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Last year, Time Out named the Birmingham district of Digbeth one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world. The area is buzzing with creative spirit, teeming with beloved indie bars, businesses, restaurants and clubs. But now that spirit is under threat and dozens of Digbeth businesses are at risk of being wiped out.
Live music hub the Night Owl, burger restaurant Original Patty Men, community building The Warehouse (home to Voce Books and Birmingham Friends of the Earth) and music hall Mama Roux’s are just a few of the venues that could be affected by an enormous £1.75 billion project being planned by Midlands Rail Hub.
Midlands Rail Hub say that the major project between Birmingham Moor Street and Bordesley stations will ‘provide faster, better, and more frequent journeys for local, regional, and national passengers’ and help boost the local economy by creating regeneration opportunities and improving regional access to HS2. It would involve building new sections of the railway and creating new platforms to allow for more services each day.
But the part of the current plans that Digbeth businesses are worried about is the proposal to widen sections of the Bordesley Viaduct, which runs through the district. In order for that to happen, businesses in the area say that their premises will have to be demolished.
Benjy Hill, owner of Mama Roux’s and Club Colette, said: ‘Finding out on X that our home of almost 18 years is earmarked for potential demolition was pretty wild, and honestly not just for Mama Roux’s and Club Colette, but for the actual soul of Digbeth.
‘Lower Trinity Street and Digbeth as a whole is the beating heart of Birmingham’s grassroots live and electronic music scene. We’ve hosted global artists like Jorja Smith and Little Simz, and we’ve invested thousands back into local creatives every single week. We aren't just fighting for brick arches and dancefloors; we are fighting to prevent a complete cultural wipeout of the independent spaces that make this city human.’
Clare Edwards, general manager of the Night Owl added: ‘It’s difficult to truly express the stress and heartbreak these potential plans have already caused, not just to the Night Owl but to the Digbeth community as a whole. The Night Owl is a committed grassroots venue of 11 years and a huge passion for sub cultures has always been the heart of what we do.
‘It is immensely worrying that with the demolition of not only Lower Trinity but other areas of Digbeth, safe, alternative, independent spaces like ours may no longer hold a place in this city and is that really worth a couple of extra trains an hour into town?’
The small silver lining is that the proposals are still in their early stages and members of the public and local businesses are currently being invited to have their say before plans are finalised. The consultation is open until August 28.
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