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Birmingham Arcades

The Owl

knowlegable brummie
Edit. The original post is unavailable. All discussion about individual arcades is now posted on the specific arcade thread.

General comments covering all arcades remain below. Links to specific arcade threads are given at the end of this thread in post #9.

Viv.
 
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I may be wrong here as I understand it the Arcades were built over over railway lines, or tunnels, the Snow Hill line has an arcade over it, there is another arcade built over a tunnel (not rail) just off New St, and that tunnel leads to a delivery area there is another arcade built over the Big Top area, and that has a delivery area in the Big Top, Lorry driver hate this place because the lorry's over the years have got bigger, the delivery area under the big top was not built with the Arctic Lorry's in mind, the last two mentioned were built in the 1950,s but the same theory exists,

As I say I may have the wrong end of the stick on this




The City Arcades Company constructed shopping arcades in Birmingham in the early 20th century. When was the project completed? Where were the arcades? What happened to them? Thanks!
 
There are several possibles about which Arcade they may have constructed but it's hard to find details for most of them. Look at https://www.shoppinginbirmingham.com/directory/listings and click Shopping Centres for a list of current Arcades. Wikipedia lists a different company for the Great Western Arcade which may mean that the extension North Western Arcade was around the right time. I think City Arcade is new (the one on Needless Alley?) but neither Shopping in Birmingham nor Google seem to be able to find it. Piccadilly Arcade is definitely old enough. I'm not sure about Burlington Arcade which has been altered substantially with changes to the hotel. I suppose the Minories might qualify but I think they may well be older.
 
This plan was posted to the forum a couple of years back. Regretfully I did not record the name of the member who posted it, but as I have no doubt it was one of the images that was lost I will repost it again here. As it can be seen, it gives the names and locations of most of the arcades in the city centre. I note that it does not show the Imperial Arcade that was in Dale End.
 

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This article about the arcades in Birmingham is from The Birmingham Daily Post August 17th 1900
 

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As far as I am aware all the arcades indicated on the plan provided are still extant.
 
There has been much on here about this subject and from what I recall the City Arcade was flattened by Hitler for the most part and never re-constructed. However a small stretch of it running from Union Passage to Warwick Passage still exists in it's original condition...that's the top diagonal part on the map.
The City actually was also on the other side of New St at one time I believe and ran through the Hen And Chickens building...coming out further down Worcester St.
The Midland Arcade which intersected with the City one was similarly flattened by the same bloke and never re-constructed. Nothing remains.
There are a number of photo's on here of these arcades when in use and of the rubble after bombing.
The Western still exists in total having only minor damage from bombing.
The Northwestern is still in existance I belive as is its junction piece Windsor to Bull St.

I am not sure about Union Passage now but suspect it is still there..leading to remaining piece of The City. Oh and if anyone is interested the entry to Peck Lane...that led down to the Prison (shudder) and pinfold ... is still in existance on the other side of New St. from the Union Passage entrance. It is just a short service passage now but still open to the sky between two buildings. Above a store window is a plaque stating that King Edwards school was there...that was the corner of Peck Lane. Someone post a photo...Google does'nt go there anymore.
 
Originally this thread contained posts about all the various Birmingham city centre arcades. I have now separated out the information relating to each arcade and they each have their own threads. Below are the links to those individual threads. Viv.

City Arcade(s) - Union Street/Warwick Passage/New Street
and Midland Arcade - High Street - New Street
These two arcades are sometimes jointly referred to as "City Arcades" as they joined each other
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...-and-midland-arcades.48332/page-4#post-605559

Central Arcade
Corporation Street - Fore Street
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...central-arcade-fore-street.48335/#post-580971

Great Western Arcade
Snow Hill - Temple Row
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...great-western-arcade.13578/page-2#post-441132

North Western Arcade
Temple Row - Corporation Street
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...tern-arcade-windsor-arcade.48329/#post-603899

Windsor Arcade
A branch leading from North Western Arcade to Bull Street
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/windsor-arcade.48337/

Hen and Chickens Arcade
New Street - Worcester Street
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/hen-and-chickens-arcade.48334/#post-605573

Burlington Arcade
New Street - Lower Temple Street
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/burlington-arcade.48336/#post-600100

Piccadilly Arcade
New Street - Stephenson Street
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/piccadilly-arcade-once-cinema.48339/

Imperial Arcade
Dale End
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...tern-arcade-windsor-arcade.48329/#post-603899
 
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