing a £170,000 refurbishment in readiness for the festival and will re-open this Thursday creating six additional new jobs.
A total revamp of the pub from décor and furniture will see it transformed in just ten days, re-opening with a celebratory prosecco and canapé VIP reception for local businesses this Thursday 27th June. Regular customers and businesses will be treated to a special preview from 5pm before the doors open to the general public from 7pm. Jazz band, ‘Roy Forbes Quartet’, will be performing throughout the evening.
Just one week later and the pub will play host to ten incredible days of live jazz gigs with performances from Lithuanian band ’Sheep got Waxed’, ’The Broombusters’, ‘C-jam’, ’Tipitina’, ’Brownfield Byrne Hot Six’, ‘Giedre Kilciauskiene and Andrej Polevikov Quartet’ also from Lithuania, ’Enrico Tomasso with the Brian Dee Trio’, ‘The Grainne Duffy Band’ from Ireland, ’The Jiveoholics’ and ‘Ricky Cool’. Running alongside the jazz festival the pub will host a real ale festival stretching throughout the whole of July. Customers will be able to enjoy a selection of up to fifty award winning national and local cask ales from breweries such as Backyard, Marstons, Banks’, Jennings, Ringwood, Brakspear, Wychwood and Wye Valley. Real ale enthusiasts can enjoy every 8thpint for free with the Brasshouse’s new collector card scheme.
General manager Paulo Jacinto is anticipating a busy summer at the pub and has already pledged to create six new additional jobs. A new daily opening time of 8am means the pub will be serving freshly brewed Lavazza coffees, teas and breakfasts. This quick and affordable alternative to the coffee shop also offers the added bonus of a loyalty scheme for regular users.
Earlier this year the pub’s head chef Dave Alebon was crowned Best Pub Chef at the Best of Broad Street Awards. Commenting on the refurbishment and the decision to change opening hours Paulo said, “The refurbishment is a no holds barred re-vamp of the pub from top to toe and we’re thrilled it will be ready in time for the jazz festival. The makeover also gives us the opportunity to branch out with new ideas and to offer added services for customers. With Dave’s great chef skills and enthusiasm for new challenges we will be starting a fresh offer – great quality and value for money breakfasts to local workers and tourists alike.”
“We’re delighted to be showcasing some of the performers of the 29th Birmingham International Jazz and Blues Festival at the Brasshouse between 5th and 14th July and look forward to welcoming a host of new customers to enjoy the music with us”, continued Paulo.
The re-launch of the Brasshouse is the second business for parent company Stonegate Pub Company to be refurbished on Birmingham’s Broad Street in as many months. In May, 90s inspired nightclub, Popworld opened creating 14 new jobs.