Digbeth: Creatives & Corporates

Anyone passing through Birmingham’s Knowledge Quarter, Digbeth and Eastside will see the monumental construction activity around HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd

The number of four way temporary traffic lights provide all the time in the world to take in the biggest engineering project in the city since the introduction of a water supply from Wales in 1873.

The main route from Digbeth into the centre has been reimagined with a Metro extension, new road layout and impressive paving. The future of travel is trams, buses, bikes and feet.

Smithfield on the edge of the Chinese Quarter and Gay Village make the walk from bullring to Custard Factory seamless. The city centre is expanding like the waistline of a retired heavyweight boxer.

The BBC have committed to building a huge base in the shadow of HS2 Curzon Street. Steven Knight of Peaky Blinders fame is developing a Production Studio there. And the entire area is cloaked with street art which makes it feel edgy, cool and alternative.

Nearby Birmingham City FC was recently sold to a US consortium headed up by Tom Brady

103 Colmore Row will be full by the end of this financial year. Formula 1 have set up gaming bar and restaurant, F1? Arcade . 高盛 , 汇丰 and 德意志银行 demonstrate the world’s money is betting on Brum.

Indian owned Hexaware Technologies new office launch in Brindleyplace illustrates the money is coming in from the East as well as the West.

Rarely a day goes by when Metro Mayor Andy Street isn’t cutting a ribbon or lighting a lamp. It’s clear to see Andy’s Air Miles are taking care of business.

Birmingham City University have grown their city centre presence exponentially in the knowledge they are the only university in the UK adjacent to a High Speed Terminal. A station that puts Brum in Zone 5 on London’s Underground map.

英国阿斯顿大学 have unveiled a new Head Quarters in the Knowledge Quarter with the opening of John Cadbury House. Insightful timing with 2024 marking the 200th anniversary of the opening of Cadbury’s first business venture in nearby Bull Street.

Does global investment, attracted by HS2 connectivity to London, mean the writings on the wall for Digbeth as a creative hub?? Does the level of transport connectivity make Digbeth irresistible to FTSE 100 corporates driving out smaller independent creatives as witnessed in London?

It’ll be interesting to see how this develops. Investment in Digbeth is very welcome having long been overlooked by city planners. But for better or worse, gentrification always brings change.

For now, it’s not writing that adorns the walls of Digbeth but rather street art. Culture and Commerce cannot survive in isolation. Digbeth has an opportunity to demonstrate globally how creatives and corporates can live side by side. Both enhancing each other’s lives.

This is a conversation, we here in Greater Birmingham need to be having. What do you think? Will HS2 transform Digbeth into a Business District ripping out its creative soul or does Business in a post Covid, Global Britain need its creatives more than ever?

I’d be interested in your thoughts.

Jas Sansi is a freelance photographer based in Birmingham

@jassansi 07930 837 505