The Sunday Mercury have covered the closing of the Eagle and Tun.  Last time I knew it was open it was being used by Birmingham City University as classrooms.  Hopefully the new City Centre campus and thousands of students and local residence coming to Eastside will bring this pub back to life.

IT is the world-famous pub where Birmingham supergroup UB40 filmed the video for their biggest hit, Red Red Wine.

But now The Eagle & Tun in Banbury Street, Digbeth, has become the latest victim of the credit crunch.

Time was called on the historic Victorian venue several months ago and it is now a boarded-up shell.

Yet The Eagle & Tun is fondly remembered as the pub where UB40 filmed their Red, Red, Wine video in the 1980s and it also featured on their million-selling Best Of… album cover.

The boozer has also been the scene of many of the band’s Fan Fest events which attract enthusiasts from across the world.

Boarded up

Last night UB40 fanatic Helena Payne, from Birmingham, said the pub closure marked the end of an era.

“The Eagle & Tun was an historical venue for UB40 and their fans, so it’s really sad to see it boarded up and shut down,’’ she said.

“The Fan Fest has had events at The Eagle & Tun for 11 years and it was a great venue for everyone as it was just around the corner from UB40’s studio.

‘‘It was our main meeting place and as well as the bigger gatherings, we would often hold mini-events there as well.

“The pub also has history with band members who used to drink there regularly and of course they used it for a couple of album covers, as well as the Red Red Wine video.”

Over the past two years The Eagle & Tun had gone through at least six landlords, Helena said.

“It was constantly closing and opening up again and it seemed there was just not enough custom around,’’ she said.

‘‘But when it shut the last time we thought it wouldn’t be long before someone else was found to run it. But it’s been closed for a while now, so although we really hope someone will take it over, we’re not hopeful that will happen.

“I don’t know what’s in store for the building. It may turn into apartments or it could even be knocked down.”

“There was always a huge display of photographs of the band and members of Fan Fest inside the venue, but I don’t know what’s happened to those.”

The pub was also where fband members Ali and Robin Campbell wrote their huge hits, including One In Ten.

Here is the video for nostalgia purposes.

UB40 – Red Red Wine