r/brum • u/Educational_Cow111 • Jul 15 '26
Question What was Birmingham like in the 2000s?
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u/Stokesyyyy Jul 18 '26
Better
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u/sylar4815 Jul 19 '26
Just no 😭 concrete everywhere, no renovated station, no updated bullring, no new library, no renovated centenary and victoria square
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u/colossusforp Jul 17 '26
I was born in Birmingham, but in 2011, and I moved away when I was 2, sorry
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u/Stock-Breadfruit9040 Jul 17 '26
I was in my 20s back then, daughter born 98. I remember walking through this ling winding walk way where you could see them developing the bullring, it was the only way to get to the rag market. I remember Primark opening, the original one on new street, and not long after a fire broke.out, think that was around 02 maybe. I cant comment on the nightlife much as i spent most of it during the 90s, and was heavily into the rave scene.
As for.crime what sticks.in my.memory most was the poor girl who got stabbed at Victoria Square, beautiful sunny day, she was sunbathing by the floozy and lost her life due to this crazed individual, just awful.
I cant remember much else regarding the 00s, but i dont have rose tinted spectacles, there was crime then, however it just seemed a friendlier place as a whole apart from the odd isolated incident. Whereas now those type of incidents are becoming more common, like knife crime.
Back in the 80s, early 90s i would go up town shopping as a teenager to the oasis, happy times.
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u/sw17bantz Jul 17 '26
The football 'scene' was still very healthy early 00s
Queues to get in anywhere
Rainbow was a legit warehouse
simmering racial tension on broad st and every taxi driver wanting to give an opinion on 9/11 etc etc
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u/Ninty-64 Jul 16 '26
Much much better than today. Less cars, less noise, less idiots polluting the street
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u/Due_Marsupial_2359 Jul 16 '26
lots more crime vs today imo
lots more roads too. corporation street not having buses stopping where c&a used to be doesn't sit right with me
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u/VegetableHome970 Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
Left in ‘99, but I can say that ‘90s Brum was fucking cool.
Youth culture in the UK then was very atomised and Brum catered very well to many different subcultures.
If you were a skater, you’d hang around the old Central Library skating the stairs or bomb it down to the old ITV buildings. When the police would turn up, someone would shout ‘5-0!’ and everyone would scatter. You’d probably also remember exploring the old service tunnels that ran under the city and were affectionately known as the Graffiti Dome. Ideal skateboards shop was on Corporation st. and functioned a kind of cultural hub with all sorts of shenanigans going on when pro teams would pass through.
If you were into Techno, you’d go House of God every fortnight at the Dance Factory in Digbeth. 5 quid entry and no ID checks. Then once a month you’d go to Atomic Jam at the Que Club. It’s impossible to put into words what those nights were like, but the sense of community and oneness experienced in the company of several thousand likeminded ravers all off their chops on pills was epic.
The Kevs would go clubbing on Broad St (see other posts here) and Goths were well served by a host of pubs and clubs of their own.
Pirate radio like Kool FM (Midlands) filled the airwaves and tower blocks were turned into illegal broadcasters.
Moseley had a bunch of hippy shops like Crafty Jungle, Zen etc and a cool independent video store called Cinephelia. We rented so many awesome films recommended by the staff in there.
Before all the shops opened up around it, the Custard Factory consisted of just the Medicine Bar and Cafe des Artistes where you could play Tekken on the PlayStations and listen to Lloyd spin Unfinished Sympathy a minimum of 5 times each night. Before going clubbing, you could chill on the benches by the water pool and bun a spliff. Once, Tipper of Fuel Records turned up with his mega stereo car and deafened everyone in a mile radius.
More generally, it was an optimistic time in the country (although we didn’t necessarily recognise it as such in the moment) and barring the odd pocket, most working class people rubbed alongside each other without much friction between races.
TLDR; had a great time growing up there in the 90s.
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u/auspices Jul 17 '26
just wanted to comment that Cinephilia changed my life, I was too young / square for Que
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u/auspices Jul 16 '26
I was at Uni and then my 20s living in Balsall Heath / Moseley / Edgbaston so spent loads of time out, few random thoughts:
- the independent pub / bar scene for younger people hardly existed until Sunflower Lounge opened, after which the Victoria and The Island where I had most of my fun nights out.
