‘There’s no place like this’: shoppers and traders fear for Birmingham indoor market’s future

There’s No Place Like This: Shoppers and Traders Fear for Birmingham Indoor Market’s Future

Every week, 80-year-old Frank travels from Walsall to Birmingham by train. He passes through the sleek Grand Central station and the Bullring before entering the lively, fish-scented atmosphere on the ground floor of the Edgbaston Street car park. Here, at Birmingham Indoor Market, he buys a bag of cockles. “Where else would you find this quality?” he says. “There’s no place like this, it’s the heart of Birmingham.”

However, Frank's weekly visits might soon cease. The current market site is scheduled for demolition to make way for housing, a change approved at the end of October. This decision threatens a trading tradition stretching back to 1166. The market hosts a wide variety of stalls including butchers, fishmongers, fabric sellers, and phone shops.

“There’s no place like this, it’s the heart of Birmingham.” — Frank, regular shopper

Notably, the market has even been part of local stories, once being blamed for making US rapper Azealia Banks ill, yet it remains cherished by the community.

Birmingham City Council has confirmed the market will be demolished in 2027. A new market will open away from the Bullring, but it will take “at least five years” before this happens. Meanwhile, traders will move to a permanent new building in Smithfield as part of a £1.9 billion development project led by the council alongside the international property firm Lendlease.

Key Facts

Author’s summary: The historic Birmingham Indoor Market faces demolition in 2027 for housing redevelopment, with traders and shoppers concerned about the uncertain future of a treasured city landmark.

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The Guardian The Guardian — 2025-11-04

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