South Birmingham social club once popular with Longbridge car factory workers to be auctioned

A social club in south Birmingham which was once popular with Longbridge car factory workers and their families is set to be auctioned later this month.

The former Rednal Social Club on Barnt Green Road in Cofton Hackett thrived for around 100 years and holds fond memories for many locals, particularly when there were tens of thousands of workers at the nearby factory.

The Longbridge factory first opened in 1905 and went on to become one of Britain’s largest car plants and home to world famous brands including Austin, the Rover Group and MG Rover. As the decades passed, the car industry staggered and the Longbridge plant eventually closed, with the resulting job losses hitting the local community hard.

The factory became dormant, and some parts of the older sections of the site were demolished after MG Rover fell into administration in April 2005.

In recent years, the social club near the Lickey Hills has still been popular with the locals, and had regular live performers, various quiz, family and charity nights, and four snooker teams as well as a dominoes team playing in local leagues, before its closure in 2022.

The club, near the border of south Birmingham and Worcestershire, will have a guide price* of £395,000+ at the auction which is set to take place in the coming weeks.

What’s been said about the club?

Colin Totney, land and development surveyor at Bond Wolfe which is holding the auction, said: “The property comprises a former social club with ancillary accommodation and a car park, located on a sloping site extending to about 0.8 acres.

“The existing accommodation, which has a gross internal ground floor footprint of around 5,899 sq ft, formerly comprised of two bars, a snooker room and a range of other facilities, with a further function room on the first floor. The whole building requires refurbishment, but the site may have potential for alternative uses or development subject to planning permission.

“We understand that the property is freehold and is situated within the Green Belt, but further information in respect of tenure and any other legal aspects can be found in the legal pack.”

When is the auction and how can I register my interest?

The former Rednal Social Club will be among scores of properties appearing in Bond Wolfe’s next auction which is due to start at 9am on Thursday, 30 March. The auction will be livestreamed via Bond Wolfe’s website with remote bidding by proxy, telephone or internet.

For more details and to register to bid visit visit the website, here, or call 0121 312 1212 or 01902 928 510. Interested parties must make their own enquiries via Bromsgrove District Council in respect of planning, and to satisfy themselves about the property and site’s suitability for any proposed use or development.