High speed rail link would reinvigorate Birmingham's Eastside
Tom Scotney looks at how a new high speed rail terminal could be the kick-start Eastside has been crying out for.
Although just a stone’s throw from the Bullring, Eastside has missed out on the redevelopment work that has transformed other areas of the city.
Districts like the Jewellery Quarter and Gas Street Basin have risen from a post-industrial malaise while Eastside has never quite lived up to all its promise.
And the under-developed and industrial nature of the area has led to a vicious circle of decline as it has struggled to bring in new businesses.
One of the few establishments in the area that deals with a regular flow of visiting customers is the Birmingham Central Backpackers hostel on Coventry Street.
Managing director Jennifer Randall said she hoped the investment into the area that could come with the opening of the new station would make Digbeth and Eastside less intimidating for visitors.
She said: “I think it would have a tremendously good impact on the area because obviously the more people you bring into the area the better for businesses. It would bring more money into the area and could really bring it to life.
“They have spent a lot of money on the Jewellery Quarter but that’s a lot further out from the city centre, where we are just a few steps away from the Bullring.
“Being located in Digbeth we have always struggled with the appearance of the outside area – and perhaps this could mean the appearance could be cleaned up.
“At our location we have sometimes struggled because it’s not a very well lit area, it’s mostly industrial.
“For us the appearance of the area has been an issue continually. The one thing we have always fought against and we can’t control is what the area looks like.
“For someone who’s come off the coach at Digbeth Coach Station it’s a very dark and intimidating environment.
“As an American that came into the city for the first time through the coach station, it was very intimidating. As for other people travelling through – I don’t think they would be very impressed.”
The north side of Digbeth has seen some regeneration in recent years, with the likes of Fazeley Studios and The Bond opening their doors. But the environment is still largely industrial, despite the near-city centre location.
Teamworks Karting is based in a warehouse on the north side of Fazeley Street. Director Simone Schehtman said any move that brought more people and more investment into the area would be good for local businesses.
