About Us 

The Eastside

The Eastside of Birmingham City – affectionately known as the ‘The Knowledge Quarter’ is currently undergoing major redevelopment, as part of the wider ‘Big City Plan’ for Birmingham. The plan details the expansion of the City core towards the east, with the Eastside City Park and the upcoming HS2 terminal acting as the main focal point of the area.

Historical excavations in the area suggest that the area was used as farmland in the Medieval times. It is known that a significant area was bought by the English Monarchy was used as a deer game park. Following this the land was sold and slowly began to develop once again as farmland.

During the Industrial revolution, the area was home to a vast complex of factories and workshops, which were serviced by the extensive canal network in the City, most notably the Digbeth Branch, which was constructed in 1790 and now runs along the back of The Eastside Rooms where it joins the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. In the late 1800’s as the industry subsided, the area fell into decline and many of the original factory buildings became derelict, the old Victorian buildings were never maintained and the canals became dirty and clogged.

Curzon Street Railway Station was a major railway station during the 19^th century and served as a goods station, unfortunately it was unsuccessful as a passenger station and shut down as a goods station in 1966. This very site is now being resurrected as the home of HS2 here in Birmingham.

Plans for the regeneration of the area were unveiled to the public in the late 1990’s, this comprised of a number of large-scale projects, involving the renovation, demolition and rebuilding of key buildings in the area. The first of these projects to be completed was Millennium Point which was completed in 2002 to replace the Birmingham Science Museum.

Located just opposite The Eastside Rooms sits the Sir Doug Ellis Sports Centre formally the Woodcock Street Baths, statutorily listed in recognition of its historic importance as one of the oldest baths in the country constructed in 1860. The pool is still in use today and retains many of its original features.

Belmont

Birmingham’s industrial heritage was driven by its extensive canal network, being a commercial success, they attracted large scale industrial uses along the canal sides including most famously within Eastside Belmont Glassworks which was constructed in 1812 which has subsequently been demolished. Another distinctive building was Belmont Works built back in 1899 a former bike factory, the site whilst currently derelict is undergoing a huge transformation to become a hub for small businesses, arts organisations and academics.

Ashstead

In 1771, a wealthy Birmingham based surgeon, who was well-known as one of the founders of the General Hospital, Dr John Ash, leased 10 hectares of land, less than mile from the (then) town centre of Birmingham. He had a classically styled house built for himself, near the junction of Barrack Street and Great Brook Street, but he moved to London soon after completion and never occupied the house. The estate plus a further 20 hectares was then bought for housing development, by Lawyer, John Brooke. Brooke decided to name the districts after the famous doctor who had inspired the out-of-town housing development and Ashsted or Ashstead was born.

The estate was initially aimed at Birmingham’s new entrepreneurs. Having made their fortunes in the booming industrial town, they were now keen to move away from the smoky centre into the neighbouring countryside. Ashstead was well suited to this. It overlooked the Vauxhall pleasure gardens at Duddeston Hall where they sloped down into the picturesque Rea Valley.