Birmingham Town Hall & Bingley Hall – Cancelled Amid Civic Outcry
What unfolded in Birmingham was perhaps the most dramatic episode of the Anarchy Tour’s collapse.
The Birmingham Daily Post reported on 9 December 1976 that councillors were already urging tenants of Bingley Hall to reconsider: Coun. Neville Bosworth, leader of the City Council, warned, “We might have to look at the terms of the agreement… I hope they see fit to consider public opinion and act accordingly.”
He reminded readers that the Town Hall booking had already been cancelled by Coun. Edward Hanson, chair of Leisure Services, who declared the Pistols unfit after their notorious television appearance: “They will not subject the people of Birmingham to such unadulterated filth.” (Birmingham Mail, 13 December 1976).
By 10 December, the Birmingham Daily Post carried the blunt headline “Pistols drummed out of concert.” Chairman Tim Bickford of the Agricultural Exhibition Society, which leased Bingley Hall, admitted, “It was not until all this rumpus developed that we knew that one of the groups appearing would be the Sex Pistols. Had we known about it, we should never have supported the idea. We don’t have much experience of pop groups. We have a long association with the city and would never have agreed to do anything that would cause offence to the people of Birmingham.”
His secretary, Vernon Prattwood, insisted the society was “legally entitled to cancel the concert… The organisers must find another group to be put on the bill, or another venue for the Sex Pistols.” Promoter John Tully fumed, calling the decision “ludicrous” and arguing, “This is getting out of all proportion… I have seen the Sex Pistols and they do not normally swear.” (Birmingham Daily Post, 10 December 1976).
The row spilled into the letters pages.
One reader, Derek Ford of Solihull, shot back: “I must comment on the council’s action in banning the Sex Pistols… They will not subject the people of Birmingham to such unadulterated filth. Of course the council turns a blind eye to the porn that is on in many of our cinemas, and makes no bans on football clubs whose supporters turn parts of our city into a battleground.” (Birmingham Mail, 13 December 1976).
Another, C. Greenway, wrote that official hostility was “heading towards a form of dictatorship, where people are told what they can and cannot see.” (Birmingham Daily Post, 13 December 1976).
Between civic leaders’ denunciations and fans’ defiance, Birmingham’s date became a symbol of the Anarchy Tour’s running war with authority — a night that never happened, but one that perfectly embodied the storm engulfing the Pistols, The Clash, and punk itself.
Birmingham Daily Post, Thursday 09 December 1976 PDF
'Think again' plea over Sex Pistols
The tenants of Bingley Hall, Birmingham, were urged last night to think again about allowing the Sex Pistols “punk rock” group to use the premises....
'Think again' plea over Sex Pistols
The tenants of Bingley Hall, Birmingham, were urged last night to think again about allowing the Sex Pistols “punk rock” group to use the premises.
Coun. Neville Bosworth, leader of Birmingham City Council, which owns the building and leases it to Birmingham Agricultural Exhibition Society, said: “We might have to look at the terms of the agreement.”
He said the decision lay with the society “but I hope they see fit to consider public opinion and act accordingly.”
Birmingham licensing magistrates yesterday granted Mr. John Tully, a band agent, permission to hold a concert at the hall on December 20. After the hearing it was revealed that the Sex Pistols would be top of the bill.
Last week Coun. Edward Hanson, chairman of Birmingham Leisure Services Committee, cancelled the group’s booking at the Town Hall, also for December 20. It followed a television interview in which group members used four-letter words, bringing a flood of complaints from viewers.
Routine
Mr. Tim Bickford, chairman of the Agricultural Society, said last night that he knew nothing about the booking until he had read Press reports. “It is quite a shock. I will certainly inquire into this but I would not like to comment further at this stage.”
Neither of the magistrates, Mrs. Nenila Gibbins and Mrs. Mary Lloyd, who granted the licence after a 30-second hearing, was prepared to comment last night.
But a police spokesman said that in such routine applications the promoter was not asked who was performing.
Mr. Tully is sharing the concert promotion with Mr. David Cork of Endale Association, Birmingham, the organisers of the group’s European tour.
Mr. Cork said yesterday that about 15 of the 20 performances planned would take place.
Mr. Tully said Bingley Hall, had a capacity of between 3,000 and 3,500 compared with the Town Hall, which seats 2,000. He expected the show, with tickets at between £1.60 and £1.70, to be a sell-out.
