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The New Bull Ring (mixed feelings)

R

Rod

Guest
I quite like the new Bull Ring John. It's certainly much better than the thoughtlessly designed Bull Ring built during the sixties. The Selfridges store is innovative. The church got a welcome cleanup I suppose too? What bothers me, as I said to you yesterday was the the fact that the developers have tried to change the name too, to BULLRING. I guess that those of you on here who knew the Bull Ring back in the 40's and 50's will have your own opinions. I was taken there as a little boy, but I can't say I knew it? other than sitting on the old Bomb eating a tanners worth of cockles.

bullring1.jpg
 
IT'S HORRIBLE

I just hate the Selfridges building, I can't believe that the planners thought it was allright to put it next to St Martins.

The only place where a building like this would maybe be acceptable is Aston Science Park.

Question. What qualifications do you need to be a planner.
Answer. To be awkward, unhelpful, contentious and just love to say no
 
Thanks for that photo Rod, I haven't stood far enough back to see it like that. I can't say I like it a lot, but I think the inside is an amazing piece of architecture.

Give me back our old Bull Ring of the 40's, the atmosphere is gone now as well as those old buildings. The view of St Martins from the top of the hill is a great loss. Now you see it from an upper level. They could have pulled it down, so I'm greatful it's still there.

But despite it all, it's still Brum, our city. You just have to close your eyes and listen.
 
I agree di...... the old Bull Ring would be infinately better than what we have now, but the planners of the 50's and 60's took what was left of it away.

There are lots of opinions of how it all looks now? well I really like it , I think Selfridges is fantastic . My criticism of it is that I'll never be able to afford to shop there.. Whoever said all buildings had to be boxes? about time someone broke the mould, and who in their right mind can say the Bull Ring is any worse now than that dreadfull mess built in the 60's

Walking down towards St Martins was a real treat yesterday. I think for once they got it right.
 
I do like it better each time I see it Rod, and I love the straight lines and chrome and steel of the 30's. It will grow on me I'm sure as the years go by. I guess it was a shock when all the wraps came off. :D
 
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

Hi Rod,
You like it..I hate it..Does'nt mean we can't be mates does it, but dont think your taking me shopping there.
 
Dave I think that we each have a valid opinion, and it's very important that you express that opinion, thats what this forum is all about.

As for shopping at the Bull Ring, theres no way on Gods Green Earth I could afford to shop there anyroad up?  :lol: You can if you wish buy me a pressy though?
 
Only a mere Plumber..

Well I like the Bullring..personally I think it's a great place to shop and walk around.. the view of the Church through the gap I really do think it was a brilliant bit of planning..
And as for affording the shopping?
Easy peasy..I'm a Plumber (you just try calling one of those buggers out)
And Dave? Transformation is up by Pauls place...the shopping is a lot cheaper in there..cough..I've heard.. 8)
 
I too like the new Bull Ring,
The other day I was walking down from Dale End, the sun was shining bright and looking ahead I could see the top half of St Martins projecting above the balcony and a panoramic view of that side of Birmingham
I think it's worth a visit for that view alone!
As for the shops, for the most part I think they're aimed at younger people but then the place would be pretty boring if all the shops catered for us old uns :wink:
 
CAN'T GET IN

Rod, That picture you put up of Selfridges.

Straight away, its not only horrible, but also not practical, I mean, how does everyone get in through that little hole
 
Love it,,, Hate it

:) Love it,, The artistic balance of Old amongst New is stunning,, The historic splendour of Saint Martins within such Bold concept is excellent, The views as Prior stated, Agreed Wonderful,

:( Hate it,, The SHOPS,,, aargh,, They are "Wonderful" according to my wife & daughter who can,t stay OUT of them,,my Wallet Hates These Shops :oops:
 
I agree John. What impressed me is that they have revived the old Bull ring. As you go in the shops are on either side; you walk down the hill and there is Nelson and St Martins at the Bottom. It hasn't been like that for over forty years
 
I agree the view of St Martin's through the gap is well designed. We really liked that and the balcony with deck chairs, over looking the church square.

I like the concept of the outside but I don't think it fits in with its surroundings. :-\
 
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I love the new Bull Ring and visit as often as time allows from where I now live in Cheltenham. I worked in the offices of John Laing who built the previous Bull Ring and was told I should be proud to work on such a prestigious development but frankly I thought it was dreadful. The original Bull Ring was something altogether different - such atmosphere. My father used to take me there on Saturday mornings - lovely memories.
 
