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This English village is about to allow alcohol sales for the first time ever

Bournville, which was founded by the teetotal Cadbury family, was the last remaining “dry village” in England.

BirminghamBournvilleShops Gavin Warrins / Wikimedia Gavin Warrins / Wikimedia / Wikimedia

A NEWSAGENT HAS been given permission to sell alcohol, ending a rare 120-year ban in the last remaining “dry” village in England, officials said today.

Bournville, a suburb of Birmingham, was founded at the end of the 19th century by the Cadbury family – owners of the famous chocolate brand – who were Quakers.

No pubs or licensed alcohol shops have ever been allowed in the village of 25,000 inhabitants, which was built to house Cadbury’s factory workers and declared booze-free by the teetotal family.

Bournville councillor Rob Sealey said the decision was “catastrophic”, telling the Birmingham Mail: ”This goes against 120 years of history and heritage in Bournville.”

maryvale The Mary Vale News shop, on Mary Vale Road in Bournville. Google Maps Google Maps

But Kamal Sharma, the 38-year-old owner of the Maryvale News, shop said he was just trying to save his business.

I’ve tried to diversify by selling fruit and vegetables but no-one bought them.
I asked my customers what they wanted and they were unanimous in wanting somewhere nearby to pick up a few beers or a bottle of wine.

Laburnum Road, Bournville - sign - Alcohol Restricted Area ell brown ell brown

Birmingham councillor Lynda Clinton said concerns had been raised about “anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder”, and the potential impact on Bournville’s “unique character”.

But no objections were raised by police and “local residents who attended today’s meeting were strongly in favour of the application being approved,” she added.

Contains reporting by AFP.

Read: A Welsh town has just appointed its first resident jester in 700 years>

Read: Calling all Irish expats – You won’t be able to get real Cadburys any longer>

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40 Comments
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    Mute Colm Lambert
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    Sep 30th 2015, 9:45 PM

    A village. With 25,000 people. The same population as Kilkenny, where people get offended if you suggest it’s anything less than a city…..

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    Mute HRH The Brummie
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:18 PM

    It’s a suberb of Birmingham. real picture post card place. The Cadbury family gave lots of land to the council to build on always without a pub in it though. Guess it’s down hill from here for the Bournville residents.

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    Mute Red4fred
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:50 PM

    At least the sign outside the shop will help you if you’re lost

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    Mute Paul Nolan
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    Oct 1st 2015, 2:14 AM

    We are a city, we even have a 400 year old charter to prove it, along with 3 streets and a town hall lol. Plus multiple cathedral’s, what else do you need lol.

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    Mute Rosie Murray
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    Oct 1st 2015, 9:01 AM

    You only need to have a Cathedral to be called a City. That’s why Tuam is considered a dual ecclesiastical city… Has two cathedrals…

    8
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    Mute Uncle Monty
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    Sep 30th 2015, 9:51 PM

    We want the finest wines available to humanity, we want them here and we want them now!

    140
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    Mute Anonymous Man
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    Sep 30th 2015, 9:53 PM

    Damn you beer baron!!

    110
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    Mute Kieran Stafford
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    Sep 30th 2015, 11:32 PM

    To alcohol, the cause of, and solution to all of life’s problems

    53
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    Mute The Dublin Cynic
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    Oct 1st 2015, 12:57 AM

    Whilst the nearby town of Fruit & Nut are known for their 24-hour nightclubs, takeaways and casinos.

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    Mute Rothar Man
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    Sep 30th 2015, 9:40 PM

    Chocolate stout? Cheers

    83
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    Mute Eileen Charters
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    Sep 30th 2015, 9:43 PM

    Hope they’re stocked up on the aul Dutch gold and druids for the lads: )

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    Mute David Grey
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    Oct 1st 2015, 1:06 AM

    Not entirely accurate! The Bourneville Social club has been serving alcohol since the 80′s and probably before- Cadburys was a model employer and the Bourneville trust has protected the beautiful houses built by the Quaker Cadburys for its workers! now it’s owned by Kraft and the workers are treated like dirt and the chocolate contains Soya lecithin, Palm oil and other horrible ingredients! I spent my childhood playing around Bourneville and went to school at King’s Norton boys- just a 3 minute walk away- Lovely part of Brum!

    68
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    Mute Mer Curial
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:15 PM

    The family must still have some serious political clout to prevent any sale of alcohol in a town of 25,000 people…

    62
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    Mute Jamsey
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:32 PM

    I think the residents still pay a nominal land rent to them so technically they would be the biggest land owners in the area.I believe that’s how they managed to keep it dry..

