A curious shop in Selly Oak, Birmingham, raises questions with its old number and well-kept plants despite being closed for decades
Selly Oak: There’s this quirky place called ‘The Practice’ that’s got everyone talking. It looks like a regular shop at first, but there’s something off about it.
It’s located at 818 Bristol Road, and there’s a phone number on the front. But here’s the kicker: that number hasn’t been in use since 1995! Plus, it has zero reviews online, which is super strange.
People around here say they’ve never seen it open in over 30 years. Yet, every spring, those geraniums in the window are always blooming. Who’s taking care of them?
If you check out Google Street View from 2009, you’ll see The Practice hasn’t changed much. All the other shops nearby have vanished, but this one just sits there, untouched.
There are all sorts of wild theories about what this place really is. Some folks on Reddit are even talking about ghosts or vampires! A few years back, someone claimed they saw an old man in a lab coat inside. Creepy, right?
So, I decided to check it out myself. I knocked on the door, but no one answered. I even tried calling the old number, but it just rang and rang.
Peering through the window, I spotted an old office with some furniture and black-and-white photos of Birmingham. There was even a picture of Brian Travers from UB40 facing out, like he was welcoming visitors.
Next door, the Chinese takeaway said a guy named Dave lives there. They call him “Davey” and say he comes and goes. Sounds like a bit of a mystery man!
One shopkeeper mentioned that Dave has some ties to the music scene. I did a little digging and found out a business called Freekquency Worldwide Limited was registered at The Practice until 2023, with a David Cox listed as the secretary.
Turns out, this Dave Cox was a big deal in the music world. He helped UB40 get started and even let them practice above his butcher shop back in the day. How cool is that?
When I asked around, people said he was a bit of a mysterious character. He had his hands in a lot of different things, from butchering to DJing. But no one seems to know where he is now.
So, could this elusive Dave Cox be the owner of The Practice? It’s a strong possibility, but the mystery remains. If anyone has more info, I’d love to hear it!