Hi Folks

I used to live in Birmingham and recently returned to have a look at the bull ring.  It beats me why they had to rename it 'Bullring'.  As far as I'm concerned it will always be THE Bullring!  I think the new Selfridges building is great and is a great contrast to St Martins.  I was disappointed with all the concrete slabs leading down the hill to the church, it's very bare looking and rather spoils the rest of it.  I remember going every weekend with my Mom to the market and wish it was still there even though when i was little I used to complain all the time about the smell.  I think it was the chickens in the indoor market.  I miss Birmingham hugely and it's always interesting to see what changes have been made when I visit.  My Mom and Dad and two older brothers lived in Aston, Heaton Street, Hockley (I think ?) but by the time I came along they moved to Shard End.  I am new to this site and since registering I can't get off it!  I'm supposed to be researching my family tree, but I keep getting side tracked!!  



Gillian
 
Welcome Gillian enjoy once you start you can't stop :D

Its nice to see a new member and lady who doesn't mind giving her age and where she lives O0
 
Postie,
        That's the Bull Ring I remember. A vibrant place. Looking at the age of the Midland Red I think my time there included this and went further back to the 1940s. The older Midland Red's had a staicase at the front and a long single seat over the cab. Used to catch the bus there early on Saturday or Sunday mornings and go fishing with my dad to Stratford. The bus going down the street in the distance would go past the old rag market on it's left. Remember the barrows lining the street down the hill past Woolworths and the old fish market with no roof and the big bomb in front.The photograph is wonderfull and catches somehow the action and actually brings back the sounds and aromas of the place for me. If it were in colour it would further enable the younger generation to appreciate the wonderfull natural human experience going there used to be. Nothing lasts for ever and we have to move on. Different generations become comfortable with what they know. I have only seen the latest Bull Ring in pictures. It seems too pristeen and clinical to me. Too planned you might say. The old place did not appear as a plan to be implemented. It started and developed and was added to over many years. Modern day engineers don't have that luxury. It's easy to be a critic. Thankyou so much for the picture.

regards.
 
Wow. Looking up the hill past the cyclist. After the second world war I believe some of those buildings on the right had been bombed and pulled down so that this is the first time that I have been able to see them. Further up the hill on the left I think is the fish market with the collumns I believe. The first time I have seen it with the roof on. Off to the left of the picture and a little further down the hill was Woolworths. The first picture is older I think, looking the other way with St Martins in the distance. Great! thanks.
 
Great, I love the one of the cyclist in the horse road. Also the first tme I have seen this angle or the fish market with a roof on it.

Comparing the new with the old, I think they have done a good job of reconstructing the view down to St. Martins. This is a photo we took last year, I put it on another forum a while ago. :)
 
Nice picture Sakura.Would it have broken the bank to have a few places for trees. Take the original photo and imagine it in colour with the greenery of the trees and colours of the barrows and stalls. I don't know, I think it would be more of a pleasent place to be. Perhaps they have planted new trees and they have not grown to prominence yet. If you look at the old picture with the crowds and the buses, it has life, things are happening. The new one has people in it who just seem to be on their way to somewhere else with St. Martins at the bottom making the statement "I'm still here". Maybe your picture was not on market day. Anyway, time spent there is more valuable to make an observation than looking at a picture so I bow to your experience. Thanks so much for your picture.
 
I agree with you it would have been nice to have trees or planters, but I am not sure how many there were except for around the church yard before the rebuilding. This was at the beginning of May so maybe the city put out planters with flowers for the summer months. There were many things going on behind us, where we took this photo from.

I was comparing it with John's photo #23. I think you were looking at #16 from Postie which is very nice and appears to be before the first changes that took place, I don't remember what year that was. That is my only experience of the new Bull Ring as I live in Canada.

As much as I like to remember the old days, i can do without the smelly fish water from the old fish market and toilets you only visited if you were desperate. As you say Rupert looking at photos is one thing, being there is another.

The thing we noticed about the city centre was that it is much cleaner and easier to walk around. St Phillips and the church yard was a pleasure to walk through and we kept going back to the canals. We were absolutely amazed at the jewellery quarter and how convenient the public transportation was. We were only in the city three days but we would visit again and I think that is what it is all about, getting the visitors to come back.

The attached photo was taken close to where we took the other one. The kids were good but we were concerned about their ages.
 
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This was a glimpse of the past which we thought was attatractive. :smitten:
 
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