    37
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    Mute Rad
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:07 PM

    plenty of Muslim areas in Birmingham where alcohol, dogs etc are forbidden.

    55
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    Mute Jamsey
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:29 PM

    Actually there are no areas of Bermingham where anything legal in the rest of the country are forbidden. Would a shop selling them last long in business, probably not but fact is I can eat a breakfast roll while slugging a beer anywhere I bloody want there.And believe me I have….Woe betide and religious fcuk head that tries to tell me different…

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    Mute Rad
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:39 PM

    ‘Do not walk your dog here! Muslims do not like dogs’: Fury after poster discovered near popular … http://dailym.ai/U0qSl8

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    Mute Jamsey
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:53 PM

    They can honestly stick their posters up their a#ses.Any fool can stick up a poster. It does not make it law.And I also know for a fact the BNP love putting up those posters aswell to stir s#it.

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    Mute Jamsey
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    Sep 30th 2015, 11:23 PM

    As far as I know druid the whole ‘dog thing’ is a bit of a myth.Google animal sanctuaries in Iran and you’ll find quite a few.Those signs are normally planted by non Muslims.Of course I’m not suggesting they’re aren’t radical Muslims trying it on aswell but as far as I’m concerned both can get te fcuk.

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    Mute Rad
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    Oct 1st 2015, 12:34 AM
    2
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    Mute Aaron
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    Oct 1st 2015, 10:13 AM

    So your proof that area’s of Birmingham forbids dogs, is an article from last year in the Daily Mail about one poster found 130 mile away in London, coincidentally around the same time as the local elections were going on (think UKIP and the BNP) and another story to give reasons why SOME (not all) Muslims believe dogs to be impure?

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    Mute mcgoo
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:09 PM

    They really do hate change in the UK. I don’t know how they get anything done. Or how they ran an empire for that matter. Has anyone tried getting served in a pub in the UK recently? Be prepared to loose many many minutes of your life.

    37
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    Mute fixxxation
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    Sep 30th 2015, 9:47 PM

    Typical bacon sarnie in his corner shop, destroying 120 years of booze free culture.

    26
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    Mute Al Ca
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    Sep 30th 2015, 9:44 PM

    Is chocolate liquors were invented?

    26
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    Mute Al Ca
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    Sep 30th 2015, 9:45 PM

    *..this why..

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    Mute Chief
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    Sep 30th 2015, 9:54 PM

    Jesus Al, 2 words missing! cén fáth?

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    Mute Al Ca
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:17 PM

    Sorry…..too many liquors Chief……hic!

    44
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    Mute Stephen Hayden
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    Sep 30th 2015, 9:53 PM

    And some cake

    21
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    Mute Rad
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:06 PM

    Cadburys is Irish no???

    5
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    Mute Nina Bermingham
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:17 PM

    No, they just have a factory in Dublin. They started in London and relocated to Birmingham shortly afterwards. Bourneville was established by them so their employees could have a chance to get an education and gain skills after work. Bit of useless information for you :p

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    Mute Al Ca
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:18 PM

    You’re from Coolock….aren’t ya.

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    Mute Rad
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:21 PM

    so when people say they love Irish chocolate (cadburys) they actually mean they love English chocolate?

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    Mute Nina Bermingham
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:21 PM

    Haha no, not even from Dublin!

    18
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    Mute Nina Bermingham
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:22 PM

    The Cadburys we get in Ireland is made in Ireland so I suppose it is Irish!

    43
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    Mute Padraic Reid
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:34 PM

    The Chinese food we get in Ireland is made in Ireland so I suppose it is Irishese.

    80
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    Mute little jim
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:35 PM

    Glass and a half of Irish milk in each bar! The good old days, it’s got a weird texture.

    19
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    Mute Pronnsias McCarthaigh
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:35 PM

    Cadburies in now owned by Kraft which is another toxic American GMO Corporate.

    The quality is stating to go down the toilet.

    Last years cream eggs were rotten

    http://uk.businessinsider.com/kraft-changed-the-cadbury-creme-egg-recipe-2015-1?r=US&IR=T

    56
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    Mute Mer Curial
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    Oct 1st 2015, 11:29 AM

    Is everything edible produced in the US complete **** or can they produce any decent quality food products?

    5
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    Mute Patrick Short
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    Oct 1st 2015, 4:31 AM

    And they still call it a United Kingdom. Yet one law for Bournville. A different one for Chester and something else in Fife

    2
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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Sep 30th 2015, 10:25 PM

    Thats MADD for yea!

    2
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