In Joseph Chamberlain’s mind, Corporation Street was meant to be a Parisian-style boulevard, but after visiting, it’s a soulless stretch of nothingness. There was a charm to this street once though.
Generations of families will remember the department store Lewis’s, famous for spreading joy over the Christmas period. Since Lewis’s closed in 1991, the street has since gone from Santa’s grotto to just plain grotty.
Last year, BirminghamLive writer Kirsty Bosley checked out the city centre street and in her own words, said: ‘the vibes are absolutely dreadful’. Noticing litter and alcohol on the floor, Kirsty had a horrible feeling in her gut and I would later understand why.
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Following up on her story, I would go at nighttime to see if there was a night and day difference. Before I visited, I noticed that Corporation Street received criticism online for its lack of lighting, whilst others said it was ‘devastating’ to see the street in its modern state.
On social media, Reiss Omari said: “Over two years ago I tweeted a photo of a dark Corporation Street. Two years later, nothing has changed. After numerous tweets/messages to Birmingham City Council, we’re still in darkness. Transport for West Midlands has confirmed more bus services will use this section from Jan 5. We need more lighting.”
Corporation Street, opposite the Square Peg pub
(Image: Robson McCallister/BirminghamLive)
Davin Oxendale commented: ”As an oldie and former worker at Lewis’s and Rackham’s, this picture is devastating. The vibrancy in Corporation Street has gone whilst the city concentrates on other areas.”
And Jonathan Whiteland added: “It’s so bleak. We walked down there the other evening and noticed it. It needs some continental-style lighting dangled down the middle.”
As I made my own visit to the street, I was hit with a sense of unease and nervousness and that familiar gut feeling that Kirsty had. With people harassing others for money and others gawking at stranger’s phones, I felt like I had to have a death grip on my own.
It wasn’t the best start and as I walked past shops, I didn’t feel an attachment to any of them. If you’re looking for something to eat, most of the choices are just fast food and takeaway. It’s more of a place to grab food and leave as quickly as you came. Perhaps there’s a reason for that.
House of Fraser on Corporation Street
(Image: Robson McCallister/BirminghamLive)
With the House of Fraser closing some of the floors, the giant building with so much history looked particularly grim. With a dark sky above, and the growth in online shopping, the building that was once Rackhams stood like a grey relic on a miserable street.
Across the road, a deflated pack of Walker’s rested right by a bin. If people think that Corporation Street does matter, they don’t know how to show it. I picked up the crisps and put them in the bin which took about three seconds. Considering how many people walked past without doing so, you’d struggle to say the area was a charming one.
Walking down to the Square Peg pub, you are greeted with even more darkness as the lighting shrinks over time. It can be best described as walking into the void and it didn’t help that a man with an Asda bag was yelling at people passing by.
This is what the comments on social media are about and I understand why, it’s unacceptable. Half the bus stops are covered in darkness by the pub and whether it’s the lighting or the litter, nobody seems to care about Corporation Street.
I could have carried on walking even further, but at this time, what would be the point?
More mediocrity? More darkness? More men with ASDA bags shouting at strangers? I’m alright..
As I walked back down Corporation Street and headed to New Street, I needed something positive. The trip had been disappointing and I was trying to find the joy and magic that this street once had.
As I approached the corner of Corporation St and New St, the magic was there for me like a pot of gold at the end of a monochrome rainbow. A singer was covering the Bob Marley song ‘Satisfy My Soul’ and wishing people a happy New Year.
People dancing and smiling in Birmingham city centre
(Image: Robson McCallister/BirminghamLive)
People were dancing, people were smiling, and there wasn’t an Asda bag in sight. It was a nice surprise considering the trip I had.
By the end, it felt more like a lesson than anything. Like with any big city, some areas and streets are going to have more charm and personality than others. I know the majority of this story was negative, but that’s one street.
There’s an endless amount of streets in Birmingham which has the joy and magic which Corporation Street seems to have lost. But the story is not finished.
Corporation Street has the location and potential to recover to its glory years. However, it needs to start with the lighting if there is a bright future ahead.