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birminghammail.co.uk

HOMES

By JAYNE HOWARTH
Property Writer

NCE the industrial heart of

Birmingham, Digbeth just
a five-minute walk from the
Bullring is now considered to be one of the main
creative centres in the city a place
where artists, digital and media
people mingle at The Custard Factory
and Fazeley Studios with students,
vintage lovers and musicians.

Considered Birminghams
Shoreditch by many, this slightly
bohemian, up-and-coming part of
the city is often the first entry point
for those who arrive by coach.
With two conservation areas
Digbeth, Deritend and High Streets
Conservation Area, and the Warwick Bar Conservation Area and
strong connections to the Irish
community, its place of history and
culture.
Digbeth Residents Association
estimates there are about 3,000 residents in the whole of the area, but
more developments are being built
as investors snap up the industrial
land and properties, keen to take
advantage of its proximity to the
Bullring, as well as Moor Street and
New Street Railway stations.
With lans for HS2 and the
terminal at Curzon Street
also on the table, plus
major regeneration
schemes for the whole
of Eastside, complete
with new public realm
and cultural quarter,
and redevelopment of
the long-neglected
Typhoo Tea factory into a
new Birmingham City University campus, you can
expect Digbeth and Deritend to
undergo a complete revolution over
the next few years.

SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2016BIRMINGHAM MAIL

The hub of
creativity
and grub

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NIGHTLIFE

Long-time resident Andy Smart (DJ

Colatron), who works in telecoms,
says if you cut him, he bleeds Digbeth.
Id always preferred city life to
the more sedate village-life pace Id
grown up with and the convenience
ofDigbethin relation to the city
centre as well as ease of access to
local transport networks for getting
to work, combined with its reputation as being a place of creativity
and culture made it a no brainer in
the end, he said.
Even 10 years ago, there was a
buzz aboutDigbethbeing an up-and-coming area la Londons
Shoreditch or Brick Lane so it
seemed like a great move to make
given my love of creativity and
things with a slightly edgy cool
vibe.
A keen photographer, Andy says
he loves how his neighbourhood
embraces its industrial and cultural
history, likening it to Berlins Kreuzberg.
It may sound silly as well, but
one of the things I love aboutDigbethis its ugly beauty a lot of
people are put off by its heavily

DIGBETH

industrialised look but I

find beauty in the back streets and it
adds a real character to the area
when juxtaposed with the more
open spaces over towards Eastside,
explains Andy.
When I first moved in, my apartment complex was one of the first of
a new batch of affordable housing
built and many other blocks have
sprung up amongst the warehouse
and industrial units, showing people are keen to move in around
here.
Pamela Pinski agrees. She is secretary of the Digbeth Residents
Association and has lived in the
area for almost seven years.
Im still as in love with area as
ever, she says.
She moved there because of its
proximity to the city centre. But
another huge draw was the vibrant
community and its affordability:
You get a lot of bang for your buck
in Digbeth, adds Pamela, who also
writes the Digbeth is Good blog.
I enjoy lots of things about living
in Digbeth; the proper pubs are fantastic, each with their own character
and charm. Theres more live music
than you can shake a stick at, catering for a range of tastes and ages,
she adds.
Although the impact of HS2 in
Digbeth is still largely unknown, she

Digbeth Dining
Clubs award-winning
street food event

says, the planned metro extension

bringing a tram line from the city
centre to Digbeth in the next 10
years will be beneficial. Its about
to get a whole lot better connected,
says Pamela.

modation. You can also slake your

thirst at The Anchor, which has
been crowned Birmingham
CAMRA Pub of the Year four
times, and at The Spotted Dog,
The White Swan and The Irish
Centre.
FOOD
Music lovers can get their fix at
You cant mention Digbeth without among others the O2 Institute;
your stomach rumbling. Home to
Rainbow Venues and rock club Subthe Digbeth Dining Club, the award- side.
winning street food event, on FriThe nightlife in Digbeth is curdays from 5pm is where you can
rently the best on offer in Birmingfind some of the finest food
ham, says Pamela. That is
around. People travel
something to consider
miles to enjoy the
when moving into the
buzz there.
area were definitely
Foodie lovers
not a quiet leafy
can also fill their
suburb!
boots at Original
Patty Men, eat
INDIE LIFE
tapas at Rico
The Custard FacLibre, and enjoy
tory, with its studio
Polish cuisine at
space, offices and
The Karczma, plus
retail stores, is the
Anchor Inn
acclaimed vegetarian
place to go to for vintage
food at The Warehouse
shops, independent stores
Cafe and belly-busting lunches
and delightful little boutiques
at Yumm.
where you can find unusual gifts
and pieces.
PUBS AND CLUBS

Digbeth is home to the oldest pub

in the city The Old Crown.
Thought to date back to the 14th
century, this higgledy-piggledy pub
also has a coffee shop, plus accom-

CULTURE

The 10th Flatpack Film Festival is

happening April 19-24 , while the
City of Colours street art festival
takes place in June. The Digbeth

First Friday celebrates the indie culture of the area. Taking place on the
first Friday of the month, it includes
exhibitions, late-night openings,
special events, culture, live music,
and street food.
HOUSE PRICES

Plans are afoot for 170 flats behind

the Catholic Church of St Anne, on
the corner of Bradford Street and
Lombard Street.
Last year, Seven Capital began its
30million redevelopment of the
old Harrison Drape factory in Bradford Street, which will bring about
73 studios, 152 one-bedroom and 88
two-bedroom flats, plus a retail unit.
The property developer has now
bought Connaught Square by Birmingham Coach Station, which will
bring further apartments to the
area.
How about getting your hands on
a piece of Digbeth history? The
Anchor Pub, on the corner junction
of Bradford Street and Rea Street, is
up for sale through Fleurets for a
guide price of 65,000 leasehold. As
well as four trading areas, it also has
private quarters with four-five bedrooms.
According to RightMove, the average property price in Digbeth is
122,590, which is cheaper than the
Birmingham average of 167,456.