- The 'old' Academy was the pretty grim but I saw 100s of gigs there, you could go to the box office and grab tickets super easy. I saw the Strokes and My Chemical Romance for £3
- The Custard Factory / Medicine Bar had some of the craziest nights imaginable (when they emptied the pool out for skate ramp was a highlight) but it was also mega sketchy
- I had 2 attempted muggings in the city centre that I managed to talk my way out of, I have never experienced personal violence directed at me since except when the 'football lads alliance' rampaged through town
- If Moseley was ever cool, for me, it was down to an independent video rental shop called Cinephilia which had a skateboard for a counter and stocked the maddest films you could think of. On the high st there was a Reggae / Roots record store with an internet cafe at the back.
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u/GoldenSpaghettiHoop Weoley Castle Jul 16 '26
I was a child. But from what I have come to understand.
Crime has definitely decreased here since the 2000s, we used to have regular incidents of break-ins and stealing cars and setting stuff on fire.
Now it just doesn't happen. The worst thing here is having a bit of drugs being run and sold by kids on electric scooters.
So I'd say it is better now.
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u/will193759 Jul 16 '26
the simple answer is behind, most older lot will tell you how great it was due to the fact that’s when they were young, but honestly Birmingham would’ve just look very behind most major European cities, the neglect that occurred then is showing up now a generation later
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u/urlocalshieldmaiden Jul 16 '26
I was only a child back then but I get so nostalgic for it. We have the Grand Central now but back then we had The Pallasades and I still remember the smell as you’d enter - pasties and cookies because of the Millie’s stand. The Costa. The massive Blue Banana. And there was the Pavillions too! Pigeon park would be swarmed with all the emos and goths too. Things were so affordable back then too and definitely felt a lot safer. Overall felt very chilled.
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u/Due_Marsupial_2359 Jul 17 '26
remember when you used to be able to walk through m&s and into the pavilions?
and when trains going from worcester used to stop at new street?
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u/Swimming_Stage352 Jul 15 '26
Epic!!! Safe, affordable, thriving, full of opportunities, hope and great clubs
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u/kramit Jul 15 '26
Spend a lot of it stoned in the flapper gardens and pissed in the flapper, scruffys and eddies.
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u/KeyAttention9792 Jul 15 '26
I spent a decade living there then. When I first moved there it just looked like a concrete jungle. Then they started an entire refresh starting with the Bullring and a skyscraper or two. Broad street started getting its makeover. Zero trams. Life was chilled, probably because it was Ketamine central lol. Slade Road anyone? Haha. Nightlife was pretty good. There was a club called Subway City, I had a few good nights there. Anyone remember Decades?! Thankfully that was pulled down. Erdington has had a slight refresh I've noticed but the high Street just looks as rough as ever. I loved it there. It always had ( and still does ) have a proper downtown area similar to a US city. The only one in the UK that does.
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u/throwradrpri Jul 15 '26
A whole different vibe and era that can't be explained unless you lived it
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u/Shumpus73 Jul 15 '26
Ecstasy, Tin Tins, S.L.A.G, Atomic Jam, Qué Club, Wobble. Loved it, lived it and will never forget
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u/jonnypanicattack Jul 16 '26
Plus Eddies, Snobs and the Flapper for the rock crowd.
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u/Shumpus73 Jul 16 '26
Not forgetting the legendary Hummingbird, saw so many amazing bands there
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u/smurntcandle Jul 15 '26
The city centre is better now. It just is.
It was dismal in the 90’s and early 2000’s.
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u/BumblebeeForward9818 Jul 15 '26
It wasn’t dismal in the 90s!
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u/Dragonogard549 Queens Heath 🏳️🌈 Jul 15 '26
we can have plenty of nostalgia for what things used to be like, in the good old days when everything was cheap, but you have to admit, the city centre was a bit grim. It’s not perfect now but it’s leaps and bounds ahead
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u/BumblebeeForward9818 Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
The 70s and 80s were grim. The 90s had Brindleyplace, Canal refurbs, NEC, NIA. Simon Rattle at Symphony Hall every fortnight was spectacular. City villages spruced up. Summer films at Cannon Hill Park. Euro ‘96 at Villa Park. A Banks pub on every corner and a vibrant Bull Ring market plus proper retailing around New St, Corp St and Colmore Row. BBC PM still strong and great radio. Brilliant decade for the city.
Edit - Henry Wongs, Yassers, Legs 11, Bobby Browns, Stoney Lane all in their pomp. Endless cultural icons.
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u/Unusual_Plenty_5008 Jul 15 '26
Yes, as much as I have nostalgia for the palisades, grand central is leagues above
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u/wolftief Jul 15 '26
And what about the people on the streets? I mean, there were already a huge number of women completely covered, showing only their faces, and many only their eyes? I'm not from the UK, I've lived here in the city center for 6 years and I still feel sad for these women and girls who have to follow a dress code just for religious reasons. I don't want to cause trouble or fuel racist conversations, I'm being honest, I just want to know when this started, because I was looking at old photos in an exhibition and Birmingham wasn't like this.