Birmingham Daily Post –– Friday 10 December 1976 Link
Pistols drummed out of concert
Mr. John Tully, one of the concert promoters, described the decision as “ludicrous.” ... (we have pice this together and think from a poor scan we've matched the words)
Pistols drummed out of concert
Birmingham Post Reporter — A concert by the Sex Pistols “punk rock” group was cancelled by the tenants of Bingley Hall, Birmingham, today.
Mr. Tim Bickford, chairman of the Birmingham Agricultural Exhibition Society, which leases the hall from the City Council, said the society had not been told the punk group would be playing when the booking for December 20 was accepted.
He said, “It was not until all this rumpus developed that we knew that one of the groups appearing would be the Sex Pistols. Had we known about it, we should never have supported the idea. We don’t have much experience of pop groups. We have a long association with the city and would never have agreed to do anything that would cause offence to the people of Birmingham.”
Mr. Vernon Prattwood, the society’s secretary, said the society was legally entitled to cancel the concert. “The concert organisers must find another group to be put on the bill, or another venue for the Sex Pistols.”
Protest
Last week, Coun. Edward Hanson, chairman of the Birmingham Leisure Services Committee, cancelled a booking by the group at the Town Hall after a television interview in which members of the Sex Pistols used four-letter words which provoked protests from viewers.
Earlier this week, Birmingham licensing magistrates granted permission for the concert at Bingley Hall. After the hearing it was revealed that the Sex Pistols would be topping the bill.
The decision to cancel was welcomed by Coun. Neville Bosworth, leader of Birmingham City Council, but Mr. John Tully, one of the concert promoters, described the decision as “ludicrous.”
He said, “This is getting out of all proportion. I want to speak as a citizen of Birmingham and ask if anyone at the council or the agricultural society has ever seen the group’s act. I don’t see why the concert has been cancelled. I have seen the Sex Pistols and they do not normally swear… If the group did at the concert at Bingley Hall, no-one would be forcing to see them. People would go because they wanted to see the act.”
Birmingham Daily Post –– Monday 13 December 1976, PDF
LETTER, PISTOLS AT TWILIGHT
Sir, — After reading the much published reports on the tour of the Sex Pistols and of the cancellation of many of their concerts, I would like to say that the attitude of certain authorities is heading towards a form of dictatorship, where people are told what they can and cannot see.
Pistols at twilight
Sir, — After reading the much published reports on the tour of the Sex Pistols and of the cancellation of many of their concerts, I would like to say that the attitude of certain authorities is heading towards a form of dictatorship, where people are told what they can and cannot see.
If certain members of the public did not want to see them, then they would not pay money to do so. Nobody is being forced to see anything that they find distasteful. So, therefore, why not leave the choice to the people concerned. There are a great many Sex Pistols fans in Birmingham.
"will not subject the people of Birmingham to such unadulterated filth"
Pistols ban
I must comment on the Birmingham council's action in banning the Sex Pistols group from appearing at the Town Hall, because in the words of Mr. T. Hanson: "They will not subject the people of Birmingham to such unadulterated filth."
I would be interested to know how many members of the council have seen the group perform or seen the much publicised interview.
Of course the council turns a blind eye to the porn that is on in many of our cinemas, and makes no bans on football clubs whose supporters turn parts of our city into a battleground.
It is a regular occurrence for shops and public houses to close on Saturdays when certain football teams are playing in the city but I have heard of no such action because the Sex Pistols were appearing.
The Sex Pistols tour was billed as Anarchy in the UK, and can you blame them? With councils reacting in such ways it seems we need it.
Book: K. Gildart, Images of England Through Popular Music: Class, Youth and Rock 'n' Roll ...Google books
‘fans who care about rock should stay away from the Pistols and their like'
[extract] December were also cancelled. The story was a similar one in Birmingham, where the Sex Pistols planned to appear at the town hall. After interviewing Lydon for the Birmingham Evening Mail, the music columnist advised ‘fans who care about rock should stay away from the Pistols and their like'. Ted Hanson, chair of Birmingham Leisure Services, said that he had ‘decided to cancel the concert because of the absolute degradation these people put across to the public. The people of this city are not going to be subjected to pure, unadulterated filth'"
PAGE 3 - The fallout, Tour collapses RevisedDates following the Grundy outrage
Anarchy Tour Adverts, before and after The fallout from Bill Grundy show
Feature Magazines Books (Anarchy Tour)
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