Derelict Birmingham pub where Ozzy Osbourne’s Black Sabbath performed first ever gig awarded £300,000 renovation grant

A landmark city centre pub, where pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath performed their first ever gig, has received a £300,000 grant to transform it into a music venue.

The Crown pub, which is situated at the junction of Station Street and Hill Street, is in need of repairs after being left shuttered and derelict for nearly a decade.

The Government’s Community Ownership awarded the decaying Birmingham pub a grant worth £300,000 to restore the building with plans to create seven music-themed hotel rooms, a bar and regular live music performances.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced the restoration award for The Crown as the second round of the £150million community funding gets underway.

The idea behind the community funding is to reclaim historic buildings that are derelict – some are facing the threat of demolition – and restore them with a view to boosting local economies.

The Crown was rotting away for almost ten years and there were concerns the iconic building would be lost until the news of the cash injection gave new hope for the derelict pub.

Dehenna Davison, Minister for Levelling Up, said: “This cash will help revive The Crown and restore it to its former glory, opening it as a space for people to enjoy live music for generations to come.

“We want people across the country to have great opportunities no matter where they live, and ensuring that they can continue to benefit from treasured local institutions is an important part of this.”

The legendary pub – which attracted punks, hippies, rockers and bikers – is renowned in music circles and was the place where Ozzy Osbourne’s Black Sabbath (the band was known as Earth at the time) performed their very first ever gig at Henry’s Blueshouse which was situated upstairs inside the pub.

The Crown’s historical and cultural legacy runs deep with the pub providing rehearsal facilities and a performance space over the years to world famous bands such as Thin Lizzy, UB40, Led Zeppelin, Supertramp, UFO, and Status Quo.

No date has been announced regarding when the renovation works are due to begin or when the restored pub will open its doors and welcome a new generation of music fans in search of a drink and some live music in the historic venue.

Fans of Black Sabbath have taken to social media platforms and suggested that Ozzy Osbourne should be given the honour of cutting the ribbon when the The Crown reopens.