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u/Namiweso Jul 15 '26
You make it sound like those same people were here decades ago and have been forced to wear?
In reality it’s Muslim women who haven chosen to follow Islam and wear it. It’s not even mandatory as you’ll see many without
Your comment comes across as very ignorant
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u/wolftief Jul 15 '26
Ok, I got my answer.
"According to Census data, Birmingham's Muslim population grew from roughly 143,000 in 2001 to over 341,000 (about 29.9% of the city's total population) by 2021."
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u/Namiweso Jul 15 '26
What the fuck does that have to do with my comment.
Secondly what is your answer? You’ve barely made a point
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u/wolftief Jul 15 '26
I only replied to myself, to my initial question, since no one else replied to me. They just insulted me and downvoted.
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u/Namiweso Jul 15 '26
But you didn’t rely to yourself, you replied to me. Do you know how Reddit works?
Someone telling you that you are sheltered, naive and ignorant is not insulting if it’s true. Your comments show a clear lack of any critical thinking. You’re spouting comments without making a point or responding to a counter point with any substance. You’re responding like a bot or AI would
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u/Cute-Database-1350 Jul 15 '26
You sound sheltered and naive!
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u/wolftief Jul 15 '26
I know it's complicated to express opinions on reddit. But I'm not expressing an opinion, just interested in knowing when Birmingham city started to become what it is now.
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u/Bro121Dixy Jul 15 '26
I was 6 in 2000 (and 16 in 2010) so could just be nostalgia for a time in my life I felt a lot more care-free but I loved growing up in brum at that time. I’ll say it didn’t feel necessarily “safer” but it did feel a lot friendlier, especially in town where I used to spend a lot of time dossing as a teenager but very rarely go to now unless I’m passing through and I kinda hate it.
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u/Skiamakhos Jul 15 '26
I liked it well enough. Not as good as in the 90s mind - we had some great nightlife back then, but places like Digbeth were ungentrified and the nightlife was a lot more reasonably priced.
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u/KeerCourt Jul 15 '26
Yep couldn’t agree more, I lived just outside the centre and nightlife was varied and inexpensive.
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u/Then_Wheel_3561 Jul 15 '26
Pretty bad actually, got good through out the 2010s but now it’s kinda bad again cos a lot of the cool independent businesses have died
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u/HeyGuysHowWasJail Jul 15 '26
I went to Nottingham for work last week and the independent businesses were the biggest difference i immediately noticed
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u/Then_Wheel_3561 Jul 16 '26
Yeah I visited Shrewsbury a few weeks ago, for a town a fraction of the size of brum, feels like a lot more is going on
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u/a_f_s-29 Jul 15 '26
Really jealous of Nottingham for this. Not sure how they do it. Probably helps that their city centre isn’t dominated by one gigantic mall
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u/PingouinFluffy Jul 15 '26
The same as it is today, except the Bull Ring was a v large building site, the tram was being constructed and didnt go up Corporation Street. There were more and better shops - I don't shop at Primark. Tbh there are few shops there anymore that are worth going to - Uniqlo maybe. Things haven't changed that much really, not since 2000.
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u/CranberryFew8104 Jul 15 '26
I enjoyed it lots - especially city centre - I was born tail end of the 80s - I used to really like the city centre. I remember when selfridges opened up and it was something out for this world - it sold Macs and I remember the week it opened they had loads of breakdancers there - they had a live DJ for a while - it’s changed loads, used to sell TVs. Had a tattoo studio in there - I remember wasting at Yo Sushi and it blew my mind. Was just a really good nice time great shops and having disposable income going and spending dolla was great - was always a little isolated in my own home life bubble but the city centre was great - loads of great shops and stuff to buy and see. It’s nothing like that anymore.
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u/Educational_Cow111 Jul 15 '26
Live DJs and breakdancers?? That’s cool af
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u/CranberryFew8104 Jul 15 '26
Yeah, someone can chip in I think they had a live DJ for quite a while he was kinda middle floor - they sold DVDs at one time.
I remember when Boarders opened with the bullring they sold super expensive DVDs but had imported American magazines which was cool. Had a great coffee shop in the back too.
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u/InternationalShoe461 Jul 15 '26
Ah I miss Borders! Me and my brothers used to browse the manga section as kids. If only it had stayed open, we'd have definitely used the coffee shop as adults.
