Ritz Ballroom, Kings Heath
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The Ritz | |
 The building in February 2012 | |
 Interactive map of Ritz Ballroom | |
| Location | York Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, England, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 52°26′05″N 1°53′37″W / 52.43463°N 1.89355°W |
| Owner | Joe and Mary Regan |
| Construction | |
| Demolished | 27 March 2013 (by fire) |
The Ritz Ballroom in York Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, West Midlands, was a 1960s music venue, known for the number of artists it hosted, who went on to become international successes, especially those on the roster of Brian Epstein.[1]
Operated by Joe Regan and his wife Mary, the venue used a former cinema.[1] Acts which appeared there included The Beatles, Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones.[1][2]
In March 2013, the building, by then used as shop, was destroyed by fire.
The Regans - known as "Ma and Pa Regan"[3] - operated three other concert venues in the area:[1]
- The Plaza, Handsworth, Birmingham
- The Plaza, Old Hill
- The Gary Owen (also known as the Kavern), Small Heath
Mary was responsible for selecting and booking the acts.[1] She was also a PE teacher at Coleshill.[1] At the time of Joe's death, in 2004, aged 92,[1] the couple had two children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.[1]