Newhall Square - A Birmingham Gem!

Newhall Square is located on Newhall Street in the Jewellery Quarter near the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal.


Newhall Square is on Newhall Street in the Jewellery Quarter, alongside the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal.

Newhall Square

Newhall Square (July 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

It is between Newhall Street, Fleet Street and Charlotte Street.

 

History of Newhall Square

Newhall Square was a development that took over 20 years to complete. Located on Newhall Street in the Jewellery Quarter, next to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. Retaining the old buildings that survived from the Elkington Electroplating Works (built in 1838) and also Whitmore Warehouse to the back. The Birmingham Museum of Science & Industry occupied the site from 1951 until 1997. After the Science Museum closed, most of it's contents were moved to Thinktank at Millennium Point (opened in 2001) or to the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre (if no room). One of the first buildings to be completed was the Travelodge hotel on Charlotte Street. Staycity ApartHotels opened in 2016 and The Whitmore Collection in 2020.

Newhall Square

Whitmore Warehouse looking derelict at Newhall Square (April 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Birmingham Museum of Science & Industry

The Birmingham Museum of Science & Industry opened in 1951 in the former Elkington Silver Electroplating Works buildings on Newhall Street. It held many famous Birmingham industrial artefacts including the City of Birmingham locomotive, an old Birmingham tram, and the Boulton & Watt Smethwick Engine. Birmingham City Council decided to relocate the museum in 1995, and it closed down for good in 1997. Much of it's contents were moved over to Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum, which opened at Millennium Point in Eastside in 2001. While other objects that didn't move over are now in storage at the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre.

Newhall Square

Former site of the Birmingham Museum of Science & Industry at Newhall Square (November 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Travelodge Birmingham Central Newhall Street

One of the first buildings to be completed at the Newhall Square regeneration was the Travelodge hotel on Charlotte Street. It was built during 2008 and opened in 2009. It is near The Queen's Arms pub which is on the corner of Newhall Street and Charlotte Street.

Newhall Square

Travelodge at Newhall Square (April 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Staycity Aparthotels Newhall Square

The next phase of Newhall Square finally got underway during 2014. This was the Staycity Aparthotels which opened in 2016 between Charlotte Street and the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. It can also be seen from Fleet Street on the other side of the canal near the Farmer's Bridge Suspension Footbridge.

Newhall Square

Staycity Aparthotels at Newhall Square (January 2016). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The Whitmore Collection

Work to bring Newhall Square to completion began during 2018. This was completed during 2020 and would be called The Whitmore Collection. A water feature was installed outside of the old Whitmore Warehouse, which used to be the Whitmore Canal Arm in the 19th Century.

Whitmore Collection Newhall Square

The Whitmore Collection at Newhall Square (July 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown

Project dates

22 Jul 2020 - On-going

Passions

History & heritage, Civic pride, Construction & regeneration
Photography, People & community, Modern Architecture, Rivers, lakes & canals, Classic Architecture

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Contact

Your Place Your Space

Jonathan Bostock

0121 410 5520
jonathan.bostock@ yourplaceyourspace.com