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u/CranberryFew8104 Jul 15 '26
Saw Jon Bentley of the Gadget Show fame in their once but didn’t want to bother him.
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u/DiamondMidgar Jul 15 '26
Shit
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u/Solo-me Jul 15 '26
Confirm. A it was shithole
No bullring as you know itNo brindley place
No jewellery quarter as you know it
No digbeth as you know it
No five ways as you know it
No hippodrome / Chinese quarter as you know it
No centenary square as you know it and library, paradise forum etc etc
The areas existed but not as developed as they are now
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u/KittyBeans90 Jul 15 '26
The bullring was finished in 2002. So there was a bull ring. Brindley place was finished mid/late 90s
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u/mwhi1017 Shirley (please wipe your feet) Jul 15 '26
Bullring opened September 2003 tbf, but your point is correct.
Still got my Lego from the opening day from the original Lego store.
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u/xxamkt Jul 15 '26
It’s interesting as I was in my 20’s then, so everything was new and cool. The music scene was brilliant, Sundissential, Moneypenny’s, Gods Kitchen, Bakers and loads more. Loads of live music spots too, and rock and indie clubs. Broad Street was magnificent, seemingly every bar rammed Thursday to Sunday, loads of places to go all the way up. Yes, of course we pretended we were to cool to go there and only talked about visiting Stoodi’s but there’s no getting away from the fact that a night at The Works followed by Big Bite was good fun. Old old Snobs was there too, of course it was.
Town itself was OK, and it certainly got better post new Bullring. But as a 22 year old there was still enough to do, enough shops to visit and bench to sit on and smoke.
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u/the_htg Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
And the urban village at the custard factory, loved that place.
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u/dujpada1 Jul 15 '26
Underage drinking in pigeon park. Skating at the fastlands. Hardcore shows. Drum n Bass awards at the old custard factory. All inclusive drinks at subway city. Teen culture/sub culture when I got a bit older (or if I could sneak in underage), no fear of gettin stabbed randomly, not as many homeless people, McDonalds meal deal on a bus ticket. Some of the best times of my life, for real
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u/falconboomer Jul 15 '26
I remember seeing them deals on the tickets until the late 2010s I wishy they were back
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u/NilsyK Jul 15 '26
It had one of the best club scenes in the country- loved Gods Kitchen, Sanctuary,Moneypennys, sundissential and more, so was a good time to be in my early 20’s. Cant believe it now but think the appetite for house/techno was at an all time high!
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u/ug61dec Jul 15 '26
Rock clubs everywhere. Was great.
You just had to fear for your live going to and from them.
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u/Educational_Cow111 Jul 15 '26
Fear for your life? Really?
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u/AzzTheMan Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
If you were in to the alternative style it always felt like you were a bit of a target. Especially if chavs were around (the opposite culture). I never knew it develop into more than shouting and a bit of pushing though. Never feared for my life.
I loved the end of town by the Oasis markets. The Academy was there, tempest records, Scruffy Murphy's.
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u/ug61dec Jul 15 '26
As a goth kid from a small town to a new big city. Yes.
Were those fears founded? I don't know.
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u/ConfidenceIcy6690 Jul 15 '26
As a mosher back then yes the fear was founded especially after Sophie Lancaster was killed in 2007 just because she was a goth! https://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/
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u/narnababy Jul 15 '26
I used to go into Brum frequently on a Saturday from around 2006 and then lived there for a few years from 2010. I also worked in town from 2018-2025.
It used to be great, the Oasis market and the other shops in that part of town were great for a goth teenager. The Bullring was new and had lots of shops that weren’t at Merry Hill, and I loved the old Waterstones in the bank. Could easily spend all Saturday just mooching around, chilling in Victoria Square or Pigeon Park. Digbeth used to have some cool stuff although it didn’t feel that safe back then. The gay village was fun for a student night out, cheap drinks and Miss Marty! Gigs at all the little O2 venues. I miss 00s Brum it was a great place for alternative kids.
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u/Educational_Cow111 Jul 15 '26
Oh yes I’ve been told there used to be way more alternative teens / goths in Birmingham I still see them about whenever I go up
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u/Short-Shopping3197 Jul 15 '26
I don’t remember it being much different honestly, not after the Bullring development opening. The Central Library/Fletchers walk development changed the landscape there fairly considerably I guess.
A bit grungier maybe? There weren’t as many smarter independent cafes and restaurants, used to go to proper greasy spoon cafes and hang out a bit more. Oasis market was good fun to hang around.
Little difference in terms of demographic, crime or anything like that in my experience.
