Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter has become one of the city’s most sought-after places to live and do business over recent years. This charming, historic area has been a thriving hub for jewellery manufacturers and retailers for centuries and the area continues to house one of the largest concentrations of manufacturing jewellers in Europe today. The area is also a thriving hub for independent shops and cafes, fashionable bars and restaurants, and galleries and museums.
A prominent feature of the area is St Paul’s Square, the only remaining Georgian Square in Birmingham and home to the beautiful St Paul’s Church. The Jewellery Quarter is only a ten-minute walk from Birmingham city centre and has good public transport connections with its own rail and tram stops, making an attractive and convenient location for businesses and residents.
The mix has only deepened since then. The Jewellery Quarter station now sits on the West Midlands Metro tram line and works as a tram and rail interchange, with bus routes and e-scooter bays close by, so staff can reach the office without a car (West Midlands Metro). That matters more than ever for teams who only come in two or three days a week.
A community feel
The area has undergone many changes in recent years, with several old factories being restored and a vast number of new-builds popping up. It is home to over 200 listed buildings as well as the multi-million-pound Badge Works, a development designed to raise the quality of housing in the city. The area can certainly boast a community feel, and it's forecasted that the current population of 7,000 residents could rise to 10,000 in the next two years, such is the growth of the location.
Eating and drinking
There are over 30 restaurants to choose from, including Lasan, Pasta Di Piazza and Anderson’s Bar & Grill. Popular places to drink include The Church, Rose Villa Tavern, The Lord Clifden and The Shakespeare Inn. There are numerous charming independent coffee shops to choose from in the Jewellery Quarter, with venues like the cafe-deli Eight Foot Grocer, Saint Kitchen and Urban Coffee certainly giving businesses like Costa and Starbucks a run for their money!
A place to do business
In recent years, the Jewellery Quarter has emerged as a hub for Architects, Designers and Digital Agencies. Attracting an in-flux of businesses from London, Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter scores high for its location, skills base and overall creative vibe. A number of tech companies have sprung up in and around the Jewellery Quarter too, such as Mercato, Exi Solutions and Probrand. This highlights the continuing diversity of businesses that are being drawn to the area.
New developments are reshaping where you can work in the Jewellery Quarter
Several large mixed-use schemes are bringing fresh office and studio space to the area, often inside restored historic buildings. Hockley Mills, on four acres next to the Jewellery Quarter station, will add nearly 400 apartments alongside offices, retail units and workshops for jewellery design and manufacture, while the Pitsford Street development pairs apartments with offices and retail (Jewellery Quarter developments). Cordia UK has also won permission to convert a historic warehouse and add new blocks on Mott Street (Construction UK Magazine).
Space that suits hybrid teams
Much of this new supply is flexible studio and workshop space rather than rows of fixed desks, which fits how teams work now. With staff often in two or three days a week, firms want rooms for collaboration and client meetings more than a desk per person. A good fit out turns a characterful old unit into exactly that. See our office fit out and 3D space planning services.
Keeping the character
The Jewellery Quarter holds more than 200 listed buildings, so any work has to respect period features and conservation rules. Thoughtful office interior design blends exposed brick and original windows with modern lighting, acoustics and furniture. Our work for Birmingham clients such as Hive360 shows how a heritage shell can become a sharp, practical workplace (case studies).
Immerse yourself in culture and sports.
Culture fans should feel well catered for by venues such as Stan’s Cafe Theatre, the RBSA art gallery, the Coffin Works, the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and the Blue Orange Theatre. And those who like to keep active will be pleased to find various local sports facilities, including MSC Performance, the Birmingham Bouldering Centre and a number of yoga studios.
‘A National Treasure’
The Jewellery Quarter was described as ‘a national treasure’ by English Heritage and was complimented for its distinctive ‘combination of structures associated with jewellery and metalworking’. More than 800 different businesses are operating from the Jewellery Quarter, and it’s easy to lay your hands on gorgeous handcrafted jewellery and antiques. It’s also easier to enjoy an exclusive bargain than you might think despite the elegance of the products available in the area.
Other notable attractions in the area include the Chamberlain Clock, Birmingham Assay Office, The Golden Square, Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery, and the Warstone Lane and Key Hill Cemeteries.
Contact Flow
So there you have it. Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter is certainly a jewel in Birmingham’s crown and we believe it’s one of the best and coolest places in the city to locate. At Flow Office, we can come to your assistance if you are about to set up an office in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. Find out more by calling 01922 453488 or sending a message to sales@flowoffice.co.uk.
