Bullring & Grand Central

The Bullring is the city’s major shopping centre.  When combined with Grand Central (to which it is connected via a link bridge) it is largest city centre based shopping centre in the United Kingdom.  It was built on the site of Birmingham’s first ever market in the Middle Ages, where the Sandstone city ridge slopes down towards Digbeth. Two shopping centres were built here, the first in the 1960s, part of the regeneration of the city.  Its effect was mixed.  It was a modernist, post-war creation, driving smaller enterprises out of business.  To make way for it, some fine buildings were demolished – the Birmingham and Midland Institute (1856) and the Bishop’s Palace by Pugin were demolished.  This Bull Ring had declined by the 1990s.  Flint arrowheads, Roman coins, stone and bronze axes were found during the excavations between 1997 and 2001.

The second was opened in 2003 and is styled as one word, Bullring.  The new site linked the site of the early medieval market with 21^st century commerce.  It retained the same street pattern, but opened the vista towards St Martin’s Church.  A handsome statue of a bull marks the entrance.