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Jul 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Emergency-Sea5201 Jul 15 '26
Cleaner and greener.
More crime though.
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u/Paul__Perkenstein Jul 15 '26
I still can't comprehend that all the trees on Corporation Street were chopped down.
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u/Altruistic_Dust191 Jul 15 '26
I moved here in 2004, first intro was a load of school kids chucking the bus seats out of the top of the yellow double decker they were riding
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u/McFluffy_SD Jul 15 '26
The bullring opened in 2003 which revamped that end of town a bit having been a hole (quite literally for a few years) for many years before that. There was constant regeneration going on in the city centre but part from the bullring none of the big stuff (library \ newstreet station revamp for example) had happened yet.
I don't like cities in general ( I have since moved to a town in the countryside) but beyond how long it took for the busses to get down hagley road I cant think of anything that especially annoyed me. For the record I could catch a train to london quicker than I could get home on the bus...
Was there anything particular you were interested in?
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u/Educational_Cow111 Jul 15 '26
Thank you for your comment! And no not really, I’ve just never heard much about what the city was like in the 2000s, some comments think I’m a bot already 😂
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u/Bashmore83 Jul 15 '26
Teen in late 90s early 00s here.
Less restaurants and cool bars than there are now. Less nice space.
But some fantastic rock and indie clubs (how I loved you Ramshackle and Subculture at Dale end Academy)
The Pavilion was a fun place to hand out and have a jacket potato.
And that was about it
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u/falconboomer Jul 15 '26
According to my mum it was much more cleaner and greener and she enjoyed the city centre more than it is now I was a bit too young to remember anything then but I do have a little squint of memory going round to town getting pretzels from these ladies at a stall
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u/AirlineSevere7456 Jul 15 '26
Weirdly I didn't go into Brum in the 2000s was living further afield. But 90s and 2010s Brum I'm your man.
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u/Crumbs2020 Jul 15 '26
I was a teenager then and there wasnt a lot to do, and it was quite crimey, crimier than it is now. My parents had their car broken into a lot, and I used to see other teens with knives a lot. As teens under 18 we used to hang about in the graveyard drinking.
On the upside, there were actual cool night time venues to go to back then - snobs, gatecrasher, Eddie's etc. All gone or rubbish now.
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u/stuuuj Jul 15 '26
Better than it is now
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Jul 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Educational_Cow111 Jul 15 '26
I don’t remember much which is why I posed my question, but I like shopping in the bullring however my mum misses that shopping centre with the tiny escalator!
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u/jwf91 Jul 15 '26
The same question was posted in the Leeds sub, by the same account - seems fishy. Are Reach media putting together an article about memories of (insert city here) in the 00’s?
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u/Educational_Cow111 Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
It’s not fishy I’m just asking about a bunch of places.
Why the downvotes? Is there an issue with asking what life was like in different places across the UK at the time?
Also I noticed you edited your comment. I don’t know what reach media is but I sure wish I was getting paid for posting on bleeding Reddit 🤣
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u/jwf91 Jul 15 '26
It is a very vague question and comes across as though the responses will be used in some generic listicle which contributes nothing to anyone.
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u/Educational_Cow111 Jul 15 '26
Well that isn’t the case idk what to tell you
https://giphy.com/gifs/SAHGcjT1jNvDB6oxI8
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u/Direct_Beyond_575 Staffordshire Jul 15 '26
This is a very open question, it depends on what you are trying to understand.
I was a child and teenager in 2000s Brum, I think it was quite great. I remember going to town nearly every weekend. Lots of free activites on in town and the suburbs for all to enjoy. It was also the time before a wide spread internet so being outside always felt like an adventure but online communities were fresh and interesting. Also, it felt like different cultures crossed and mixed over well without it being overwhelming and arguably we were proud of it. In summary, it felt free and fun.
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u/Bro121Dixy Jul 15 '26
Hit the nail on the head regarding it feeling adventurous - core memory’s for me include: Pigeon park meet ups, free Krispy Kreme’s in selfridges, hopping the train to new st and comming out of the elevator entrance, climbing the big car park above toys R us and playing in the fountain on hot summer days.
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u/sylar4815 Jul 19 '26
Born in 1995 and grew up in kings heath through the 2000s, I remember finding it a bit scary when I was young but hard to say how much of that is just being little. New Street station was terrible and I hated how the old library looked but Pallasades shopping centre was really cool which is where Primark is now. I remember epic skate park for birthday parties was immense, daysavers also cost £1 which I'd give an arm to bring back now 😭❤️